Bills Would Increase Municipal Revenues, Enhance Accountability, Place Restrictions on Employee Perks Provide Legislative Oversight of Multi-Billion Dollar Bi-State Agency

(TRENTON) — A legislative package aimed at enhancing legislative oversight and public transparency at the New York/New Jersey Port Authority (Port Authority) was released Thursday from the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee.

A series of increasingly alarming news reports in recent months have drawn sharp criticisms about how the multi-billion dollar agency conducts its business. Concerns have been raised over overtime costs in excess of $90 million; contradicting statements about where the majority of the money raised by the agency’s September toll hike was being spent; $4 million in Christie administration patronage hires; and borderline-ridiculous levels of perks for authority members and retirees.

“We essentially have an agency funded by tolls and taxpayer dollars more or less operating with no outside oversight,” said Deputy Speaker John S. Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), the chairman of the Assembly transportation panel. “In light of the litany of disturbing news reports about the agency’s operations, it seems apparent that a legislative intervention on behalf of taxpayers and commuters is necessary.”

The first bill in the package (A-699) would require the Port Authority, a tax exempt entity, to make payments to municipalities on properties it owns in New Jersey in the amount that would have otherwise been paid in property taxes on those properties. The bi-state agency owns properties in 15 counties in New York and New Jersey and, according to the sponsors — Assembly members Ruben J. Ramos, Jr., and Connie Wagner — the measure would attempt to mitigate the loss of tax revenue faced by towns where the Port Authority owns property.

The bill contains a hold-harmless provision that would allow any current or future negotiated payment amounts in excess of the bill’s minimums to continue unabated.

“We have had conflicting reports about what the Port Authority has been doing with its extra revenue since raising PATH fares by almost 14.5 percent,” said Ramos (D-Hudson), a member of the Assembly transportation panel. “Since the authority can’t seem to tell us what, if anything, the extra money is going to, it should be used to reimburse towns for their lost property tax revenue.”

“If the Port Authority can afford to pay $90 million a year in overtime and waive toll payments for present and former commissioners, then it stands to reason that it can afford to pay New Jersey municipalities for the use of their land,” said Wagner (D-Bergen).

The second bill (A-1011) — sponsored by Assembly members Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Wagner and Ramos — entitled the “Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Transparency and Accountability Act,” would implement reforms at the bi-state agency to ensure that it operates as an open, transparent, and accountable authority.

“With at least 55 percent of Port Authority bridge and tunnel tolls and 80 percent of PATH fares paid by New Jersey residents, we have a vested interest in seeing our hard-earned commuting money being properly spent,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). “Recent news stories indicate that this is not the case, something this legislation seeks to rectify.”

“It is simply no longer acceptable for the Port Authority to continue to conduct its business behind closed doors,” said Wagner. “New Jersey taxpayers and commuters deserve to know precisely how their toll and tax dollars are being spent.”

“This is an agency that annually spends billions of dollars in taxpayer money,” said Ramos. “The New Jersey taxpayers and commuters who provide this funding have a right to know that their money is being spent on projects and salaries that are appropriate and fiscally sound.”

Specifically, the act would create requirements for:

• An independent auditing of the Port Authority;
• Open public meetings and the publication of minutes of the meetings of the authority’s Board of Commissioners;
• Public hearings to be held in the port district of New York and New Jersey to discuss any proposed fee, toll, charge or fare increase;
• The establishment of audit, finance and governance committees;
• Financial disclosures and training for commissioners;
• Financial reports certified by the chair and vice-chair of the board of Commissioners of the Port Authority and the executive director, deputy executive director and chief financial officer of the authority; and
• The creation of a fiduciary responsibility for commissioners.

The third bill (A-1247), sponsored by Assemblymen Paul D. Moriarty and Matthew W. Milam, would impose various restrictions on perks and benefits for the Port Authority, its subsidiary corporations and the commissioners, officers and employees of same.

“At the same time that the average commuter is paying thousands of dollars a year to cross Port Authority-owned bridges and tunnels, you have commissioners and employees of the agency literally getting a free ride because of where they work,” said Moriarty (D-Gloucester). “That simply isn’t fair and it needs to stop.”

“The commissioners and employees of the Port Authority are charged with the responsibility of spending billions of our tax dollars each year on a variety of projects,” said Milam (D-Cumberland). “Because of the scope of their responsibility to the taxpayers, they should be held to the same standards of behaviors as public officials.”

The bill would prohibit the Port Authority and its subsidiaries from:

• Compensating any commissioner, officer or employee for expenses related to commuting or a personal vehicle;
• Exempting any commissioner, officer or employee, or former commissioner, officer or employee from payment of any Port Authority tolls or fares or reimbursing any such individual for use of any of any Port Authority tolled facilities or transportation services or for payment of any other expense for commuting between home and work or for travel not directly related to the public business of the authority;
• Providing to any commissioner, officer or employee a driver whose assigned full-time or part-time duties are to operate any motor vehicle in which the commissioner, officer or employee, or an immediate family member is a passenger, unless the drive is a law enforcement officer who is assigned also to provide for the security of the commissioner, officer or employee when the need for such security has been documented;
• Compensating any commissioner, officer, or employee for overnight travel on behalf of the authority or for purposes of conducting authority business unless such travel arrangements and itinerary are approved in writing by the authority board at a public meeting, excepting emergent situations relating to the authority’s business;
• Extending to any commissioner, officer or employee a personal line of credit or any other form of credit agreement for any purpose unless the use of such credit card is directly related and essential to the performance of those official duties of the commissioner, officer or employee, as documented in writing, that concern the maintenance of security for specified persons or property, law enforcement, inspections or audits of regulated facilities, entities or persons or the health, safety and welfare of members of the public;
• Providing to any commissioner, officer or employee any personal expense allowance or contingent fund for personal or official expenses except where such allowance or fund is expressly provided for by stature or legislative appropriation;
• Providing to any commissioner, officer or employee an allowance, stipend, subsidy or other form of payment for the purchase, lease or maintenance of a residence; and
• Providing tuition reimbursement to officers and employees unless:
  • The course is taken at an accredited public institution of higher learning in New York or New Jersey;
  • The course is directly related to the skills and knowledge required for the duties being performed by the officer or employee or required for the performance of the duties of a position to which the officer or employee may directly be promoted form the current position;
  • The officer or employee agrees to remain an officer or employee for five years after the final tuition reimbursement is made; and
  • Total tuition reimbursement is not to exceed 50 percent of the total tuition.

The bill also would prohibit commissioners, officer and employees of the Port Authority or its subsidiary corporations from:

• Soliciting or accepting any compensation, reward, employment, gift, honorarium, out-of-state travel or subsistence expense or any other thing of value from any source other than the authority for any matter related to the official duties of the commissioner, officer or employee or under any other circumstance which could reasonably be expected to influence the manner in which authority business is conducted;
• Engaging in employment with any professional service provider, vendor or independent contractor of the authority for two years after termination;
• Accepting use of a Port Authority or Port Authority subsidiary-owned resident for purposes not directly related and essential to the performance of those official duties of the officer or employee; and
• Soliciting, receiving or agreeing to receive, whether directly or indirectly, any ticket or other form of admission to any place of entertainment that is provided free of charge or at a discounted rate by the sponsor, promoter, performer or operator of the event or entertainment venue unless the same free or reduced admission is available to:
• The public;
• A class consisting of all officers or employees of New York or New Jersey state agencies, as appropriate, whether or not restricted on the basis of geographic consideration;
• All members of a group or class in which membership is unrelated to Port Authority service;
• All members of an organization, such as an employees’ association or state or other public entity credit union, in which membership is related to Port Authority service; or
• A group or class that is not defined in a manner that specifically discriminates among state or Port Authority officers or employees on the basis of branch of government or type of responsibility, or on a basis that favors those of higher rank or rate of pay.

Any commissioner, officer or employee of the authority or its subsidiaries who willfully engages in conduct, or accepts a benefit, in violation of the provisions of the measure would be subject to removal from office or employment and fined up to $10,000.

The final measure (A-2166), sponsored by Wisniewski, would require that Port Authority minutes be subject to review and approval by the legislatures of New York and New Jersey.

“While Gov. Christie has shown no problem in exercising his gubernatorial veto power over other authorities, he seems to have a blind spot when it comes to the Port Authority,” said Wisniewski. “Adding a layer of legislative oversight will help remedy that and ensure that billions in public dollars are being spent appropriately.”

Under the bill, either legislature, by concurrent resolution, may disapprove the minutes within 10 business days of receipt. If neither legislature acts within the prescribed period, the minutes shall be deemed approved, subject to the governors’ veto.

The bill package now heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for further review.

Due to the bi-state nature of the Port Authority, in order for any of these measures to take effect, New York would have to pass and enact identical legislation.

Article source: http://www.assemblydems.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=5040

Assemblywoman’s Civil Rights Bill Would Bring Equal Treatment to All Couples

Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), one of the sponsors of democratic legislation to create true marriage equality for same-sex couples in New Jersey, today released the following statement as the Assembly Judiciary panel listens to testimony on the legislation:

“One year ago, Governor Christie signed the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, one of the toughest anti-bullying laws in the country.

“I certainly remember the articulate and brave young men and women who shared their horrific experiences with the Legislature. Many of those students were targeted because of their sexual orientation. It became clear that while bullying affects all students, those who identify as gay or are perceived to be gay are disproportionately impacted by peer harassment and intimidation.

“The purpose of the anti-bullying law is to respond to bullying and also to prevent it. That can only be done by teaching students that although they are not all the same, they are all equal and will be treated equally in our state.

“Unfortunately, that is not true.

“LGBT students, as well as their peers, know that when it is time to get married in our state, they will not be treated equally. They will not be treated fairly.

“New Jersey schools are tasked with teaching students that discrimination against their fellow classmates is wrong and punishable. It is undoubtedly more difficult to impress the values of fairness and equality upon our children when our state does not allow same sex couples to marry.

“Now is the time to change that. Every person in our state should have the same opportunities and privileges. It is the only way we can truthfully tell our children that intolerance is unacceptable, that discrimination is unacceptable, and that unequal treatment is unacceptable,” said Vainieri Huttle.

The bill (A-1) – titled the Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act – would eliminate the civil unions that have been in place since 2007, but have failed to provide equal treatment to New Jersey’s same-sex couples, and instead define marriage as the legally recognized union of two consenting people in a committed relationship.

Vainieri Huttle noted that six states and the District of Columbia, together comprising 35 million Americans, allow same-sex couples to marry.

The bill also expressly stipulates that no member of the clergy of any religion authorized to solemnize marriage and no religious society, institution or organization in this state shall be required to solemnize any marriage in violation of the free exercise of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

It also includes another religious exemption stating that no religious society, institution or organization in this state serving a particular faith or denomination shall be compelled to provide space, services, advantages, goods or privileges related to the solemnization, celebration or promotion of marriage if such solemnization, celebration or promotion of marriage is in violation of the beliefs of such religious society, institution or organization.

Also, the bill states that no civil claim or cause of action against any religious society, institution or organization, or any employee thereof, shall arise out of any refusal to provide space, services, advantages, goods or privileges.

Under the bill, partners who have previously established a civil union may apply for a marriage license and would receive the license immediately, without the usual 72-hour waiting period between application for, and issuance of, the license. The usual fees for a marriage license would apply to same sex couples.

The bill is also sponsored by Assembly Democratic lawmakers Speaker Sheila Oliver, Reed Gusciora, Connie Wagner, Mila Jasey, John McKeon, Jason O’Donnell, John Wisniewski and Timothy Eustace.

It would take effect on the 60th day following enactment.

Article source: http://www.assemblydems.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=5045

Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), the lead sponsor of the landmark Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, vowed to continue fighting to protect students throughout New Jersey who are subjected to bullying and harassment after the Council on Local Mandates on Friday struck down the law, claiming it represented an unfunded mandate.

“For the countless students subjected to bullying day in and day out, this decision is devastating.

“My message to all of these students today is that we will not give up. We will work on their behalf to change the culture within our schools so that everyone can receive a ‘thorough and efficient’ education without being subjected to bullying, harassment and intimidation.

“I applaud all of the school districts that have been working throughout the year to implement this law and I hope the council’s decision will not dilute their commitment to preventing bullying.

“This rarely used, shadowy fourth branch of government voted behind closed doors to dismantle a law sponsored by two-thirds of the legislature and approved and signed into law by the Governor. Rest assured we will review the council’s decision thoroughly to find a way to make this law workable for everyone,” said Vainieri Huttle.

Article source: http://www.assemblydems.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=5013

Assemblywoman Hopes Council on Local Mandates Will Uphold Landmark Law

On the eve of a Council on Local Mandate’s hearing on the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), the lead sponsor of the landmark law, urged local school districts to work cooperatively to implement the law’s provisions rather than standing in the way of a child’s right to an education free of bullying and intimidation.

The Council on Local Mandates is scheduled to hear a complaint on Friday in Trenton that has been brought forth by the Allamuchy school district and several others, claiming that the law constitutes an unfunded mandate for school districts.

When given a choice between giving up and working through an issue, we teach our children to ask for help but never quit. Unfortunately, when it comes to New Jersey’s Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights some school districts have decided that it is better to give up than overcome the challenges of implementing the new law.

“This landmark law is not an unfunded mandate because, by design, it does not require any district to expend additional reDests. While school personnel must be trained in how to identify and address bullying, the law does not force schools to use particular programs or materials. In fact, there is free training available through the State Bar Association Foundation and professional development in anti-bullying provided by the New Jersey Education Association.

“As with many new laws, they are a work in progress and additional guidance from the Department of Education is hopefully forthcoming. School district concerns must be addressed and I am committed to making that happen.

“If bullying victims can go to school every day and persevere despite the daily fears and anxiety they face, then certainly school districts can do their part by supporting this law that protects harassed and intimidated students,” said Vainieri Huttle.

Article source: http://www.assemblydems.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=5007

Legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle and former Assemblywoman Joan M. Quigley to ensure gender equality in the workplace has been signed into law.

“Women have made great strides in the workplace, but the glass ceiling has not been shattered quite yet,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). “These revisions will give employers best practices to ensure gender parity in the workforce, and give more women the same professional advancement opportunities that their male counterparts currently benefit from.”

“Progress has been made, but there’s still more work to do when men continue to earn more than women in most metropolitan areas of the country,” said Quigley (D-Bergen/Hudson). “We must educate employers and the public in general about the disparities and the best approaches to remedy these discrepancies, so that we get closer to complete gender equity in the workplace.”

The new law (S-1395/A-2563) revises the duties of the Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education (which is part of the State Employment and Training Commission) to include:

• conducting studies and promoting research to develop means to correct gender inequitable practices, including practices leading to pay disparities between men and women;
• disseminating this information to employers, labor organizations, professional associations, educational institutions, the media and the general public;and
• developing and making available information on best practices for workplace gender equity to enable employers to evaluate job categories based on objective criteria; and, establishing a statewide recognition of exceptional practices to promote gender equity in the workplace.

Established in 1999, the New Jersey Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education consists of representatives from business, education, and government. It performs research and distributes information addressing barriers to full and gender-equitable participation in the workforce and in education. The SETC partners with the Center for Women and Work at Rutgers University to provide operational support to carry out program initiatives and day-to-day operations of the Council.

Article source: http://www.assemblydems.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=4961

Vows to Remain Watchdog for New Jersey’s Most Vulnerable

Called a “Voice for the Voiceless” by advocates of individuals with developmental disabilities, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) will continue her chairmanship of the Assembly Human Services Committee.

“I’d like to thank leadership for expressing their continued confidence in me to lead this committee,” said Vainieri Huttle. “The Assembly Human Services Committee is charged with improving the lives of our state’s most vulnerable citizens and the committee certainly did that last session in a constructive and bipartisan way. I look forward to working with the dedicated members of the new committee to enhance the quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health issues, and I am committed to maintaining our state’s safety net for struggling families in this difficult economic time.”

Vainieri Huttle pointed to the accomplishments of her committee last session, such as creating New Jersey’s Non-Profit Information Center, a one-stop portal for non-profit organizations on the Department of State’s website; passing legislation to better prevent youth suicide; establishing a registry to identify abuse in the developmental disability community; and requiring the Department of Human Services to maintain a database on individuals with developmental disabilities so families are aware of the services and opportunities available to them.

Vainieri Huttle also led her committee on a tour of all of the state’s developmental centers and psychiatric hospitals, as well as to community residences, to better understand the special needs housing crisis in New Jersey and address the 8,000 person waiting list.

The Assembly Human Services Committee is scheduled to meet for the first time this session on February 2 at 1 p.m.

Article source: http://www.assemblydems.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=4967

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly members L. Grace Spencer, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Albert Coutinho and Annette Quijano to protect sexually exploited minors has been signed into law.

The law (A-3700-3934) will provide an affirmative defense to any person under 18 who engages in prostitution. An affirmative defense is an explanation for a defendant’s actions that excuses or justifies his behavior. The law intends to address situations where minors are charged criminally as a result of being a victim of sexual abuse. Currently, a person is afforded an affirmative defense to a charge of prostitution only if the person is a victim of human trafficking.

“This law strengthens our current laws so that children who have been exploited are not only protected, but will receive the care they need,” said Spencer (D-Essex/Union). “These children fell prey to horrendous circumstances and unscrupulous individuals. We must ensure children who have been sexually exploited are treated as victims and are provided with appropriate services, including shelter, care, counseling and crisis intervention services.”

The law also requires that care services be provided for sexually exploited juveniles charged with prostitution or juvenile victims of human trafficking. The law amends various sections of the current juvenile code to ensure these services are rendered.

“Making a criminal out of an exploited child who was forced into prostitution under tragic circumstances is a complete moral failure,” said Vainieri Huttle (D- Bergen). “Prostitution is not a choice for these children. This law will ensure that these young victims are helped, not hurt even more by being treated as criminals.”

“We rightfully protect children who have been victims of human trafficking and forced into prostitution. Why should we not extend the same level protection to our children here in this country?” asked Coutinho (D- Essex/Union). “These children have been exploited over and over again by adults who failed them; they should not be victimized again by the legal system.”

“Most of these children escaped an abusive environment only to find themselves in another one even worse. Turning them into criminals for unspeakable acts being done to them doesn’t serve justice,” said Quijano (D-Union). “These children were failed by those entrusted with their safety. It is our responsibility to rectify the injustices committed against them.”

Article source: http://www.assemblydems.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=4950

Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Connie Wagner, Reed Gusciora and Valerie Vainieri Huttle instituting a temporary ban on the controversial gas drilling practice known as “fracking,” which has recently been linked to a series of earthquakes in the Midwest, has been signed into law

The legislature initially passed the measure (A-3313) in June, creating a permanent ban on fracking in New Jersey. The Governor conditionally vetoed the measure in August, calling for a temporary 12 month moratorium on the practice while the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) investigates the practice. The Legislature signed off on the changes last week.

“Everyone agrees we have to work to find alternative energy Dests and reduce our reliance on foreign oil, but I don’t see how anyone can support pumping chemical-laced water into the ground,” said Wagner (D-Bergen). “From earthquakes to flammable drinking water, evidence on the potential hazards of fracking continues to mount. Absent a total ban, I support this temporary moratorium so that state and federal experts can continue to study the issue more closely.”

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a type of natural gas drilling that can endanger drinking water by blasting water diluted chemicals into shale rock, breaking it apart to free natural gas.

“We have too many unanswered questions about this process,” said Gusciora (D-Mercer) “Our drinking water is precious, especially in highly built out areas like most of New Jersey. Short of an outright ban, this will at least buy us more time to investigate the potential this process might have to endanger public health and safety.”

The law will impose a 12 month ban on hydraulic fracturing in New Jersey and also direct the DEP to conduct an investigation into whether hydraulic fracturing could have or is likely to have an adverse impact on air and water quality in New Jersey.

“Fracking merits serious concern based on the experiences of other states,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). “The more we learn about this practice the more we see significant environmental and health-related risks.”

The sponsors noted that experts have linked recent earthquakes in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Ohio to the fracking process. Earlier this year, more than a dozen families in Susquehanna County, Pa., have filed a lawsuit against the Southwestern Energy Production Company, asserting that a succession of “releases, spills and discharges of combustible gases, hazardous chemicals and industrial wastes” from the company’s nearby drilling sites had contaminated their drinking water and made them sick. YouTube videos even depict residents being able to set their tap water aflame in areas where fracking is occurring.

Article source: http://www.assemblydems.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=4953

Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Dan Benson, Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Celeste Riley establishing a statewide ovarian cancer public awareness campaign to help increase survival rates among women has been signed into law.

“Because early detection and treatment often mean the difference between life and death, it’s important to increase awareness of the factors that put certain women at a higher risk for the disease,” said Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “Many of the symptoms of ovarian cancer are vague and non-specific, and women and their physicians often attribute them to more common conditions so that by the time the cancer is diagnosed the tumor has often spread. Simple awareness can make all the difference.”

The new law (S-1711/A-3837), approved 70 to 0 by the Assembly last month, requires the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to establish the public awareness campaign to inform the general public about the clinical significance of ovarian cancer and its public health implications. The campaign must include risk factors, symptoms, the need for early detection and methods of treatment.

“If found and treated in its earliest stages, the five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is 95 percent,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). “Unfortunately, most women who suffer from ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until the later stages when the disease has spread and the five-year survival rate decreases to roughly 30 percent. Bringing this issue to the forefront of women’s minds is paramount to the survival of many.”

The symptoms of ovarian cancer include: general abdominal discomfort or pain, such as gas, indigestion, pressure, swelling, bloating or cramps; nausea, diarrhea, constipation or frequent urination; loss of appetite; feeling of fullness after a light meal; weight gain or loss with no known reason; and abnormal bleeding from the vagina;

“Although development of a screening test to detect ovarian cancer remains a very active area of research, currently there is no definitive prevention strategy,” said Riley (D-Salem/Cumberland/Gloucester). “The best way to decrease the overall risk of dying from ovarian cancer is to have regular pelvic examinations, something this measure will hopefully help make more women aware of.”

The sponsors underscored the importance of the public awareness campaign, noting that ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system and ranks fourth as a cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States. Additionally, more than half of the deaths from ovarian cancer occur in women between the ages of 55 and 74 years of age and approximately one quarter of ovarian cancer deaths occur in women between 35 and 54 years of age.

In order to carry out the public awareness campaign, the legislation requires DHSS to, at a minimum:

• develop printed educational materials and public service announcements in English and Spanish; and
• distribute the information to the public, through a variety of means, including, but not limited to, local health agencies and clinics, physicians, health care facilities, county offices on aging, pharmacies, libraries, senior citizen centers, other community-based outreach programs and organizations, and the department’s official website.

Article source: http://www.assemblydems.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=4918

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly members Gordon M. Johnson, Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Annette Quijano to encourage more online donations to many of the beneficial programs intrinsically linked to New Jersey, received final legislative approval this week and now heads to the Governor’s desk.

The bill (A-2727) would provide easy, online access to make donations to the special funds listed on New Jersey’s gross income tax return forms.

“In this day and age, it’s just common sense to let people donate online and not just on their tax returns,” said Johnson (D-Bergen). “If we can provide residents with the knowledge and access to lend a helping hand, I have no doubt that we can increase support for many of New Jersey’s worthwhile programs.”

“We know that New Jerseyans have big hearts and, if given the opportunity, they always rise to the occasion,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). “With more and more people filing their taxes online, it’s important that we take advantage of these tools to promote the worthwhile programs near and dear to our state, which are in need of support.”

“People already use the web to shop and pay their bills, so it makes sense to allow them to donate to these worthy causes online,” said Quijano (D-Union). “Online donations are practical, and will go a long way in helping these wonderful programs. New Jerseyans are generous, and I’m certain that given an even simpler way to donate, they will step up to the plate.”

Currently, only the New Jersey Children’s Trust Fund to Prevent Child Abuse, one of a handful of specific tax check-off items listed on New Jersey’s gross income tax return, allows for online donations.

This bill would require the state Division of Taxation to create a separate online donation form for any of the special funds designated under current law, including the NJ Endangered Wildlife Fund, the NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Fund, the NJ Breast Cancer Research Fund, the state’s Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program, and the U.S.S. New Jersey Educational Museum Fund.

According to a June report from the Giving U SA Foundation and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, total charitable contributions nationwide declined for the first time since 1987, down 3.6 percent in 2009. It was also just the second decline in contributions since the foundation began publishing annual reports in 1956.

Roughly 50 to 60 percent of organizations that provided data to the Giving USA Foundation reported lower gift receipts in 2009 than in 2008. Hit particularly hard were charities that promote education and the arts, which suffered two consecutive years of decline. They lost 8.8 percent and 8.7 percent of donations, respectively, between 2007 and 2009.

The bill was approved 77-0 by the Assembly in February, and 39-0 by the Senate on Monday.

Article source: http://www.assemblydems.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=4919