(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) to prohibit the use of restraints on female prisoners during labor and immediately after childbirth was released Thursday by the Assembly Women and Children Committee.

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), a professional association of physicians specializing in obstetrics and gynecology in the United States, have clearly stated their opposition to the practice of shackling. According to the ACOG, shackling interferes with the ability of physicians to safely practice medicine and is “demeaning and unnecessary.”

“I cannot imagine women having to go through hours of labor while shackled to a hospital bed, or a baby being brought into this world under such circumstances,” said Vainieri Huttle. “A little humanity in this instance can go a long way.”

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Shavonda Sumter, Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Pamela Lampitt to help make women more competitive in the workforce and encourage financial stability among women was signed into law on Friday.

The bill (S-2403/A-3717) would establish the Women’s Vocational Training Pilot Program in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (LWD) to promote the economic self-sufficiency of low-income women through increased participation in high-wage, high-demand occupations.

“Closing the gender wage gap begins with making sure that women receive equal pay for equal work, but another important factor is making sure women have the tools they need to compete in every industry,” said Sumter (D-Bergen/Passaic). “New Jersey’s women already have the resilience and work ethic they need to succeed. This program will empower them with the right training and opportunities.”

The purpose of the program is to improve the employability of women in nontraditional occupations through education and training. Under the law, a nontraditional occupation is one in which women account for 25 percent or less of those employed in the field. Such occupations include: architecture, computer programming, engineering, trucking and construction.

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Benjie Wimberly, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Sheila Oliver, Cleopatra Tucker, Annette Quijano and Gordon Johnson to ensure that women- and minority-owned businesses in New Jersey have equal access to state contracts has been signed into law.

“While progress has been made, women- and minority-business owners continue to face challenges that limit their ability to grow,” said Wimberly (D-Bergen/Passaic), chair of the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee. “The provisions in this law are necessary to ensure that the equality of opportunity guaranteed by federal and state law is available to minority-owned and women-owned businesses in this state.”

The law (A-1869) establishes the position of chief diversity officer in the Division of Purchase & Property in the Department of Treasury. The chief diversity officer will monitor the state’s public contracting process in order to compile information on the contracts awarded to minority-owned and women-owned businesses, the total value of all contracts and the percentage of the value of those contracts awarded to minority-owned and women-owned businesses enterprises.

The original bill, which would have established a Division of Minority and Women Business Development in the State Department of the Treasury, was conditionally vetoed by the governor. The bill then was amended to concur with the governor’s conditional veto.

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Shavonda Sumter, Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Pamela Lampitt to help make women more competitive in the workforce and encourage financial stability among women was approved 72-3 Thursday by the Assembly.

The bill (A-3717) would establish the Women’s Vocational Training Pilot Program in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (LWD) to promote the economic self-sufficiency of low-income women through increased participation in high-wage, high-demand occupations.

 (TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Shavonda Sumter, Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Pamela Lampitt to help make women more competitive in the workforce and encourage financial stability among women was advanced Monday by an Assembly committee.

The bill (A-3717) would establish the Women’s Vocational Training Pilot Program in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (LWD) to promote the economic self-sufficiency of low-income women through increased participation in high-wage, high-demand occupations.