Tag Archives: New Jersey

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New Rules …


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40,000 New State Rules

Starting on Jan. 1

Greg Toppo, USATODAY

If you’re a pale 17-year-old in Illinois, get your indoor tanning sessions in now. Starting Wednesday, they’re strictly forbidden.

A new state law takes effect Jan. 1 that bans anyone under 18 from using tanning salons in the Land of Lincoln. Illinois becomes the sixth state to keep teens out of the facilities, part of a growing trend of regulating tanning facilities to help reduce the risk of skin cancer, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), a Denver-based group that tracks lawmaking.

STORY: Minn. starts to test aid recipients for drugs STORY: Calif. law to require 3 feet between car, bike

The new measure is one of an estimated 40,000 new laws, regulations and resolutions approved by state legislatures in 2013, many of which take effect Jan. 1. Among them:

• Arkansas voters must now show a photo ID at polling places, while Virginia voters for the first time will be able to register online.

• In Colorado, 16-year-olds will be able to pre-register to vote, but must still wait until they’re 18 to vote.

• California students must be allowed to play school sports and use school bathrooms “consistent with their gender identity,” regardless of their birth identity.

• In Oregon, new mothers will now be able to take their placentas home from the hospital — some experts say ingesting it has positive health benefits. Another new state law bans smoking in motor vehicles when children are present.

Minimum-wage increases take effect in four northeastern states: Connecticut’s rises to $8.70 an hour; New Jersey’s to $8.25; and New York‘s and Rhode Island’s to $8. In nine other states, the minimum wage rises automatically because it’s indexed to inflation.

Perhaps most significantly, Colorado adults age 21 or older will be able on Wednesday to buy up to an ounce of marijuana for recreational use from a state-licensed retail store. Marijuana advocates expect many of the new stores to be up and running by then, and observers say the new Colorado regulations are a sign of things to come.

“I think state legislatures will be faced with the marijuana issue” in 2014, says Jane Carroll Andrade, NCSL’s spokeswoman.

In Washington state, regulators are combing through more than 2,000 applications for similar stores after voters approved a similar measure in 2012, says Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). He expects the first Washington stores to open in a few months.

“Other states are watching Colorado and Washington because it will continue to come up,” Andrade says.

Armentano, who likens these developments to the state-led reversal of Prohibition in the 1930s, says a dozen states are due to debate marijuana legalization measures in the coming year or so. “The genie’s out of the bottle and it’s simply not going back in.”

Many new state laws take effect 90 days after they’re signed, but a few states, like California, Colorado, Illinois and Oregon, get extra attention this time of year because traditionally many laws in these states take effect on Jan. 1.

As a result, life changes a bit more radically for Illinois residents each new year: On Wednesday, in addition to the tanning measure, they’ll find that they can now return a pet or be reimbursed for veterinary costs if an illness was not disclosed by the seller. So-called “lemon pets” laws already exist in 21 states, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

 in Illinois: Anyone who flicks a cigarette butt on a street or sidewalk could be fined at least $50 for littering; police must receive training on the psychological and physiological effects of stun guns, and penalties are now tougher for inciting a violent flash mob or riot via social media.

Illinois also becomes the 13th state to prohibit handheld cellphones while driving. Meanwhile, school districts on Jan. 1 will be able to install cameras on school buses to photograph drivers who pass them when buses are stopped. And school-based sex education must include information about both abstinence and contraception.

Illinois is also home to tough new laws prohibiting unmanned aerial drones. Come Wednesday, it’ll be illegal to use a drone to interfere with hunters or fishermen — and police must get a warrant to use a drone for surveillance, except in cases of terrorism or if a suspect is fleeing a crime scene. Even with the warrant, police must destroy information gathered within 30 days unless it’s linked to a crime, says Ed Yohnka of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.

Lawmakers in both parties overwhelmingly passed the new surveillance prohibition, he says. “They understood that it was something that could occur in the relatively near future, and so there was a desire to get on top of it.”

Contributing: The Associated Press and Reuters

What’s new Jan. 1

A sample of other state laws taking effect Jan. 1:

Colorado: Drivers will see a new annual $50 fee for plug-in electric cars.  Colorado is one of several states looking to capture revenue from alternative fuel, electric and hybrid vehicles.•

Connecticut: New gun-control laws in the aftermath of the school shooting in Newtown include mandatory registration of all assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines bought before April 2013, and creation of a statewide registry that will track parolees whose crimes involved weapons.•

Delaware: Sale, possession or distribution of shark fins prohibited.•

Florida: Expanded early voting.•

Maine: Becomes the 48th state to require a check-off for organ donation on driver’s licenses to promote organ donation.•

Oregon: Privately run websites that feature police mug shots must take down photos for free if subjects can show they were not guilty or that charges were dropped.•

Rhode Island: Becomes the eighth state to enact a so-called “ban the box” law that prohibits prospective employers from inquiring into an applicant’s criminal history on written job applications.

Los Angeles start their grocery bag ban – gender id and bathrooms

Illinois :  organizing a violent flash mob is banned/could be a felony

NC: • Owners of plug-in electric vehicles must pay a $100 registration fee in addition to any other fees -• Health care facilities that perform mammography exams must report breast density information to patients

California: Homeless youth are eligible to receive food stamps. The previous law had a minimum wage requirement.

Delaware: Delaware is the latest in a growing number of states where residents can no longer possess, sell or distribute shark fins, which is considered a delicacy in some East Asian cuisine.

Oregon: Family leave in Oregon has been expanded to allow eligible employees two  weeks of pai d leave to handle the death of a family member.

Sources:

Cnn.com

Greg Toppo, USATODAY

Charlotte Observer

Black History

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 12/16 ~~ the House


12daysofCongress

Schedule for Monday, December 16, 2013

The Senate will convene at 3:00pm on Monday, December 16, 2013. Following Leader remarks, there will be a period of morning business until 5:30pm, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.

 The filing deadline for first degree amendments to the motions to concur with respect to H.J.Res.59, the Budget Resolution, and H.R.3304, the National Defense Authorization Act, is 4:00pm on Monday.

 At 5:30pm, the Senate will proceed to a series of roll call votes on the following items:

 –          Confirmation of Executive Calendar #406, Anne W. Patterson, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Ambassador, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Near Eastern Affairs);

–          Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #450, Jeh Charles Johnson, of New Jersey, to be Secretary of Homeland Security; and

–          Confirmation of Johnson nomination.

Additional procedural votes are possible following the 5:30pm series of votes.

As a reminder, at 5:30pm today, the Senate will proceed to a series of roll call votes on the following Executive items:

–          Confirmation of Executive Calendar #406, Anne W. Patterson, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Ambassador, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Near Eastern Affairs);

–          Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #450, Jeh Charles Johnson, of New Jersey, to be Secretary of Homeland Security; and

–          Confirmation of Johnson nomination.

Additional procedural votes are expected following these votes.

5:30pm The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #406, Anne W. Patterson, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Ambassador, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Near Eastern Affairs);

Confirmed: 78-16

There will then be a live quorum. Senators are encouraged to remain on the floor in order to quickly establish a quorum. Once a quorum is established, there will be a cloture vote on Executive Calendar #450, Jeh Charles Johnson, of New Jersey, to be Secretary of Homeland Security. If cloture is invoked, the Senate would proceed immediately to a vote on confirmation of the Johnson nomination.

5:59pm The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #450, Jeh Charles Johnson, of New Jersey, to be Secretary of Homeland Security;

Invoked: 57-37

6:20pm The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #450, Jeh Charles Johnson, of New Jersey, to be Secretary of Homeland Security;

Confirmed: 78-16

The remaining votes tonight will be 10 minute votes.

6:35pm, the Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on the motion to proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #456, the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security;

Agreed To: 53-38

At 6:52pm, the Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on the motion to proceed to Executive Session to consider Calendar #459, the nomination of John Andrew Koskinen, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service;

Agreed to: 55-37

6:57pm Senator Reid filed cloture on Executive Calendar #456, the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security;

By consent, the Senate resumed Legislative Session and Senator Reid moved to proceed to Executive Session to consider Calendar #459.

7:28pm The Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to the Koskinen nomination 55-37.

Senator Reid the filed cloture on the nomination. There will be no further roll call votes tonight.

The Next roll call vote is expected to occur at 10:00am tomorrow. Tuesday, December 17.

That vote will be on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur with respect to H.J.Res.59, the legislative vehicle for the Bipartisan Budget Act.

We were able to go in and out of Executive Session by voice vote and Senator Reid filed cloture on the following nominations, with the number of post-cloture hours listed in parenthesis:

Executive Calendar #456, Alejandro Mayorkas, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security (8 hours equally divided)

Executive Calendar #459, John Andrew Koskinen, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service.

(8 hours equally divided)

Executive Calendar #382, Brian J. Davis, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the District of Florida (2 hours equally divided)

Executive Calendar #452, Janet L. Yellen, of Callifornia, to be Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (30 hours)

Executive Calendar #455, Sloan D. Gibson, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs (8 hours equally divided)

Executive Calendar #445, Sarah Sewall, of Massachusetts, to be an Under Secretary of State (Civility Security, Democracy, and Human Rights) (8 hours equally divided)

Executive Calendar #371, Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior

Executive Calendar #457, Sarah Bloom Raskin, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of the Treasury (8 hours equally divided)

Executive Calendar #356, Jessica Garfola Wright, of Pennsylvania, to be Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (8 hours equally divided)

Executive Calendar #189, Richard Engler, of New Jersey, to be a Member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (8 hours equally divided)

WRAP  UP

Roll Call Votes

1)      Confirmation of Executive Calendar #406, Anne W. Patterson, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Ambassador, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Near Eastern Affairs); Confirmed: 78-16

2)      Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #450, Jeh Charles Johnson, of New Jersey, to be Secretary of Homeland Security; Invoked: 57-37

3)      Confirmation of Johnson nomination; Confirmed: 78-16

4)      Motion to proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #456, the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security; Agreed to: 58-38

5)      Motion to proceed to Executive Session to consider to consider Executive Calendar #459, the nomination of John Andrew Koskinen, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service; Agreed to: 55-37

Legislative items

Adopted S.Res.322, authorizing the printing of a collection of the rules of the committees of the Senate.

No additional Executive items

===================================================

Last Floor Action:
11:03:15 A.M. – The Speaker announced
that the House do now adjourn pursuant to H. Res. 438. The next meeting is
scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on December 19, 2013.

Last Floor Action:12/12
9:33:30 P.M. – The House adjourned
pursuant to H. Res. 434.

The next meeting is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on
December 16, 2013.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

living wages


By 

It’s Time to Raise the Minimum Wage

The White House and Senate Democrats are zeroing in on a plan to raise the minimum wage, which has not increased in more than four years, to $10.10 per hour. The Senate is expected to take up the plan sometime “very soon,” according to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

The renewed effort in Congress to increase the minimum wage comes afterimportant victories at the ballot box this past Tuesday.

ThinkProgress outlines five reasons why we should raise the minimum wage:

1. It would bring it in line with inflation: While the federal minimum wage isn’t indexed to inflation (unlike some state minimum wages) and hasn’t been raised in four years, if it had kept up with inflation since its peak in the 1960s it would be over $10 an hour. Many fast food workers have been calling for a $15 minimum wage — a rate that will soon go into effect in a small town in Washington state — which is more in line with what civil rights activists demanded in the 1960s.

2. It would boost the economy: While opponents of a minimum wage increase claim that it will hurt job growth, research points to the opposite. There is little evidence that it would hurt jobs, but it would very likely help businesses through increasing demand, lowering turnover, and boosting prices and would give the economy a big boost thanks to more money in people’s pockets to spend on purchases.

3. It would lift millions out of poverty: Full-time minimum wage workers earn just $14,500 a year, which for someone with two kids means living $3,000 below the poverty line. The wage isn’t enough to make rent in any state. Raising it to $10.10 an hour, on the other hand, would lift nearly 6 million people out of poverty.

4. It would be a big help for women and people of color: People of color make up 42 percent of minimum wage workers despite representing just 32 percent of the overall workforce, and women make up two-thirds of the country’s minimum wage workers despite being half of the population. Raising the wage to $10.10 an hour would lift 3.5 million people of color out of poverty and help close the gender wage gap.

5. Americans support it: A recent poll showed that 80 percent of Americans support raising the wage to $10.10 an hour, and that includes two-thirds of Republicans and nearly 80 percent of those making $100,000 or more. On Tuesday, voters approved minimum wage increases in New Jersey and a town in Washington and they also approved raises in the 2012 elections in three other cities. In fact, when given the opportunity, voters nearly always approve minimum wage raises by substantial majorities.

Raising the minimum wage it’s just good policy, it’s “a political goldmine.” The issue is very popular and cuts across party lines. In fact, it’s the perfect issue to help Democrats attract more white working class voters.

BOTTOM LINE: Raising the minimum wage will be a huge boost to our economy. More money in the pockets of workers means more customers for businesses large and small, which in turn leads to a virtuous cycle that creates jobs and grows the economy.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Fracking, superstorm​s, and science: What you don’t know can hurt you


Fracking information toolkit

How will my city hold up against the next superstorm? What’s the truth about the effect of fracking on my drinking water? These days our communities are faced with more and more complex issues. To make smart decisions that protect the health, welfare, and environment of our communities, we need access to current, accurate scientific information. With tools like our recently-released fracking information toolkit that helps citizens and policy makers make informed decisions on hydraulic fracturing (fracking), and our upcoming webcasted forum on how communities can improve prediction, response, and recovery in the face of extreme weather events—UCS is working to integrate science into community decision making so we can better plan for a healthier and safer future. —Karla

Fracking Secret Sauce
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Gretchen Goldman
Analyst
Scientific Integrity Initiative

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 “With all the polarized discussion about fracking in the news lately, what does the evidence and data actually tell us about the risks associated with this extraction process for oil and natural gas?”—P. Simon, Oscoda, MI Technological advances such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (commonly known as “fracking”) have resulted in the rapid expansion of unconventional oil and gas extraction from shale and other tight rock formations that had been previously deemed inaccessible or too costly to tap. Fracking for oil and natural gas has now expanded into some 28 U.S. states, creating new risks in new places including drinking-water contamination, air pollution, and earthquake risks. MORE
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One year after Hurricane Sandy devastated communities on the east coast, UCS invites you to join us for a forum to learn from New Jersey’s circumstances and experience. Discover strategies that can help coastal states throughout the country use the latest available research to make smart planning decisions as we brace for more damaging storms in the future. MORE
Science in Action
Join the conversation about fracking Fracking: You can help separate fact from fiction
When it comes to air and water quality, we can’t play around with the facts. Join UCS experts on October 17 to explore the pressing questions on people’s minds about fracking and its impact on communities. Using our new report findings, we’ll discuss the barriers that people face in trying to find this information, and offer some needed steps to overcome these obstacles. Join our web-based conversation today.
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Oops! Whole Foods sells REAL chicken labeled vegan


From Jolinda Hackett, your Guide to Vegetarian Food
All of the vegetarian internet is talking about this issue, as well as dozens of major media, so I thought I’d weigh in on it too.
Whole Foods sells real chicken labeled as vegan

If you haven’t already heard, a swath of whole foods stores in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Maine sold real chicken labeled as vegan chicken in their prepared food bar for two days this week before anyone noticed an error.I don’t think it needs to be reiterated how obviously not ok this is, but I think there might be a few things the dozens of news articles are missing. Not to be too Pollyanna-ish, but consider the underlying implications… Read more
 First posted on 5/13/13