Weekly Roundup

December 9, 2022

State Issues


SHBP Increases Take Effect Shortly

 
Earlier this week, the public sector members of the State Health Benefits Plan Design Committee requested the intervention of a “super conciliator” to revisit the five proposals put forth at the September 14 Plan Design Committee (PDC) meeting that did not pass due to a 6-6 vote. As a reminder, at that meeting the unions put forth resolutions to:
  • end contracts with nonperforming or underperforming point solutions;
  • require the current Pharmacy Benefits Manager to manage specialty medicines dispensed by medical facilities and billed through the medical portion of the coverage;
  • direct the PDC to investigate broad-based referenced based pricing methods with the goal of saving 10%;
  • expand access to First Responder Primary Care Medical Home Pilot by adding certain CWA and AFSCME titles;
  • and create a state-level claims stabilization reserve fund. 
The League’s September 16 Weekly Roundup provides detail information on the September 14 meeting.
 
With such little time remaining it is critical for Mayors and elected officials in municipalities that participate in the SHBP to directly reach out to your Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) contact in the Governor’s office and to your Legislators to reiterate the need for an acceptable resolution of these newly imposed costs on municipal and county governments, our public employees, and taxpayers. If you have already reached out, please do it again—we need their attention and action.
 
Contact: Lori Buckelew, Deputy Executive Director & Director of Government Affairs, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x112.

Third-Party Private Construction Inspection Legislation Continues to Advance

 
On Monday, the Assembly Committee Substitute for A-573 (ACS A-573) was advanced out of the Assembly Community Development and Affairs Committee. ACS A-573 would expand the use of third-party private construction inspections, allowing municipalities more flexibility to hire private inspectors to perform inspections. It would also allow applicants the ability, under certain circumstances, to hire their own private inspectors, forgoing municipal inspectors.
 
While the increased flexibility provided to municipal constructions is appreciated as it will surely assist with meeting needs, the League is concerned with other aspects of the bill. One such concern is how expanding the use of third-party private inspectors will impact the recruitment and retention of municipal inspectors. More importantly, we remain concerned about the quality and integrity of inspections when they are removed from the neutral auspices of the municipal government.
 
ASC A-573 and its Senate companion SCS S-3014 are now both at second reading before the Assembly and Senate, respectively, and could be set for a vote at the December 15 Assembly voting session and December 19 Senate voting session. We encourage you to review these bills and contact your legislators raising the concerns detailed above.
 
Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., Associate General Counsel, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x137.

A-4757 Passes Assembly Human Service Committee

 
On Thursday, December 8, A-4757 was heard before the Assembly Human Service Committee. The bill expands the scope of Resource Navigators to conduct surveys and repost data related to homelessness for the Rental Assistance Navigation program. Resource Navigators would survey any newly evicted tenant who agrees to participate with questions concerning the demographic information, the ability of the individual to secure housing, the municipality which the evicted was evicted from and where they intend to seek shelter, and the financial standing of the evicted. The Resource Navigator would also be required to refer newly evicted tenants to housing assistance and homelessness prevention services. A-4757 was voted favorably out of Assembly Human Service Committee with support from all members.
 
The League supports this legislation because it provides a powerful tool to help the state and municipalities understand and create solutions for homeless individuals throughout the state.
 
Contact: Andrew LaFevre, Legislative Analyst, alafevre@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x116.

Bill Providing Appropriation Cap Relief Advances

 
As municipalities begin to craft their 2023 budgets, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee advanced a bill that would provide additional exemptions under the 2.5% appropriation cap. Specifically, S-3380, sponsored by Senators Sarlo and Greenstein, would exempt from the appropriations cap gasoline and diesel fuel costs; solid waste and recycling collection and disposal costs as well as disposal of yard waste; cyber insurance costs; liability insurance costs; worker’s compensation insurance costs; and property insurance costs. The vote was 8-4 down party lines. We thank Senator Sarlo for bringing to light the challenges municipalities are facing with record high inflation, solid waste costs rising 50-150% higher than previous years, and rising insurance costs.
 
Contact: Lori Buckelew, Deputy Executive Director & Director of Government Affairs, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x112.

NJDEP Invites Local Officials to Green Acres Stakeholder Meeting

 
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Office of Transactions and Public Land Administration (OTPLA) is conducting a series of stakeholder meetings to obtain input on Subchapter 25 and 26 of the Green Acres Program rules and is inviting local officials to participate.
 
Subchapters 25 and 26 govern the maintenance of Green Acres encumbered parkland and other post-funding responsibilities, including the diversion and disposal application processes. The Green Acres rules are not set to expire until December 2025. However, since the NJDEP has not made substantial changes to the rules since 2005, they plan to update the rules before they expire. The OTPLA has prepared a listing of hot topics that may be addressed in the upcoming rulemaking and are meant to spur discussion at the stakeholder meetings.
 
The meetings will be held remotely through Microsoft Teams and are scheduled for December 13 from 2 to 5 p.m., and December 15 from 9 a.m. to noon. Those who are unable to attend but wish to comment may contact the OTPLA via email at otpla@dep.nj.gov.
 
Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., Associate General Counsel, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x137. 


Federal Issues


NLC Offers BIL Federal Grant Bootcamp

 
The League’s federal partner, the National League of Cities (NLC) has partnered with numerous governmental and philanthropic organizations to offer technical help for municipalities to apply for federal funds in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
 
Registration is now open through December 16, 2022, for bootcamps and are free to all municipalities that meet the individual program requirements. 
 
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program ($550 million available): Helps communities implement strategies to reduce fossil fuel emissions; implement renewable energy projects; and improve energy efficiency in the transportation, building, and other appropriate sectors. This bootcamp will be focused on technical assistance for cities with populations of 35,000 and above, or from representatives of cities from the 10 most populous cities within each state. Other communities will be eligible to apply for this program through their state, and support for those communities will be available from the Local Infrastructure Hub at a later date.
 
Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grants ($2.5 billion available): Helps communities address electric vehicle (EV) charging needs for a growing market of passenger vehicles and light duty trucks. Under the community charging program, $1.25 billion will be available for installing EV charging and alternative fuel in locations like public roads, schools, parks, and in publicly accessible parking facilities. These grants will prioritize rural areas, low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, and communities with low ratios of private parking or high ratios of multiunit dwellings.
 
Safe Streets and Roads for All ($5 billion available): 
 
Action Planning: Hundreds of action planning grants ranging from $200,000 to $5 million will be available for developing or updating comprehensive safety action plans to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. This grant is appropriate for communities of all sizes who can apply independently or with other local governments or their Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Implementation: Up to 100 implementation grants ranging from $3 million to $30 million will be available for carrying out projects and strategies identified in action plans to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. Eligible applicants should have completed an action plan and should have ownership and/or maintenance responsibilities over a roadway network, have safety responsibilities that affect roadways, or have agreement from the agency that has ownership and/or maintenance responsibilities for the roadway within the applicant’s jurisdiction so that implementation can move forward.
 
Brownfields ($1.5 billion available): Brownfields grant bootcamp will focus on communities seeking site assessment, cleanup, or multipurpose grants for brownfield sites–sites with known or possible contamination from prior use. Multipurpose grants provide funding for communities to carry out a range of eligible assessment and cleanup activities and allow recipients significant flexibility.
 
We encourage you to review the Local Infrastructure Hub FAQs on its main page under the grant applications and share this information with your municipal professionals.
 
Contact: Paul Penna, Senior Legislative Analyst, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.

Also of Interest


GRC Annual Training Scheduled for December 15

 
The Government Records Council (GRC) annual training will be held virtually on Thursday, December 15, from 9:20 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The training will provide a review of the Open Public Records Act, information on the Daniel’s Law Redaction System, and an overview of technology’s role in governmental policymaking. The webinar is free, but you must registered by December 13.
 
Contact: Lori Buckelew, Deputy Executive Director & Director of Government Affairs, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x112.

Post Conference


Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Tracking System


How to Print Your 2022 CEU Certificates

 
Session Certificates are accessible online
until May 1, 2023. Access your certificates here.

System Procedures for 107th Annual NJLM Conference


Printing Instructions:


1. Login to the CEU Tracking System.
2. Enter your Registrant ID or your last name and zip code.
3. When prompted Enter in Your License Number (if applicable).
4. Complete the evaluation form for the first session you attended by clicking “Take Eval.”
5. Once you have completed the evaluation form hit “submit.” This will take you back to the main session page. 
6. Once you have taken the evaluation, you can print your certificate by hitting “Print.”
7. Once on the print screen, you have the option to “Print My Certificate” or “Email My Certificate.”
  • Clicking “Print My Certificate” will take you to a print screen where you can print your certificate. Certificates may be printed more than once.
  • Clicking “Email My Certificate” will email the certificate to your email address. If your email address is not in the system, you will be asked to provide it. 
8. After you print or email your certificate the screen should return to the session list. If it doesn’t, simply click the “View Credits” tab at the top right of your screen.
9. Repeat steps 3-7 for each session you have attended.

 
PACLE Credit Form (PDF)

2021 Conference CEUs

 
The 2021 Annual League Conference Tracking System has closed. If you have any questions, please contact Danielle Holland-Htut at 609-695-3481, Ext. 118.

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