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:
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.
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