AFP-NJ's Bill Tracker!
AFP-NJ’S BILL TRACKER!
Keeping an eye on the legislation in Trenton affecting New Jersey taxpayers!
Below are the major fiscal bills for the current two-year legislative session (2012-2013) on AFP’s radar along with their status. Look for the bills with active action alerts to let your representatives in Trenton know you expect them to stand up for taxpayers when these bills come up for a vote! CLICK HERE to search bills and their status on the NJ Legislature website !
Pending Bills (Introduced or Voted on by One or Both Chambers)
- Medicaid Expansion (S2644) – Expands Medicaid eligibility under ObamaCare to childless adults up to 133% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL). AFP opposes adding more Americans to a costly and failing entitlement program that does not improve outcomes for patients. AFP supports repealing ObamaCare and reforming the Medicaid program through block grants that empower states to run their Medicaid programs as they see fit. (AFP Position: NO)
- ObamaCare Public Awareness Campaign (A3878/S2673) – AFP opposes any effort by State government to further the federal health care takeover (AFP Position: NO)
- ObamaCare Joint Legislative Task Force (ACR184/SCR144) – Establishes a task force to implement an ObamaCare exchange in New Jersey. (AFP Position: NO)
- RGGI Cap & Trade Repeal (A1500/S276) – Repeals legislation paving way for NJ’s entry into RGGI (AFP Position: YES)
- RGGI Cap & Trade Constitutional Amendment (ACR187/SCR146) – A proposed amendment to the state constitution which would force New Jersey back into this Obama-style Cap & Trade scheme. RGGI is bad policy but attempting to amend the state constitution to implement what cannot be won via statute is corrosive for the democratic process. Policy battles such as RGGI should be won or lost via the legislative process and amending the constitution ought to be reserved for matters concerning citizen’s rights, the way state government functions and the powers that rest with state government. (AFP Position: NO)
- Passed Senate: Encourages Shared Services (A1171/S2) – AFP supports the concept of “home rule” as the best way to keep the costs of local government down for taxpayers. Moreover, AFP opposes the State using coercive tactics – in this case threatening to hold back state aid from municipalities — in order to advance its agenda.
- Passed Assembly: Internet Sales Tax (A2003/S1305) (AFP Position: NO)
- Fracking Ban (A567/S246) – Hydraulic fracturing (or fracking), an innovative technique for extracting natural gas from shale formations, has sparked economic growth and job creation in the energy sector. There is no reason for New Jersey to needlessly ban it. (AFP Position: NO)
- Offshore Wind Repeal (A3108) – Rolls back $100M offshore windmill boondoggle (AFP Position: YES) (TAKE ACTION! Click here to urge Gov. Christie to withdraw his support of this boondoggle!)
- Wind industry sales tax exemption (S1561) – More corporate welfare to prop up the wind industry (AFP Position: NO)
- Passed Assembly: Block DEP Waivers (ACR37/SCR59) – Attempt to strip executive branch of authority to issue waivers respecting environmental regulations (AFP Position: NO)
- Teachers’ Loan Redemption Program (A2269/S543) (AFP Position: NO)
Enacted Bills/Resolutions Passed
- FY 2013 Budget (A3200/S2013) – Appropriates $31.74B for FY ’13 (Line item veto) (AFP Position: NO)
- FY 2012 Supplemental Appropriations (A3203/S2012) – Appropriates an additional $246.7M for FY ’12 (AFP Position: NO)
- Solar Energy Subsidies (A2966/S1925) – Propping up of failing solar energy sector at ratepayer expense. (AFP Position: NO)
- Transportation Trust Fund (A3205/S2020) - Authorizes borrowing without voter approval to fill coffers of the TTF. (AFP Position: NO)
- Constitutional Amendment on Judicial Salaries and Benefits (ACR152/SCR110) – A proposed constitutional amendment clarifying Legislature’s authority to alter judicial pensions and benefits during a justice’s term (AFP Position: YES) (Enacted via ballot referendum)
- “Building Our Future Bond Act” (A3139/S2500) – Authorizes the issuance of $750M in general obligation bonds to finance higher educational capital projects for increasing of academic capacity. AFP opposes the State amassing more debt and refutes the notion that this money is necessaary, let alone that it will keep students from leaving the state in the future. (AFP Position: NO) (Enacted via ballot referendum).
- Resolution on Medicaid Expansion under ObamaCare (ACR170/SCR132) – AFP opposes increasing the eligibility threshold and expanding this failing entitlement program. AFP supports repealing ObamaCare and reforming the Medicaid program through block grants that empower states to run their Medicaid programs as they see fit. (AFP Position: NO)
Proposed Constitutional Amendment
- Passed Both Houses/On November Ballot: Minimum-Wage Hike (ACR168/SCR1) - Accomplishes the same as A2162/S3 only via constitutional amendment (would require voter approval). AFP opposes increasing the minimum wage and indexing it to inflation, but institutionalizing minimum wage hikes via constitutional amendment is an even more disastrous idea. (AFP Position: NO)
Vetoed Bills
- Absolute Veto: RGGI Cap & Trade Bill (A1998/S1322) – Attempt to force NJ back into the RGGI Cap & Trade scheme (AFP Position: NO)
- Absolute Veto: New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (A2171/S1319) – A bill to implement ObamaCare exchanges in NJ as part of the government health care takeover (AFP Position: NO)
- Absolute Veto: New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (A3186/S2135), Second Attempt - A bill to implement ObamaCare exchanges in NJ as part of the government health care takeover (AFP Position: NO)
- Absolute Veto: New Jersey Residential Foreclosure Transformation Act (A2168/S1566) – A scheme to bail out institutional lenders and turn foreclosed homes into “low-income affordable housing units” at taxpayer expense (AFP Position: NO) (AFP’s Prior Action Alert)
- Conditional Veto: New Jersey Residential Foreclosure Transformation Act (A3413/S2157) – A scheme to bail out institutional lenders and turn foreclosed homes into “low-income affordable housing units” at taxpayer expense (AFP Position: NO)
- Absolute Veto: Family Planning Appropriation and Medicaid Expansion (A3204/S788) – Supplemental appropriation to DHSS for $7.4M for family planning services; extend Medicaid to person with incomes up to 200% of federal poverty level. (AFP Position: NO)
- Absolute Veto: Earned Income Tax Credit (A3029/S1141) – Expands EITC from 20% to 25% of federal EITC (AFP Position: NO)
- Conditional Veto: Minimum-Wage Hike (A2162/S3) – Increases minimum-wage from $7.25 to $8.50 and indexes to CPI (AFP Position: NO)
- Absolute Veto: Expansion of Project Labor Agreements (A3679/S2425) – S2425/A3679 would inflate the cost of the Hurricane Sandy reconstruction effort, as well as future government-funded projects, by expanding project labor agreements (PLAs) to cover projects such as highways, bridges, pumping stations, and water and sewage treatment plants. (AFP Position: NO)
- Absolute Veto: Fracking Wastewater Ban (A575/S253) (AFP Position: NO) – NOTE: Governor issued absolute veto but an override attempt is expected
CLICK HERE to contact your legislator!
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