Share this
Twitter
Myspace
Digg
Del.icio.us
Reddit
Slashdot
Furl
Yahoo
Technorati
Newsvine
Facebook
Export PDF
Print
E-mail
TagsBY TOM HESTER SR.
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Legislation aimed at improving fire safety at New Jersey colleges is one of nine bills that have been signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie.
The new law (A-1570) requires every public and independent college to disseminate fire safety information about their facilities to students when they enrollment, or, if the person is a minor, to both the student and parents. The law also requires colleges to disseminate the information to all employees upon initial employment.
The information must include, but is not limited to, information on sprinkler systems, evacuation plans and other fire safety measures.
The state Commission on Higher Education, in consultation with the state Division of Fire Safety, is responsible for developing guidelines to implement this new law, including the identification of other pertinent fire safety information to be disseminated and the appropriate means of disseminating the information to students, parents or guardians, and employees.
"The beginning of school is a time of chaos and excitement," Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula (D-Somerset), a co-sponsor, said. "Students are deluged with information which may go in one ear and out the other. It's important to provide them with this life-saving information that they can refer to."Christie also signed a measure sponsored by four Assembly Democrats to improve public transparency by making it easier for residents to review local government budgets on the Internet.
The new law requires the state Department of Community Affairs to post on its website the last three budgets of any municipality or county that does not maintain its own website. Municipalities and counties must post on their websites, if they have one, the last three adopted budgets.
"It's easy in this day and age to post items on a website, and I see no excuse for not posting local budgets, which are the most basic public information and a key part of the tax bills in every community in this state," Assemblywoman Pamela R. Lampett, a co-sponsor, said. "This is a commonsense step toward keeping people informed about what's driving their property tax bills."
A third bill approved by the governor attempts to quicken the dissemination of Amber Alerts in the event of a missing child.
The law (A-2781) requires public employees or officers of the state who possess publicly issued wireless devices to enroll in the national Wireless Amber Alerts Initiative to receive Amber Alert text messages.
The requirement will apply only to employees or officers using a wireless telephone or electronic communication device issued by a public entity that has contracted with a wireless telephone company that participates in the national Wireless Amber Alerts Initiative.
The New Jersey Amber Plan is a voluntary, cooperative program between the law enforcement community and the broadcast media to send an emergency alert to the public when a child has been abducted and it is believed that the child's life is in danger.
The national Wireless Amber Alerts Initiative is a voluntary partnership between the wireless industry, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to distribute Amber Alert text messages to wireless subscribers who register to receive the messages.
"This law will help cast a wider net over those who receive Amber Alerts so that hopefully we can save the lives of many more innocent children," Assemblyman Ruben J. Ramos (D-Hudson), a co-sponsor, said.
A fourth bill signed by Christie provides protections for E-ZPass customers who fall victim to theft.
Under the law (S-725) theft of an E-ZPass transponder would be classified as a disorderly person's offense and carry a minimum penalty of $500 and a maximum of $10,000.
The law also protects consumers from incurring any exorbitant charges racked up by a thief. If a customer reports the loss or theft of a transponder in a timely manner to E-ZPass authorities, the customer will not be liable for unauthorized charges of $50 or more incurred prior to the reporting of the loss or theft, or any unauthorized charges incurred after the reporting of the loss or theft.
The law also mandates the waiver of fees to replace the stolen transponder if the customer reports the theft in a timely manner and submits a copy of the police report of the theft.
"Unfortunately, stolen E-ZPass transponders are a common occurrence," Sen. Nicholas Sacco (D-Hudson), a co-sponsor, said. "Consumers deserve to be protected from charges that occurred at no fault of their own, much like in the case of credit card theft. This law also sends a clear message to thieves that this matter will not be taken lightly."
Sacco is a co-sponsor of another bill signed by the governor, one that prohibits train operators or bus drivers from using a wireless telephone or electronic communication device while their vehicles are moving.
The law stems from a commuter train crash in California that killed 25 people. Investigators found the operator of the passenger train sent a text message 22 seconds before the collision with an oncoming freight train.
New Jersey has already banned individual motorists from using texting and talking on a hand-held cell phones while driving.
Under the law (A-407), use of a wireless telephone or electronic communication device shall include, but not be limited to, talking or listening to another person on the telephone, text messaging or sending an electronic message via a wireless telephone or electronic communication device.
An operator of a moving train or bus is allowed to use a wireless telephone or electronic communication device only in an emergency or when radio communication failure occurs.
A violation will be considered a disorderly persons offense punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, six months imprisonment or both.
"Some people have become so addicted to their electronic devises that they put others in danger without even thinking about the consequences," Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex), a co-sponsor, said. "It's unfortunate that we even have to consider a law like this, but history tells us it's a real risk."
