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Bills to overhaul New Jersey's affordable housing effort by abolishing the state Council on Affordable Housing, give adopted residents access to their original birth certificates, ensure the state pays its share to the public employee pension system and to move the Senate to a paperless future top the state Senate's Monday voting agenda.
The housing legislation (S-1) would replace COAH by what its sponsors argue would be a fairer, market-driven approach to ensuring towns and developers meet the need for affordable housing statewide.
Senators Ray Lesniak (D-Union), Christopher "Kip" Bateman (R-Somerset) and Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May) are sponsoring the bipartisan measure, which is expected to gain approval. The proposal is opposed by affordable housing advocates and environmentalists.
Another bill (S-795), would allow adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates and family medical history. Under the bill adoptees would be able to get a family medical history, alerting them to any genetic predispositions they may carry for certain types of illnesses; birth parents would have a one-year timeframe to request non-disclosure of their identities. The bill is sponsored by Senators Joe Vitale (D-Middlesex), Diane Allen (R-Burlington) and Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen).Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean (R-Union) are sponsoring a proposed constitutional amendment (SCR-1) to require the state to annually meet its obligation for each pension plan it operates. The proposal is the final piece of a four-part bipartisan pension reform package.
Sweeney and Kean also are sponsoring a resolution (SR-46) that would change Senate rules to allow the chamber to operate on a ‘paperless' format. Senate rules currently require all official business to be conducted via paper.
Sweeney and Kean point out that Hawaii's 25-member Senate, which went paperless in 2008, has already saved that state's taxpayers more than $1.2 million and enough paper to save 800 trees.
The Senate also is scheduled to take action on a number of Gov. Chris Christie's cabinet nominations, including Jennifer Velez to be commissioner of the Department of Human Services and Janet Rosenzweig to be commissioner of the Department of Children and Families.
The voting session is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at the Statehouse.
– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
