newjerseynewsroom.com

Panels to consider long list of proposals, including no waiting period for marriage

Six Assembly committees will meet on Thursday and the Budget Committee will consider legislation the Democratic sponsor is calling "Urban Hope" education reform. The committees also will consider legislation removing the statute of limitations for sexual abuse civil actions, restricting sex offender residency and permitting direct wine shipping.

The panels also will consider measures creating a pilot program to allow horse wagering in taverns and restaurants, child welfare reform, removing the waiting period for marriage and civil union licenses, gender equity in the workplace and property tax relief for schools with significant enrollment growth.

Here are highlights of the agendas:

• The Urban Hope Act (A-4426) to allow nonprofits to build and operate “renaissance” schools in Camden, Jersey City and Newark. It will be considered by the Budget Committee at 10 a.m.

• The Judiciary Committee at 10 a.m. will consider bill (A-3622) to remove the statute of limitations in civil actions for sexual abuse.

• A pilot program to allow horse wagering in taverns and restaurants in Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Passaic, Union, Morris, Somerset, Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex and northern Middlesex and Ocean counties. The bill (A-4285) will be heard at 2 p.m. by the gaming panel.

• The Budget Committee will also consider bill (A-4436) to permit direct wine shipping in New Jersey, legislation (A-3363) to permit municipalities to regulate where sex offenders may live, a bill (A-3961) to provide about $4.1 million in property tax relief to schools with significant enrollment growth, and measure (A-4366) to eliminate the waiting period for marriage and civil union licenses in the state.

• The Human Services Committee at 10 a.m. will take testimony from the federal monitor overseeing the state’s child welfare reform efforts and consider bill (A-4109) designed to improve child abuse investigations.

• The Labor Committee at 10 a.m. will consider bill (A-2563) to ensure gender equity in the workplace.

—TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM