NJ SEED Legislative Update
NJ SEED Legislative Update
March 8, 2012
Assembly Labor Committee
The Assembly Labor Committee, chaired by Assemblyman Joseph Egen, met March 8, 2012 to hear testimony on bills regarding A-1023, A-1108, and A-2402.
NJ SEED was in attendance to monitor the proceedings.
A-1023 requires that all money paid by an owner to a prime contractor, by a prime contractor to a subcontractor, or by a subcontractor to a sub-subcontractor, constitute a trust fund in the hands of the prime contractor, subcontractor, or sub-subcontractor, until all claims for labor, materials and other charges incurred in connection with the performance of the contract have been fully paid.
NJ SEED members Evan Piscitelli from the Utility & Transportation Contractors Association, Michael Travostino from the Building Contractors Association of NJ, Thomas Digangi from the Associated General Contractors of NJ, Mark Longo from the International Operating Engineers Local 825, and Kate Hubschmitt from the Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters all testified opposing A-1023.
A general consensus among the opposition is that A-1023 will only add additional regulations to existing law and promote frivolous litigation.
A-1023 was released from committee. A-1108/S-873 permits the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development (NJCCCWED) to request additional funds from the “Supplemental Workforce Fund for Basic Skills” (SWFBS) to provide basic skills training. Currently, 13% of all funds appropriated to SWFBS are allocated to NJCCCWED as a grant to provide basic skills training to qualified displaced, disadvantaged or employed workers. Upon impediment of its 13% allocation, NJCCCWED may request additional funds from the 25% of SWFBS funds that are allocated for grants to consortia.
A-1108 and S-873 were combined and released from committee. A2402 allows businesses that are eligible under the “Business Retention and Relocation Assistance Grant Program” (“BRRAG”) or the “Grow New Jersey Assistance Program” (“Grow NJ”) to receive a bonus award of a grant of tax credits for each new full-time job created that is filled by an unemployed person who had been receiving unemployment benefits for at least 13 weeks immediately preceding the hiring. A-2402 goal is to incentivize businesses to come to New Jersey and promote the hiring of new employees. A-2402 was released along partisan lines.
Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee
The Assembly Environment and Solid Waste committee chaired by Assemblywoman L. Grace Spencer met on March 8, 2012 to discuss A-2395, A-2640, and A-2641. A-2640 concerns combined sewer overflows; exempts improvements thereto from 2% property tax cap and requires certain permit holders address such overflows in capital improvement plans. A-2395 authorizes zero-interest loans to local governments for certain brownfield remediations and changes priorities for financial assistance from Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund.
A-2641 authorizes creation of stormwater utilities for certain local government entities.
NJ SEED was in attendance to monitor the proceedings.
All bills were released from committee.
