Governor Signs, Vetoes Legislation

While state legislatures across the country have been wrapping up their annual sessions, New Jersey’s state legislature continues work on a number of bills.

Gov. Chris Christie announced that earlier this week he signed two piece of legislation into law, while vetoing two bills and conditionally vetoing two bills.  The state constitution gives the governor the power to veto a bill and then submit changes he wants to the legislature for approval .

Christie signed a bill providing secondary business corporations and institutional investors involved in solid waste and hazardous waste businesses with an exemption from state financial disclosure statements and fingerprinting requirements.

The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Ray Lesniak (D-Elizabeth) and Assemblymen Upendra Chivukula (D-Middlesex County) and Albert Coutinho (D-Newark).

The second bill signed by the governor prohibits public employers from taking action against employees who participate in public employee assistance programs. The bill also requires information provided by the employee to the program to remain confidential.

The bill was sponsored by state Sens. Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex County) and Shirley Turner (D-Mercer County) and Assemblymen Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex County) and Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer County).

Christie’s first veto related to a bill allowing the Ocean County planning board and municipal planning boards to develop stormwater management and nonpoint source runoff pollution management plans for the Barnegat Bay watershed. In his veto statement, Christie said that while he support pollution control in Barnegat Bay, he vetoed the bill due to the imposition of new fees and regulations on developers. He said the state already has plans in place and cited a plan developed by his administration.

The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex County) and Assemblymen John McKeon (D-West Orange) and Peter Barnes (D-Edison).

Christie’s second veto relates to a bill limiting state regulation of medical x-ray equipment in facilities performing less than 750 x-rays a year. In his veto statement, Christie said he took the action due to his concerns about the health impact of putting the law into effect.

The bill was sponsored by state Sens. Robert Gordon (D-Fair Lawn) and Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) and Assemblywomen Joan Voss (D-Bergen County) and Caroline Casagrande (R-Monmouth County).

Christie’s first conditional veto concerned a bill requiring the sterilization of cats and dogs released for adoption various facilities. In his conditional veto message, the governor said he would sign the bill if it is amended to put a pilot sterilization program into place to gauge it’s effectiveness.

The bill was sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford), Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May County) and Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester County).

Christie’s second conditional veto related to a bill establishing a procedure for destroying contraband tobacco products and cigarettes. In his conditional veto message, Christie wrote that he believes that higher penalties need to be implemented on contraband tobacco products, including civil penalties. The bill relates to criminal penalties only.

The bill was sponsored by state Sens. Jim Whelen (D-Atlantic City) and Robert Singer (R-Lakewood) and Assemblymembers Linda Stender (D-Fanwood) and Herb Conaway (D-Burlington County).