Bail Reform and Speedy Trial The tables and footnotes below summarize the projected costs to implement bail reform and the new speedy trial law beginning in March of 2016 in Camden, Morris, Passaic, and Sussex counties as pilots with implementation for the remaining counties scheduled for 2017.     Table 1: Assignment Judges   County Assignment Judge1 New Staff2 New Staff Costs3 Capital Projects4 Capital Costs5   Camden6   Yes No New County Staff Not Applicable See Footnote 6   $150,000   M...

Food Composting On November 9th, NJAC is meeting with Assemblywoman Grace Spencer to discuss our concerns with Assembly, No. 4397 (Spencer D-29), which would require large volume generators of food waste to send their waste for disposal to a composting facility or food waste recycling facility under certain circumstances. Although county governments across the State are committed to engaging in state of the art recycling and solid waste management activities, NJAC is concerned that mandating the source separation of food waste from other streams of waste under A-4397 would substantially inc...

At a State House press conference on September 24th, Senate President Steve Sweeney unveiled a package of legislative proposals that will empower county government to operate more effectively and efficiently. The Senate President spent the summer months meeting with county officials from across the State and on both sides of the aisle to hear first-hand about our many challenges, and proactively addressed several key issues with this critical package of bills that NJAC endorses and of which are summarized below.  As county governments continue to struggle with managing a 2.0% property tax cap ...

County Government Works Assemblyman Robert Auth (R-Bergen) recently introduced legislation that would dissolve county government and require the State and municipalities to perform the functions of the State’s only true regional form of government.  Although we commend the Assemblyman for putting forth a proposal to reduce the State’s multiple layers of bureaucracy and overwhelming property tax burden, this legislation does not take into consideration the fact that neither the State nor its 565 municipalities have the resources available or subject matter expertise to provide the essential s...

Environmental Infrastructure Trust Financing Program On August 25th, Governor Chris Christie signed into law as P.L. 2015, c.106, legislation that makes some positive changes to the Environmental Infrastructure Trust Financing Program (EIFP). In summary, this new law extends the possible term of bonds, notes, or other obligations of the EIFP from 20 years from the effective date to 30 years from the effective date or a shorter period of time as may be applicable pursuant to federal law or regulation. The measure makes several changes to the short-term loan financing programs as it permits fu...

Court Security Plan 2015 NJAC is in the process of reviewing the “Administrative Determinations by the Supreme Court on the Report and Recommendations of the Statewide Judiciary Security Committee” issued April 21, 2015 to ascertain the Report’s impact on county resources, and whether the Report imposes an unfunded mandate on local governing bodies struggling to make ends meet. NJAC will also consider filing a complaint with the State Council on Local Mandates established in 1996 pursuant to a constitutional amendment.  The Council is responsible for resolving disputes on whether a law, rul...

Although we’re still in the process of reviewing the 282 page document for its impact on county government, Governor Chris Christie signed into law on June 26th as P.L. 2015, c.63 Senate, No. 2016 (Sarlo D-Bergen/Schaer D-Bergen/Passaic), which appropriates $33.8 billion in State funds and $17.3 billion in federal funds for the State budget in fiscal year 2016. Of note and as was the case last fiscal year, the Governor included in the budget an additional $4.0 million as supplemental County Aid to mitigate the reduction in funding to Bergen, Camden, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth,...

Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) & Open Public Records Act (OPRA) NJAC would like to thank Senators Weinberg and Pennacchio, and advocates of this legislation for taking the time to meet with us on several occasions to discuss possible solutions for making the bills more palatable for local governing bodies.  NJAC is a proponent of transparency and openness in government; and, supports many of the important and timely provisions contained in this legislation including the ones that would authorize local governing bodies to charge fees to commercial entities under certain circumstances and...

NJ Supreme Court Pension Ruling On June 9th, the New Jersey Supreme Court invalidated the provision of Chapter 78 signed into law in 2011 that required the State to make increased payments as an employer to the State pension systems.  In general, the Court held that this specific provision of Chapter 78 violated the Debt Limitation Clause of the State’s Constitution and that no enforceable contract was created by the 2011 law as a result. You may review the decision in its entirety at www.judiciary.state.nj.us. Importantly note that the Court’s ruling does not impact employee obligations und...

Out-of-Network On May 22nd, NJAC and other stakeholders met with Senator Joseph Vitale (D-19), Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-36), Assemblyman Troy Singleton (D-7), and Assemblyman Craig Coughlin (D-19) to discuss the “Out-of-Network Consumer Protection, Transparency, Cost Containment, and Accountability Act.” In summary, the intent of this sweeping legislation is to reform various aspects of the health care delivery system to: increase transparency in pricing for health care services; enhance consumer protections; create an arbitration system to resolve certain health billing disputes; contain ...