Parole For Seniors, School Book Bans: 5 Bills In The NJ Statehouse

This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Sen. Latham Tiver's name.

NEW JERSEY — Members of the New Jersey Senate and Assembly are back in session this fall, and are considering a number of proposed laws at the Statehouse in Trenton.

Here's a look at five bills concerning education, road safety, abortion access, parole for older New Jerseyans, and protecting students with disabilities.

NJ "Freedom To Read Act"

This bill (S2421/A3446) establishes requirements for library materials in school districts and public libraries, and aims to safeguard librarians from harassment "brought on by extreme book ban efforts," its Democratic sponsors said.

The "Freedom to Read Act" would require that school boards and local governments must adopt policies regarding requests to remove books from school libraries. Material could not be removed "solely because of the origin, background or views of the library material or those contributing to its creation, disagreement with a viewpoint, or solely because an individual finds developmentally appropriate content offensive."

The bill would also reaffirm protections for library staff members against any civil or criminal lawsuits.

• Who are the main sponsors of this bill? Senators Andrew Zwicker (D-16) and M. Teresa Ruiz (D-29).
• What is this bill's status? The full Assembly passed this bill on June 28. In the Senate, the Education Committee passed it on Sept. 30, and its next stop is the Budget and Appropriations Committee.

Road Safety Campaign

This bipartisan bill (S3501) would create more awareness for the state's updated move-over laws — with the goal of protecting drivers, emergency workers, tow trucks, and other vehicles who are stopped on the side of the road.

Sen. Latham Tiver, a Republican representing Burlington County, said the bill would require state transportation officials to develop public awareness campaigns annually, informing drivers of their duty to move over for stopped vehicles.

“Anyone who has ever rode a bicycle or had to change a tire or alongside motor vehicles on a busy road understands that sharing this space isn’t just a courtesy, it could be a life or death situation,” he said.

• Who are the main sponsors of this bill? Senators Latham Tiver (R-8) and Patrick Diegnan (D-18).
• What is this bill's status? The Senate Transportation Committee passed this bill on Sept. 30, and its next stop is the Budget and Appropriations Committee.

Creating A Special Education Transportation Task Force

Sponsors of this bill (S3447/A4607) said its goal is to protect children and youth with special needs as they travel to and from school, in the wake of the death of Morris County teen Matthew Rossi. It would establish a task force to put forth best practices for transporting students who receive special education and related services, "including preventing, identifying, and responding to medical and behavioral emergencies."

Matthew Rossi was autistic and disabled by congenital muscular dystrophy, which left him bound to a wheelchair and requiring specialized one-on-one nursing care, his family said. Rossi developed respiratory stress on his way home from school one day and his airways filled with mucus, but a lawsuit from his family said that the bus driver and the nurse caring for him did not properly care for him, leaving his condition to worsen and ultimately leading to his death.

• Who are the main sponsors of this bill? Senators Kristin Corrado (R-40) and Patrick Diegnan (D-18), and Assemblymembers Al Barlas (R-40) and Christopher DePhillips (R-40).
• What is this bill's status? The Senate Education Committee passed this bill on Sept. 30. It has not yet passed the Assembly Education Committee, after being introduced there in June.

'Travel Advisory' For Abortion Access

This bill (S3663/A4915) would require the Department of State to create a "New Jersey Reproductive Health Travel Advisory," alerting residents who travel out-of-state about the status of abortion access in other parts of the U.S. After Roe v. Wade was overturned, some other states have limited abortion access, and the bill would inform residents of any limitations and prohibitions on reproductive services in places where they would travel.

“Women are needlessly forced to suffer through traumatic near-death experiences, sometimes bleeding out in hospital parking lots, after being refused routine lifesaving medical care,” said Sen. John Burzichelli, a Democrat representing South Jersey.

The advisory would be in three tiers: “Blue: Exercise normal caution," “Yellow: Exercise increased caution," and “Red: Reconsider travel." It would be posted on the Department of State's website and officials would be required to keep it updated with any potential changes down the road.

• Who are the main sponsors of this bill? Senators John Burzichelli (D-3) and M. Teresa Ruiz (D-29), and Assemblymembers Mitchelle Drulis (D-16), Andrea Katz (D-8), Luanne Peterpaul (D-11), and Heather Simmons (D-3).

• What is this bill's status? It was introduced in the Senate on Sept. 26, and referred to the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. It has yet to be introduced in the Assembly.

Geriatric Parole Law

This bill (A2902) allows for certain incarcerated people who are 65 years and older and have served at least one-third of their sentence, and individuals over 60 years who have served half of their sentence, to apply for parole. Assemblyman Gary Schaer, a Democrat representing North Jersey, said that an aging prison population will require more state resources in the future, including additional staffing and more healthcare costs — which can be alleviated by considering parole for older inmates.

It would not apply to those serving a sentence for a more serious crime, including murder, sexual assault, manslaughter, kidnapping, or armed robbery.

• Who are the main sponsors of this bill? Assemblymembers Gary Schaer (D-36) and Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-15)
• What is this bill's status? The bill has been sitting in the Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee since January.