Your Legislators: Schroeder Sponsors "Katie's Law"

During yesterday's meeting of the various Assembly Committies, District 39 Assemblyman Robert Schroeder (R) of Woodcliff Lake along with District 5 Assemblyman Angel Fuentes (D) introduced bill A3763 aka "Katie's Law."

The bill, named after Katie Sepich, a New Mexico State University student who was murdered in 2003, expands the DNA database to include samples from certain arrestees.

The original Katie's Law was enacted in 2006 in New Mexico, three years after her death. Even though traces of DNA were discovered underneath her fingernails, the identity of her killer was not known until three years after her death. At the time of her murder, suspects who were arrested in New Mexico did not have to provide a DNA sample.Gabriel Avila is currently serving a  69-year prison sentence.

The following states have already enacted versions of Katie's Law: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Flordia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont.

New Jersey Congressman Rep. Scott Garrett (R-5th) had himself a busy week on the health care front. On Monday, the Republican issued public support for a Florida federal judge's ruling on a lawsuit governors and attorney generals in 26 states brought, challenging the constitutionality of the federal health care law.

Garrett called the health care act "bad public policy" and worse, charged it as "unconstitutional". Garrett previously introduced an act repealing what's been dubbed 'Obamacare' in January.

The Wantage-based congressman on Tuesday then sent a letter to the Obama administrationrequesting it halt implementing the health care act until the Supreme Court has had time to review the law’s constitutionality.