**PREVIEW**

SENATE TO VOTE ON CABLE COMPETITION, GAS TAX DEDICATION MONDAY

TRENTON - On Monday, the Senate is scheduled to vote on legislation which would promote cable competition, dedicate a greater portion of gas tax revenues to transportation improvement projects, and require pharmacists to fill prescriptions without regard to their own personal moral or religious beliefs.

The voting session will begin at 2 P.M. in the Senate chambers. Prior to the session, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee will meet to consider bills, including legislation to crack down on fraud and abuse within the State's Medicaid health care system, and create a prescription drug registry program in New Jersey to help seniors and others find the best price for their prescription.
The cable competition bill, S-192, sponsored by Senator Joseph V. Doria, Jr., is up for final legislative approval, and if approved in the Senate, will go on to the Governor's desk to be signed into law. The bill creates a statewide competitive franchise to allow telecomm companies to compete with cable to provide television broadcast services. The bill was approved by a vote of 27-7 in the Senate in May, but was returned due to parliamentary concerns. Senator Doria contends that competition will allow for cable bill savings as high as 30 or 40 percent for consumers in New Jersey.

SCR-78, sponsored by Senator Raymond Lesniak and Senator Doria, would amend the State Constitution to dedicate 10.5 cents per gallon collected of the State's gas tax to fund the State transportation system. The dedication, if approved by the Senate, would go before voters this fall as a ballot question on the General Election ballot. The measure does not increase New Jersey's gas tax, currently among one of the lowest in the nation, but would increase the amount of the tax dedicated for improvements to the State's transportation infrastructure, and is a critical part of renewing the New Jersey's Transportation Trust Fund (TTF), the program responsible for overseeing necessary roadway improvements.

And S-1195, sponsored by Senators Fred H. Madden and Joseph F. Vitale, would establish a pharmacist's duty to fill prescriptions for in-stock drugs, regardless of his or her personal religious or philosophical concerns about the drugs. According to the sponsors, the measure would safeguard patients' rights from the individual moral or religious leanings of their pharmacist, particularly when it comes to controversial medications such as birth control or the "morning after" pill, where objective information can clash with religious or philosophical teachings.

The Senate is also expected to consider a string of nominations, including Justice Virginia Long to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and Col. Rick Fuentes to serve as Superintendent of State Police.

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To check out the full Senate schedule for Monday, June 19, please visit www.njsendems.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Jason Butkowski
New Jersey Senate Democratic Office
Tel: (609) 292-5215
E-Mail: jbutkowski@njleg.org
Web: www.njsendems.com