Nicholas J. Sacco

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Nicholas J. Sacco and Sandra Bolden Cunningham which would require bus and rail lines to provide 45 days notice of the discontinuation of certain routes, to local and county governments was unanimously approved today by the full Senate.

            “Residents throughout the state rely on public transportation, and plan their days around train and bus routes,” said Senator Sacco, D-Hudson and Bergen.  “Commuters deserve to receive advanced notice of route cancellations, so that they can make other arrangements to ensure that they make it work on time.”

DORIA-SACCO BILL TO EXTEND WTC SCHOLARSHIP TO SURVIVING FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO DIED BECAUSE OF EXPOSURE TO SITE SIGNED INTO LAW

TRENTON - A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph V. Doria and Nicholas J. Sacco to extend eligibility for the New Jersey World Trade Center Scholarship Program to the children and spouses of those who died due to exposure to the attack site was signed into law today by Governor Corzine.

"The signing of this bill sends the message that we stand firmly behind the brave men and women who lost their lives in rescue efforts following the attacks on September 11," said Senator Doria, D-Hudson. "Despite the dangers, New Jersey's first responders answered the call, heading across the river into a war zone of twisted steel, fire and debris, where even breathing the air was toxic - a fact that we unfortunately didn't know until it was too late. For the surviving family members of those who lost their lives to help save others, we have a moral obligation to help, and I'm glad the State of New Jersey is willing to meet that obligation."

SENATORS VITALE & SACCO FIGHT ILLEGAL VAN SERVICES IN A PACKAGE OF BILLS

TRENTON - A package of bills sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Nicholas J. Sacco to reduce the number of people who use illegal commuter van services and to crack down on those who operate such services was approved by the Senate Transportation Committee today.

"Thousands of poor or immigrant workers are forced to use to use unsafe commuter vans because they have no vehicle of their own or need to work in a location that is not accessible by public transportation," said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex. "There is an overwhelming number of illegal van companies operating in New Jersey, and these vans are unregistered, overloaded, and unsafe."

SENATE TO APPROVE SUPREME COURT NOMINATIONS, CONVENE COMMITTEES MONDAY

TRENTON - The Senate will meet on Monday at noon to confirm the nominations of Associate Justice James Zazzali to the post of Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and Judge Helen Hoens as the Court's newest Associate Justice. Both confirmations come just three days before current Chief Justice Deborah Poritz will reach the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Also meeting on Monday will be the Senate Economic Growth Committee which will consider a package of bills to require any newly built State-owned buildings and affordable housing projects to meet green building standards. These standards would lay out minimum energy efficiency requirements and make the new buildings more environmentally friendly. The Committee will meet at 10 a.m. in Committee Room 1 of the State House Annex.

SACCO MEASURE WOULD STRENGTHEN LEMON LAW

TRENTON - The Senate passed a legislation today sponsored by Senator Nicholas Sacco that all used cars be covered by a warranty on their emissions control systems under the State's Lemon Law.

"Right now, if someone chooses to waive their warranty rights under the Lemon Law, that covers all parts of the car," explained Senator Sacco, D-Bergen and Hudson and Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. "However, car dealers are unable to do the same tests on the emissions control equipment that are done during a state inspection. If the dealer can't give you a definite answer on a car's emissions status, it's unfair to consumers to allow that part of the Lemon Law warranty to ever be waived."

SENATE CHAIR BACKS RESTRICTED USE LICENSES

TRENTON - Senator Nicholas J. Sacco, Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, today backed the concept of creating so-called restricted use licenses for workers whose driving privileges have been suspended.

But Senator Sacco said the recommendation by a special task force which studied the State's driving point system and surcharge suspension program has to be narrowly focused to "avoid placing bad drivers back on the road."

The Senate panel heard testimony today concerning recommendations of the Motor Vehicles Affordaiblity and Fairness Task Force which held a series of public hearings around the State last year.

"We want to help workers keep their jobs so they can support their families, but we want them to pay their fines too," said Senator Sacco, D-Hudson and Bergen.

SACCO MEASURE CALLS ON FEDS TO ALLOW REGULATION OF TRASH TRANSFER STATIONS

TRENTON - The State Senate voted today to approve SR-14, a resolution sponsored by Senator Nicholas Sacco which calls on Congress to pass the "Solid Waste Environmental Regulation Clarification Affecting Railroads Act of 2005" (S. 1607) to address the unregulated sorting and processing of waste materials at rail facilities.

"While regulation of the railroads is the purview of Congress, we can no longer sit idly by while the railroads set up environmentally dangerous trash transfer stations near our residential neighborhoods," said Senator Sacco, D-Bergen and Hudson. "There is no reason for transfer stations located on railroad property to be held to a different standard than those located elsewhere. The potential health and environmental risk is the same."

SACCO MEASURE TO DISCOURAGE E-ZPASS THEFT APPROVED BY SENATE

TRENTON - The Senate approved legislation today sponsored by Senator Nicholas J. Sacco that would discourage the theft of E-Z Pass transponders by making that theft a disorderly person's offense.

"E-Z Pass can be a dream come true for the many New Jersey drivers who pass through our toll booths every single day, but it can also be a nightmare if a thief decides to steal the transponder," said Senator Sacco, D-Bergen and Hudson, and Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. "E-Z Pass users shouldn't have to worry that they will rack up huge charges on their credit card in the case that their car or just the transponder is stolen."

SACCO MEASURE TO INCREASE GAS RETAILER FINES PASSES SENATE

TRENTON - The Senate passed legislation today sponsored by Senator Nicholas Sacco that would increase fines levied against gas station operators for violating state laws regulating the sale of gasoline.

"All New Jersey drivers have seen how volatile gas prices have become over the last few years," said Senator Sacco, D-Bergen and Hudson. "In any given week, we can see prices go up by several cents a gallon every day. In this climate, it can be tempting for retailers to break the law and change prices more than once in 24 hours in order to make a quick profit. The new higher fines in this bill will make it less worthwhile for retailers to violate the law."

SENATE DEMOCRATS CRACK DOWN ON GASOLINE PRICE GOUGERS

Three leading Senate Democrats have introduced legislation to crack down on gasoline price gouging by imposing stiff fines on greedy service station owners and the unscrupulous wholesalers who jack up their gas prices multiple times daily.