Senate Democrats

Senate Democrats Discuss Efforts to Protect the Environment on Earth Day

Two Senate committees will meet on Monday, one to hear experts offer ways to help those ensnared by mortgage problems in the sub prime lending crisis and a second to advance the creation of a shore protection panel and a statewide program that would promote fishing as an alternative to drug use among young people.

**PREVIEW**

PAID FAMILY LEAVE, GLOBAL WARMING HIGHLIGHT ACTION BY SENATE PANELS

TRENTON - Several key Senate committees will convene here Thursday to consider issues of importance to the people of New Jersey such as paid family leave, global warming and regulation of self-styled foreclosure consultants.

TRENTON - The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee will hold their final informational hearings on the FY 2008 Budget Wednesday as they receive final revenue estimates from State Treasurer Bradley Abelow and the Office of Legislative Services (OLS).

TRENTON - The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee will continue their hearings on Governor Corzine's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2008 next Tuesday and Wednesday.

TRENTON – Bills that would require school bus drivers to inspect their buses at the end of their routes for children left behind and authorize a comprehensive study of Megan’s Law will be before the State Senate when it meets on Monday.

“After reports this week that yet another child was left on a parked bus in Glassboro, it’s become painfully obvious that we need to mandate these bus checks and supply significant consequences for abandoning a child on a school bus,� said Senator Fred Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester, sponsor of the bill to require bus checks at the end of every route.

The bill, S-328, would require a school bus driver to visually inspect the school bus at the end of each transportation route to make sure that no pupil remains on the bus and impose penalties if the driver leaves a pupil on the bus at the end of the route. The first offense would bring a six month suspension of school bus driving priveleges while a second offense would result in a permanent ban.