TRENTON, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey’s budget has passed both chambers in Trenton. It’s the largest in state history, at nearly $51 billion. Democrats are happy. Republicans are not. Unsurprisingly, guns and abortion were on the agenda.
The budget details were released in a 300-page document just moments before a key committee vote late Monday, without time for review. Republicans say they were shut out of the process, as top Democrats and the governor’s office negotiated in the dark.
Republican Sen. Michael Testa says the state overcollected taxes and is recklessly spending on pet projects and gimmicks rather than delivering real help for residents.
“Mr. President, I will vote ‘no’ on this budget, and in doing so, I will be voting ‘no’ against the biased and unfair process by which this budget was unleashed upon the people of this state.”
Democrat Vin Gopal says Republicans refuse to acknowledge the historic $2 billion in property tax relief included in the budget or many of the other programs and services that will help residents.
“There’s things we can agree and disagree on. But to say this entire budget is just terrible, is really just doing a disservice for all the people it’s gonna help.”
Guns
The state budget may have been the big ticket up in Trenton, but dozens of bills were debated. Guns and abortion are two areas of legislation that stand out.
Five of the bills voted on -- in some capacity -- deal with firearm ownership.
One of them, if made into law, would change the minimum age for owning a gun from 18 to 21.
The State Assembly passed it, 50-28, with two abstaining. A similar bill is still working its way through the New Jersey Senate.
Another bill deals with keeping an electronic account of state ammunition sales records. It passed in both the Assembly and Senate Wednesday afternoon.
A third piece of gun legislation would require retailers to micro-stamp their guns. This one, also passed both the Senate and Assembly.
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Another bill deals with possession and registration of body armor. The Senate advanced it, 24-15, while an assembly committee passed it, but it's still on the second reading.
In New Jersey, a bill has to be read three times -- in both the state Senate and Assembly -- before it goes to the Governor. After it’s introduced, it usually gets sent to a committee, which may make some changes, before the legislation is read a second time. The bill will get brought up a final time for a vote.
Finally, a bill dealing with gun owners moving to New Jersey from another state is heading to the Governor's desk. This legislation makes it mandatory for people to register handguns that were not bought in New Jersey and to get a "firearm purchaser ID" card.
Abortion
Abortion is on everyone's mind this week, and it was on the agenda in Trenton. There were two different bills.
The first, if signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy, would protect out-of-state women from being extradited back to their home state to be prosecuted if they travel to New Jersey for an abortion.
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The other bill prevents New Jersey from sharing patient information with other states, involving reproductive services and procedures related to abortion. This one also passed both houses Wednesday.
Both of these bills were introduced on May 12, about a week after the U.S. Supreme Court draft decision leak that tipped the entire nation off to prepare for the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Murphy has been vocal about expanding abortion access in New Jersey.
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Dozens of others
Fast-talking Senate President Nick Scutari blitzed through dozens of bills, barely taking a breath as he advanced from one to another. Many of them passed unanimously and without debate, like one bill that would extend by one year the service life of school buses.
Another bill permits municipal emergency management coordinators to live within a reasonable proximity to the town where they work rather than requiring them to live there.
One bill increases the income threshold for students eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch at school.
Under another bill, schools must establish a threat-assessment team to identify students who may become violent or engage in other harmful activities. Burlington County Assemblyman Brandon Umba wanted an amendment to this one.
“To require law enforcement in-service training on threat-assessment policies and school emergency responses to be included in this legislation.”
But that motion failed and it eventually passed unanimously.