Quick hits: New Jersey news in brief for Tuesday, Jan. 12
Senate passes bills to acquire and manage land for conservation
The state Senate has passed a pair of bills to acquire land for conservation.
S-3229 appropriates nearly $37.2 million to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for capital projects and park development. S-3230 appropriates $30.3 million to the agency to buy land for recreation and conservation.
“Every county in the state will benefit from these bills,” state Sen. Kristin Corrado, R-Totowa, said in a news release. “These are initiatives that will improve the standard of living in our densely populated Garden State, including the development of parks and recreation lands, and purchasing and maintaining acreage for Green Acres and crucial Blue Acres projects.”
Senate approves bill to allow libraries to dispose of outdated materials without need for bids
The state Senate has signed off on S-2644, legislation that would allow libraries to dispose of outdated books, newspapers and magazines without going out to bid, a move that could save money.
“In New Jersey, the demand for, and utilization of library services continues to escalate, and the funding to operate public libraries remains a critical issue,” state Sen. Kip Bateman, R-Branchburg, said in a news release. “This practical legislation would allow library administrators to save money on basic task, and put that money to work providing better resources for patrons.”
Libraries can already procure the same materials without the need to secure bids.
Bill would set $50,000 accidental death benefit to state police recruits
A state senator has filed legislation that would guarantee a $50,000 minimum annual accidental death benefit to the surviving spouse of a state police recruit.
State Sen. Anthony M. Bucco, R-Boonton, filed the bill in the wake of 27-year-old Lucas C. Homeijer’s death. The state police recruit died from injuries sustained during a training exercise at the New Jersey State Police Academy in Sea Girt.
Under the legislation, a state police recruit that results from training at the academy would be classified as a line-of-duty loss. A surviving spouse would receive an accidental death benefit of at least $50,000 per year.
– The Center Square
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