Beck Bill Addressing Antiquated, Demeaning Language Towards Women Clears Committee

Trenton—Legislation sponsored by Senators Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth/Mercer) and Loretta Weinberg (D- Bergen) that would repeal certain obsolete, antiquated statutes containing demeaning language to women was passed by the Assembly Judiciary Committee today. The bill, S-2665/A-3841, would repeal a number of statues on the books which either do not accurately reflect the status of women in the 21st Century, or contain language which would be considered sexist or demeaning under today’s standards.

“It is bad enough these laws existed at all, much less remain on the books,” Beck said. “Our society has moved on from an era where the rights of women were deliberately limited by the Government, and it is time the law books do the same”

The laws which would be repealed are:

The “Married Woman’s Property Acts,” a law first enacted in the 1800s to codify married women’s right to own, control, and dispose of property. At the time of enactment, the law was considered an advance for women over the common law which imposed restrictions on a women’s legal and property rights. However, the law was made obsolete with the passage of the New Jersey Constitution and the Law Against Discrimination, along with any number of federal laws outlining a woman’s rights as being equal to men’s rights;

The “Bar by consent to ravisher law,” which provides that, “if a wife after being ravished, consent to the ravisher, she shall be disabled and forever barred from having her jointure or dower, unless her husband is voluntarily reconciled to her and permits her to dwell with him, in which case she shall be restored to her jointure or dower;”

The “Immediate marriage if arrested upon criminal charge law,” which states, “if a person is arrested upon a criminal charge, involving an accusation of bastardy, rape, fornication or of having had carnal knowledge of an unmarried female, and the accused person consents to marry such female, any licensing officer is authorized to immediately issue a marriage license irrespective of the provisions of [marriage requirements].”

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Highlands Kicks Off The Summer Season With Ceremonial Ribbon Cutting For New Bridge

By Art Gallagher

The Highlands Business Partnership was joined by the Mayor and Council, Senators Joe Kyrillos and Jennifer Beck, Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Amy Handlin, Freeholders John Curly and Amy Mallet and about 200 members of the community to celebrate the completion of the new bridge that spans the Shrewsbury River between Highlands and Sea Bright with a ceremonial ribbon cutting.

During the ceremony, the Bayshore Marine Task Force, a cooperative of Bayshore area first responders who provide marine emergency services, provided a water display with their equipment.

The ceremony was followed by a two hour cruise on the river and Sandy Hook Bay hosted by SeaStreak and catered by Highlands restaurants.

Mayor Frank Nolan declared, “Highlands is open for business!”  Nolan noted that business in Highlands, home to 22 restaurants within one square mile, was off 40% during the three summer seasons that were impacted by the demolition of the 75 year old drawbridge and the construction of the new 65 foot high fixed-span structure.

Old Highlands-Sea Bright Bridge. Photo Courtesy NJDOT.

Senator Joe Kyrillos read a letter from Governor Chris Christie which said in part, “today’s event effectively kicks off the first summer season at the Jersey Shore that vacationers and day trippers will be able to use it (the new bridge). I join with the legislators and community leaders present today in applauding the New Jersey Department of Transportation for completing this project on-time and under-budget.  The bridge has made it easier for people to experience what Sandy Hook has to offer, including all of its small businesses that make vital contributions to our State’s rich economy.”

Jay Cosgrove, Vice President of the Business Partnership and an owner of Bahrs Landing expressed the gratitude of the business owners to their loyal customers who battled difficult traffic conditions to quick the establishments afloat during the bridge construction.

New Highlands Bridge. Photo Credit Jay Cosgrove, Bahrs Landing

Kyrillos said, “This bridge is of incredible importance to the residents of Monmouth County, as well as the many tourists and visitors from which our regional economy benefits,” Senator Kyrillos said.  “The old, moveable bridge spanning the Shrewsbury River was in the poorest condition of all moveable bridges in New Jersey.  We are fortunate to replace this critical infrastructure. It is a beautiful bridge and more important it is safe and secure and will be of service for generations to come.”

Senator Jennifer Beck said, “We’ve been watching the progress of the construction of the new Highlands Bridge over more than two years,” said Beck, “and it is exciting to see it concluded just in time for the summer beach season, when thousands of people, from New Jersey and beyond, come to visit the shore. Also, as a sponsor of legislation that would name this span in honor of my friend and mentor Captain Joseph Azzolina, which has already passed the State Senate, I have a personal connection to this bridge, and I look forward to seeing the legislation pass the Assembly.”

Beck asked those present to call Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver and ask her to post the bill naming the bridge for Azzolina for a vote.

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Beck, Oroho Submit Legislation to Stop Simultaneous Collection of Pensions, Public Paychecks

Trenton— Senators Jennifer Beck (R- Monmouth/Mercer) and Steve Oroho (R- Sussex/Hunterdon/Morris) have submitted legislation aimed at ending abuse of the state’s pension system. The bill, S-2716, would prohibit retired public employees that return to government service from collecting pension payments while on payroll.

“Pension payments should only be collected by those who have left the government payroll,” said Senator Beck. “Public employees who game the system by collecting a paycheck and a pension check simultaneously commit the worst kind of double dipping. New Jersey’s taxpayers are tapped out, our pension system woefully underfunded, and neither can tolerate this sort of abuse. Nobody should be able to line their pockets in this manner at public expense.”

The bill prohibits any public employee in the state retirement system from collecting a pension if he or she resumes public employment and is compensated more than $15, 000 annually. Those returning to service after retirement would not accumulate additional pension credits. The bill applies to all state pension plans.

“We must protect New Jersey’s pension systems and it is critically important that we protect the qualified status of those pensions, as well as end any unnecessary strains on the funds,” Oroho added. “There are a variety of good reasons retirees may wish to return to the workforce. However, for the purposes of collecting a pension, and to protect the qualified status of the plans, retired means retired.”

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SENATOR JENNIFER BECK STATEMENT ON ROUTE 18 SITUATION

Senator Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth, Mercer) provided the following travel information from the New Jersey State Department of Transportation regarding the situation on Route 18 in Monmouth County due to Sunday’s storm:

            “The New Jersey Department of Transportation is mobilizing all available resources and will work continuously to clear Routes 18, 34 and 35. To obtain status reports or find out if a road is open or closed, call 511 or go to www.511nj.org for real time information about the storm cleanup efforts.

            “I urge everyone to call the above number or access the above website to determine the safest travel route for Wednesday morning’s commute.”

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Beck Applauds Passage of Off-Track and Exchange Wagering Bills

Two bills sponsored by Senator Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) that would help New Jersey’s horseracing industry were unanimously passed today by the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee.

“Horseracing is a vibrant, vital component of New Jersey life and culture,” Beck stated. “The horse racing industry provides thousands of jobs, contributes over one billion dollars a year to our state’s economy and keeps about one-fifth of the state’s total acreage in agriculture. The two bills passed today address the long-term future of the horse racing industry by encouraging it to expand and move forward.”  

 The first bill (S-829) would allow New Jersey to be the first state in the country to offer “exchange wagering” on the results of horse races.  Exchange wagering is a form of wagering in which two or more persons place directly opposing wagers on the outcome of a horse race or races.

The second bill (S-1980) amends New Jersey’s “Off-Track and Account Wagering Act,” to facilitate the establishment of off-track wagering facilities in the State. Currently, only three of the State’s 15 off-track wagering licenses are being used.

“Being a leader in different gaming options and offering additional off-track wagering facilities are two viable solutions that would increase revenue to support New Jersey’s racing industry,” Beck continued. “I am confident horseracing can thrive in New Jersey and continue to be a staple of our tourism industry.”   

Beck has been a strong voice in the Legislature for the horseracing industry. The Senator has put forth a number of proposals to grow the sport and hosted a  bipartisan Equine Symposium in September. In July, a bill sponsored by Senator Beck was signed into law that decreased the number of annual race dates at both the Meadowlands Racetrack and Freehold Raceway, thus increasing the amount that can be offered in their purses.

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BIPARTISAN EQUINE SYMPOSIUM A SUCCESS, BOUGHT MORE THAN 80 ATTENDEES TO LEARN ABOUT IMPACT OF INDUSTRY ON NEW JERSEY

Yesterday’s Equine Symposium, co-hosted by Senator Jennifer Beck, Senator Paul Sarlo, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, Assemblywoman Connie Wagner, Assemblyman Ralph Caputo brought more than 80 attendees including elected officials, equine experts, business owners and breeders to Perretti Farms to discuss the present challenges to New Jersey’s equine industry and possible solutions to facing those challenges.

“The goal of today’s event was to educate interested parties on the far-reaching effects of the horse industry in New Jersey,” said Casagrande, “and I believe it was quite a success. By bringing together experts from all equine and equine-related industries in New Jersey, as well as legislators from both sides of the aisle who believe in a future for horse racing in our State, we were able to create a full picture of exactly how vital this industry is to the economy in New Jersey.”

“We hosted this event in order to educate people on the complexity of this industry,” said Beck, “and possible long-term strategies that are needed to run these businesses. The equine industry is an important economic driver in our State, bringing in jobs and revenue. Today we heard in more definite terms the impact it has on Monmouth County and New Jersey. The numbers don’t lie. Horse racing was a self-sustaining industry until 2007 when gaming competition began appearing on our borders, and with the right type of out-of-the-box thinking, it can be that again, and New Jersey can once again take it’s place as a world leader in this area.”

Speakers at the Symposium included Karyn Malinowsi, Director of the Equine Science Center at Rutgers University; Anthony Perretti, owner of Perretti Farms; Tom Swales, President of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Association; Tom Luchento, President of the SBOANJ; Dennis Drazen, Chairman of the New Jersey Racing Commission; Rick Wills, owner of Rick Saddle Shop; and Dr. Scott Palmer, NJ Equine Clinic.

Also in attendance were Freehold Director Lillian Burry, Assemblyman Joe Malone, Assemblyman Ronald Dancer, Assemblywoman Alison McHose and Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove.

The discussion ranged from the dollars and cents the equine industry brings to New Jersey to its contribution of maintaining nearly 200,000 acres of open space throughout the State.

“As we heard here today,” said O’Scanlon, “the horse industry is not simply racing and racetracks. It’s hay and feed suppliers, it’s drivers and jockeys, tack suppliers, and veterinarians. We will continue to work with all of these industries in our efforts to make the horse racing in New Jersey, not just sustainable, but maintain its place in the world arena.”

“I fear that if the Meadowlands Racetrack closes,” said Wagner, “there will be a ripple effect that negatively impacts not only the gaming industry in NJ but several sectors of our economy and thousands of jobs will be lost as a result.  The racetrack is in Bergen County but the financial impact will be felt statewide.”

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BIPARTISAN GROUP TO HOST EDUCATIONAL SYMPOSIUM

A bipartisan group of State Legislators will be hosting a Symposium on the Equine Industry in New Jersey on September 27^th at Perretti Farms, New Jersey’s largest horse farm, in Cream Ridge from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. as an opportunity to educate fellow legislators and other New Jersey residents about the importance of horse and horse-related industries to the State’s economy.

The event is co-hosted by Senator Jennifer Beck, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, Assemblyman Ralph Caputo and Assemblywoman Connie Wagner.

“Recently,” said Assemblywoman Casagrande, “there has been a great deal of discussion about the future of the horse racing industry in New Jersey. It is our hope that this event will serve as an opportunity to learn about the present state of the equine industry, the challenges it currently faces, and possible solutions to make it once again a self-sustaining industry.”

“We are hosting this event at the largest standardbred horse farms in New Jersey,” said Senator Beck, “so that people can see firsthand the complexity and long term strategy needed to breed and raise racehorses. This fall, Perretti Farms has approximately 100 yearlings bred from some of the best standardbred horses in the State. Farms like this are an important economic engine for New Jersey.”

“Horseracing alone is a $4 billion industry in New Jersey,” said Assemblyman O’Scanlon, “and horse-related professions account for around 13,000 jobs in the State. This event will provide a venue for a discussion that all interested parties need to have about the survival and sustainability of this industry.”

Among the featured guest speakers are Karyn Malinowski, from the Rutgers University Equine Science Center; Anthony Perretti, a standardbred breeder; Tom Swales, president of the Thoroughbred Breeder’s Association of New Jersey; and Peter Furey, Executive Director of the New Jersey Farm Bureau.

This event is a bipartisan, educational opportunity to continue the discussion on the future of horse racing and gaming in New Jersey.

“Horse racing is an essential component of New Jersey’s gaming industry,” said Assemblyman Caputo, “and we must do all we can to support it by enticing customers back to the racetracks and the Atlantic City casinos alike.  The installation of video lottery terminals (VLTs) at the Meadowlands is something to seriously consider in order to stem the tide of gambling revenue flowing out of New Jersey to racinos and casinos in New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Delaware.”

“Discussions such as the ones we will have at this Symposium are vital to continued economic growth in New Jersey,” said Senator Paul Sarlo. “I am eager to see in-depth discussions continue that include both the equine industry and casinos so that the best solution can be found for our State.”

Perretti Farms is located at 329 State Highway 526, Cream Ridge, New Jersey and can be contacted by calling 609-259-7555

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