Steinhardt Applauds NJDOT Fund Grant for Phillipsburg
Senator Doug Steinhardt (R-23) issued the following statement in response to Phillipsburg receiving a Local Transportation Project Fund Grant for Roseberry Street Pedestrian Safety:
Sen. Doug Steinhardt said he is pleased that Phillipsburg received a Local Transportation Project Fund Grant for Roseberry Street Pedestrian Safety. (Pixabay)
“I had the pleasure of meeting with top local officials in the Spring to address transportation safety and congestion concerns with DOT representatives. We had a very productive meeting, and I am pleased to know that Phillipsburg will be receiving money to address these critical issues. I am thankful for Commissioner Diane Guiterrez-Scaccetti’s partnership and all of her work in helping secure this investment.”
GOP Budget Members: Legislators’ Budget Requests Have Been Whitewashed of Critical Information
On Friday afternoon, more than two months after the law required legislators’ requests for budget funding to be released to the public, Democrats released requests that all have this disclaimer stamped at the top: “The Budget Bill includes this Resolution, either as submitted or in a modified form.” It’s not clear how original budget requests were sanitized, but they have almost all been modified to remove required explanations about how the money will be spent.
Senate Republicans called on Democrats to release all budget resolutions with explanations about how the money will be spent – so it is clear to the public who really requested funding and their explanations of how it would be spent. (Pixabay)
Senate Republicans released all of their original and unmodified budget resolutions more than two months ago — before the budget was adopted, as required by law. The Republican members of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee are once again calling on Democrats to release all budget resolutions with explanations about how the money will be spent, just as they were submitted – so it is clear to the public who really requested funding and their explanations of how it would be spent:
“This is outrageous, but typical and incredibly arrogant behavior by Democrats running Trenton,” said Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-13). “Republicans made our resolutions public, prior to passage of the budget as required by Senate rules. All of the resolutions that we advocated for clearly noted who advocated for it and the narratives outlining why the money was needed. Democrats, in typical fashion, waited until no one was paying attention and released this sanitized garbage on the eve of a major holiday weekend. The people of New Jersey deserve a truly transparent government and they’re not getting that from Democrats in Trenton.”
Steinhardt Provides Update on FEMA Disaster Designation
Senator Doug Steinhardt (R-23) issued the following update on the FEMA Disaster Designation:
FEMA has two programs to assist in declarations of emergency. One is public assistance (PA) for infrastructure damage, e.g., roads, bridges, and stream repairs. The other is individual assistance (IA) for individual homeowner losses. The criteria for both public and individual assistance is set exclusively by the federal government.
FEMA has two programs to assist in declarations of emergency. One is public assistance (PA) for infrastructure damage. The other is individual assistance (IA) for individual homeowner losses. The criteria for both is set exclusively by the federal government. (SenateNJ.com)
For public assistance, the threshold is $16M of otherwise uncovered losses. That means if there is federal highway or other insurance money available to cover the loss, it doesn’t count toward the $16M.
Senate GOP Budget Members Call on Democrat Majority to Release Explanations for 400+ Line Items of Budget Pork
The Republican members of the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee called on the Democrat Majority to immediately release explanations for the hundreds of line items that were added to the FY 2024 State Budget in the hours before its adoption.
Senate Republicans called on the Democrat Majority to immediately release explanations for the hundreds of line items that were added to the FY 2024 State Budget in the hours before its adoption. (Pixabay)
“Republicans complied with legislative rules and publicly posted all of our proposed tax decreases, spending restraints, reforms, and spending requests before the budget was voted on, and we’re calling on our Democrat colleagues to finally do the same,” said Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-13), the Republican Budget Officer. “The common-sense requirement to release proposed budget changes and detailed spending requests was initiated by former Senate President Codey after two senators went to jail for steering money as part of extortion schemes. When there is complete transparency in members’ spending requests, it is less likely that abuses will occur or go unnoticed.”
Editorial: Violent Offenders Should Go to Prison. Gov. Murphy, Veto the Bill that Lets Them Go Free.
The following editorial by Senator Doug Steinhardt on a well-intentioned but extremely dangerous bill that was sent to Governor Phil Murphy’s desk was published by NJ.com on July 5, 2023:
In this NJ.com editorial, Sen. Doug Steinhardt calls on Gov. Phil Murphy to veto well-intentioned but extremely dangerous legislation, S-524. (Pixabay)
The New Jersey Legislature passed a well-intentioned but extremely dangerous bill last week that Gov. Phil Murphy should veto.
Bill S-524 creates a Mental Health Diversion Program that gives prosecutors unbridled authority to divert violent criminals from the criminal justice system without jail and without a judge.
While New Jersey law already prohibits someone who is “mentally incompetent” from being tried, convicted, and jailed, this law sets an obscenely low bar to divert violent criminals into “appropriate case management and mental health services” — whatever that is.
Senate Advances Steinhardt Bill Reigniting Christmas Tree Tradition
The New Jersey Senate approved legislation sponsored by Senator Doug Steinhardt that would restore a cherished post-Christmas tradition for New Jersey communities.
Sen. Doug Steinhardt’s bill that would restore a cherished post-Christmas tradition for New Jersey communities was passed by the New Jersey Senate. (Pixabay)
“With today’s Senate vote advancing my legislation, municipalities may soon be able to restore the tradition of Christmas tree bonfires throughout the state. The open burning of Christmas trees was a popular post-Christmas tradition before the events were shut down due to overregulation,” said Steinhardt (R-23). “Annual Christmas tree bonfires were an economic driver for participating municipalities, who often used these events to fundraise for local causes and organizations. This legislation would end the prohibition of municipal Christmas tree bonfires and allow communities to re-ignite this custom.”
Republican Budget Committee Members Call for Release of FY 2024 State Budget Plan that Will Be Voted on Tomorrow
Say There’s Been No Transparency from Democrats on Additions to Budget & Related Bills that Will Be Rushed to Enactment
The Republican members of the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee called on Governor Murphy and legislative Democrats to release the FY 2024 State Budget and explain the dozens of other bills that the Budget Committee will be called to vote upon tomorrow.
The Republican members of the Senate Budget Committee called on Gov. Murphy and legislative Democrats to release the FY 2024 State Budget and explain the dozens of other bills that the Budget Committee will be called to vote upon tomorrow. (Pixabay)
“It’s outrageous that we’re going to be asked to vote on a record spending bill tomorrow by the Democratic Majority without anyone having seen a copy of the bill yet,” said Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-13), the Republican Budget Officer. “We don’t even have an outline of the plan to help us understand the billions of dollars of changes they are proposing. This is no way to run a government.”
Senate Clears Steinhardt Measure Allowing Shift Overlap in Correctional Facilities
The New Jersey Senate recently approved legislation sponsored by Senator Doug Steinhardt that would institute a 10-minute shift overlap in correctional facilities and provide a one time salary increase to correctional police officers.
The NJ Senate recently approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Doug Steinhardt that would institute a 10-minute shift overlap in correctional facilities and provide a one time salary increase to correctional police officers. (SenateNJ.com)
“Shift overlap enhances the safety and well-being of the officers and inmates in correctional facilities by allowing for the sharing of information between incoming and outgoing officers, particularly on issues such as contraband,” said Steinhardt (R-23). “The elimination of shift overlap over the years has resulted in increased danger to inmates and officers, increased use of institutional lockups and search details, and decreased morale among correctional staff. By reinstating this policy, we will dramatically improve safety and security in these facilities.”
Steinhardt Blasts Bill that Would Set Megan’s Law and Other Violent Offenders Free, Without Ever Facing Jail
Senator Doug Steinhardt blasted a Democrat-sponsored bill that would give prosecutors the authority to divert dangerous offenders from the criminal justice system without jail and without ever talking to a judge.
Sen. Doug Steinhardt blasted a Democrat-sponsored bill that would give prosecutors the authority to divert dangerous offenders from the criminal justice system without jail and without ever talking to a judge. (Pixabay)
“We’ve seen what’s happened in places like Chicago and San Francisco where prosecutors have refused to hold criminals accountable for breaking the law,” said Steinhardt (R-23). “Without the threat of prosecution and incarceration, criminals don’t hold back. They commit more property crimes, they victimize more people, and they transform towns and cities that were once safe places into war zones where families and businesses are at risk. It’s unbelievable that Trenton Democrats want to do this to New Jersey.”
Steinhardt Introduces Bill Updating Identify Theft Law to Include Impersonation Using AI & Deepfake Technology
Senator Doug Steinhardt has introduced legislation that updates New Jersey’s identify theft law to include fraudulent impersonation using artificial intelligence (AI) or deepfake technology.
Sen. Doug Steinhardt has introduced legislation that updates New Jersey’s identify theft law to include fraudulent impersonation using artificial intelligence (AI) or deepfake technology. (©iStock)
“As artificial intelligence tools have grown increasingly more powerful and available to the general public, they’ve opened the door for scammers to commit shockingly disturbing new crimes involving identity theft,” said Steinhardt (R-23). “With very little technical expertise, scammers can download pictures or video of a person from online sources and run it through AI tools to imitate their voice or generate realistic video of the person saying or doing things that never happened. It’s leading to new scams that put both the imitated victim and other parties, including relatives, at risk.”
