News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: NJ vs. GA on voting laws

Friday, March 26, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: NJ vs. GA on voting laws

Mar 26, 2021

Presented by Ørsted

Good Friday morning!

As much of the national political conversation focuses on bills that make it harder for people to vote, New Jersey is doing the opposite.

A bill to require early in-person voting in New Jersey reached Gov. Phil Murphy's desk Thursday — the same day that Georgia passed a bill that places some restrictions on voting. He's going to sign it.

This has been part of a long push by New Jersey Democrats , who even before the pandemic vastly expanded mail-in voting. They also passed a bill giving county boards of elections more leeway over drop boxes while barring them from being located within 100 feet of a police station. And the Assembly also passed a measure to bar cops from being stationed at polling places, but it didn't make it through the Senate, where I'm told lawmakers from urban districts actually raised the issue of barring cops from even being near polling places in some densely-packed neighborhoods.

County elections officials say the funding for early voting isn't enough, and while there's dispute of whether their $77 million estimate is accurate, there seems to be no question that the $22 million currently set aside for early voting isn't enough.

Is the early voting bill aimed at helping Democrats? Maybe. But the same was said for mail-in voting expansion, and when that first took effect in 2019, Republicans actually gained seats. But regardless of who it benefits, should that really matter if it's simply making it easier for people to vote?

WHERE'S MURPHY?: At Kean University to make an announcement at a vaccine site

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER : 3,469 newly-reported positive PCR tests for a total of 777,521. 38 more deaths for a total of 21,795 (and 2,535 probable deaths). 2,159 hospitalized, 443 in intensive care. 1,322,235 fully vaccinated, or about 14.9 percent of the population

QUOTE OF THE DAY : I think the governor's done a very good job of managing the situation based on what we know. But I think a lot of us in the legislature would like to not continue these executive actions and start moving forward back to where we're participating and partnering even further than we are." — Senate President Steve Sweeney

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Middlesex County GOP activist Harold Kane. Saturday for Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, former Christie staffer Kara Walker, former Weinberg staffer Dylan Hawkins, Lawrence Township Councilmember Cathleen Lewis. Sunday for Marathon's Jeanette Hoffman Henne

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

AFTER MARCH INSANITY SEMI-SUCCESS, THERE IS NO VACCINE FOR SCARLET FEVER — Rutgers among first universities to require Covid vaccines for students, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: Rutgers University will require Covid-19 vaccines for all students enrolled in the fall 2021 semester, making New Jersey's flagship university among the first in the nation to require proof of vaccination to attend classes on campus. "We are committed to health and safety for all members of our community, and adding COVID-19 vaccination to our student immunization requirements will help provide a safer and more robust college experience for our students," Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway said in a message to students on Thursday. According to the university, "proof of vaccination" will be required for all students planning to attend classes on Rutgers' three main campuses — New Brunswick, Newark and Camden — in the fall. Students will be able to seek exemptions for medical or religious reasons, and students enrolled in entirely online or remote-only programs who do not use campus facilities will not be required to show proof of vaccination, according to the university.

BACK IN THE 80S KIDS LEARNED ABOUT WEED FROM THEIR PARENTS — Bill to let police tell parents about kids' weed use makes it to Murphy, by POLITICO's Sam Sutton and Matt Friedman: The New Jersey Legislature worked quickly Thursday to clean up the state's messy marijuana laws, changing a section of a recently-enacted measure that bars law enforcement from informing parents the first time their underage kids are caught with weed or alcohol. Democrats recognized the provision — included in a bill intended to set penalties for underage use — as a potential major political liability come November, when the governor and all 120 state legislative seats are up for election. Law enforcement and police unions remain critical of the legislation approved Thursday, in part because the odor of marijuana won't be enough to justify searching minors and that police can be held criminally liable if they conduct unwarranted searches.

THE POLLICE — Assembly, after tense debate, passes bill to bar police officers from the polls, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: The New Jersey Assembly on Thursday passed legislation that would bar police officers from being stationed within 100 feet of a polling place, after a heated debate between Democrats and Republicans. The bill, NJ A4655 (20R), comes nearly 40 years after a Ballot Security Task Force made up of off-duty law enforcement officers intimidated voters in heavily-minority districts during an extremely tight New Jersey gubernatorial race between Republican Tom Kean and Democrat Jim Florio. It took on new relevance during the 2020 election when then-President Donald Trump called for law enforcement at the polls.

NJ: BETTER THAN PA AT CHEESESTEAKS AND VACCINES — " New Jersey's vaccine rollout is mostly working. In Pennsylvania, it's more complicated," by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Allison Steele, Erin McCarthy and Jason Laughlin: "Plenty of Pennsylvanians have gotten shots — the state ranks above average in percentage of residents with first doses — and many New Jerseyans by turn have been frustrated by the process. But by most measures, New Jersey is ahead of its neighbor when it comes to delivering vaccinations. New Jersey has a phone hotline for people without internet access; Pennsylvania has a website with limited utility — as [Cindy] Tribuini discovered — that offers only information and no appointments. New Jersey has had mass vaccination sites for months; Pennsylvania is only now planning them. New Jersey is regularly ranked in the top 10 in the nation in dose-use efficiency, with data showing the state typically administers more than 86% of doses received by the government. The same scale has consistently ranked Pennsylvania in the bottom half of the country, with the commonwealth at times using less than 75% of available doses."

THE CHRIS CHRISTIE ACT — "Is NJ about to 'disenfranchise' 1,000 top prosecutors? Lawyers push back on proposed ban," by The Record's Tom Nobile : "The legislation is aimed at preventing officials in some of New Jersey's most high-profile and influential legal positions from leveraging their jobs to vault into government office, a la former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, his onetime counterpart in New York, Eliot Spitzer, and ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. But the bill, however well-intentioned, has two problems, according to New Jersey prosecutors who are lining up against it. Some say it's an overreach; others argue it would be unconstitutional and sets the stage for a court battle. It's unnecessary, according to the Assistant Prosecutors' Association of New Jersey, to 'disenfranchise nearly a thousand highly-skilled lawyers at different levels, to say none of you are allowed to contribute to the political fabric of our state,' David Calviello, the organization's president, said."

CAMPANDEMIC — "Campaigning in a pandemic, candidates for NJ governor feud over masks and nursing homes," by The Record's Dustin Racioppi: "The battle lines of political campaigning in a pandemic are taking shape: Instead of age-old arguments over spending and property taxes, the candidates for governor are feuding over face masks and nursing home policies. Republican contender Jack Ciattarelli is under fire this week by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy's campaign after photos published in local news outlets showed him unmasked in a Lakewood bakery. At the same time, Ciattarelli started airing an ad suggesting Murphy is responsible for thousands of deaths in nursing homes because of a policy early in the pandemic allowing COVID-19 patients to be discharged from hospitals into the facilities. It's a familiar line of attack for Republicans, but one that seems likely to last through the campaign."

NOT THE HEADLINE NICK SACCO WANTS TO SEE — "AG: State trooper from Bayonne indicted for official misconduct for stalking woman while on duty," by Hudson County View's John Heinis: "A New Jersey state trooper from Bayonne was indicated for official misconduct for allegedly unlawfully stopping and then following a female motorist in his patrol vehicle while on duty, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced … Trooper Michael Patterson, 29, of Bayonne, has been indicted for second-degree official misconduct, fourth-degree stalking, and fourth-degree tampering with public records, Grewal said in a statement … The investigation revealed that on January 28th, 2020, Patterson conducted a motor vehicle stop of a female motorist on the New Jersey Turnpike at approximately 9:30 p.m. Patterson let the woman go with a warning, but he allegedly conducted a second, unwarranted stop of her vehicle a few minutes later when she exited the Turnpike at Exit 11. Patterson allegedly conducted the second motor vehicle stop in order to make advances on the woman. He is also accused of disabling the Digital In-Vehicle Recorder (DIVR) in his vehicle to prevent his conduct from being recorded during this second stop, while it is further alleged that Patterson subsequently put the victim in fear by following her to her home in his patrol vehicle."

—" Holly Schepisi becomes NJ's newest state senator"

—"Discrediting accuser a tried-and-true tactic in NJ, NY scandals with women"

—" After decades at the helm, Passaic Valley Water Commission leader to retire"

—"Port Authority projects on the chopping block after officials say COVID relief falls short"

—Snowflack: " The main task of Huttle 2021: 'Beating the bosses'"

—Gutierrez-Scaccetti: "New Jersey charts the future for commuters and travel as we return to normal"

—Potosnak: " Sen. Bateman isn't running again. We'll need a conservationist to replace him"

—"Meet one of NY, NJ's biggest marijuana supporters: Scotts Miracle-Gro"

—Planned Parenthood has a New Jersey leadership announcement. Read the press release here.

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BIDEN TIME

NURSING HOMES — "Did a push for profits drive up nursing home deaths?" by NJ Advance Media's Ted Sherman: "Members of a House committee looking into the growing acquisition of nursing homes around the country by private equity firms said such buyouts have been linked to fewer nurses caring for patients and lower-quality care, questioning whether regulatory change may be needed. New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., who chairs the House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee, said private equity ownership affects patient safety, cost, and jobs. 'In New Jersey, residents at private equity-owned nursing homes have had a disproportionate number of COVID-19 infections and fatalities,' he said. 'How many grandmothers and grandfathers died because profits were prized above lives? And are our taxpayer dollars funding this?'"

24.4 MASTROS — New federal rules will likely trigger major losses for New Jersey hospitals, by POLITICO's Sam Sutton: Some New Jersey hospitals stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in Medicare reimbursements under new rules established during the final months of President Donald Trump's administration. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services cleaved more than a dozen of the state's hospitals from the New York-Jersey City metropolitan area, excluding those facilities from lucrative federal payouts that are linked to New York's expensive labor pool. The New Jersey Hospital Association has estimated the change will cut roughly $220 million in reimbursed Medicare income from 15 hospitals, as well as other health care providers, operating in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties.

—"Gottheimer fires off a letter to the Sussex commissioners"

— "Biden administration moving ahead on Gateway tunnel crucial to N.J., Buttigieg says"

—"N.J.'s LGBTQ community emboldened by Senate confirmation of transgender doc to federal post"

—"N.J. man accused of starting riot during N.C. protest in which Confederate statues were toppled"

—Menendez chief heading to K Street

A message from Ørsted:

LOCAL

OCEAN GATE GATE — "Ocean Gate ex-superintendent sex abuse lawsuits settle; $212,500 paid out," by The Asbury Park Press' Alex N. Gecan: "The saga of the Ocean Gate ex-superintendent accused of sexually abusing two girls years ago has come to an end. The conclusion came with two price tags: One is for $212,500, the cost to settle civil litigation against the one-school Ocean Gate District; the other is an emotional toll. 'It's devastating, you know? It's just devastating,' Lou Nascone, the father of one of the plaintiffs, said in an interview, joined by their attorney."

WHOOP WHOOP THAT'S THE SOUND OF THE SPECIAL POLICE —"More NJ towns are relying on special police. But do the benefits outweigh cops' risks?," by The Record's Steve Janoski: "Always popular in Jersey Shore towns, special officer programs have caught on in North Jersey as a way for municipalities to bolster their ranks and cut their costs. The at-will officers are paid far less than their full-time colleagues, receive no health insurance and aren't eligible for a pension. But despite the drawbacks, many apply for the position hoping it will strengthen their chance of landing a regular full-time job at a police department down the line. While they're often relegated to grunt work few others want to do, many North Jersey towns relied heavily on specials during the early stages of the COVID pandemic when the virus forced many regular officers into quarantine."

OOPS — "'Black Lives Matter' road mural a hazard, city to spend $36,000 to remove it," by The Press of Atlantic City's Michelle Brunetti Post: "The bright yellow Black Lives Matter road mural painted in September on Martin Luther King Boulevard created such confusion for drivers, who couldn't tell where travel lanes were located, police had to close the block between Atlantic and Pacific avenues to traffic. City Council voted 5 to 3 Wednesday night to spend more than $36,000 to remove the surface of the block and repave it, and some council members expressed frustration that taxpayer dollars were so misspent. Councilmember Latoya Dunston, Jeffree Fauntleroy II, and Moisse 'Mo' Delgado voted against the measure. Acting Police Chief James Sarkos said the street was painted in such a way that it violated state Department of Transportation regulations. 'Right after the street was painted we had a lot of confusion with vehicles,' Sarkos said referring to drivers who didn't know where to drive or which travel direction was allowed. 'It was painted the same color as the yellow lines.'"

LOCAL OFFICIALS FIND EXCUSE THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR — "Monmouth County pulls legal notices from Asbury Park Press, denounces offensive caption," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "The Asbury Park Press is about to lose a major source of revenue after a misogynistic and anti-Semitic caption caused the Monmouth County Board of Commissioners to pull their legal advertising. 'We are not going to continue to give money to an organization that is sending these kinds of messages to anybody who is on the Internet, including kids,' said Commissioner Sue W. Kiley. The newspaper fired Gustavo Martínez Contreras on after he posted a caption to a photo of an Orthodox Jewish nurse preparing to administer a COVID-19 vaccination that referred to her [with an offsnsive slur] on Sunday."

—"Jersey City Council OKs LSC High School deal with county at 6-hour meeting despite dissent"

—"Atlantic City mayor hires Brendan Gill to boost re-election bid"

—" Ocean County Sheriff: We want blue line on Hooper Avenue to support cops"

—"Hawthorne gave $3.3M trash pickup contract to company in 'shambles,' suit claims"

—Pizarro: " Fifty years of raising hell: Hamm, his older allies, and Gen Z. look to the future"

—"Holy Name hospital expected to allocate 14k doses of COVID-19 vaccine to West New York"

—" Piscataway will get to 100% green enery over the next two years: officials"

—"Bergen Catholic faces sex abuse suits years after religious order settled prior complaints"

—" Robert Anzilotti, chief of detectives at Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, to retire May 1"

Did you know that POLITICO Pro has coverage and tools at the state level? All the state legislative and regulatory tracking, budget documents, state agency contact information, and everything else you need to stay ahead of state policy movement integrate into our smart and customizable platform. Learn more and become a Pro today.

EVERYTHING ELSE

HOSPITALS — "COVID killed 9, infected thousands at one of NJ's largest hospital systems, lawsuit says," by The Record's Lindy Washburn: "RWJBarnabas Health, one of the state's largest hospital systems, has revealed In a lawsuit against its insurance carrier that more than 1,000 patients and staff became infected with coronavirus within its facilities and nine staff died during the COVID pandemic. The health system, with 11 acute care hospitals throughout the state and more than 32,000 employees and 9,000 affiliated physicians, has filed suit against Zurich American Insurance Co. It alleges the insurer breached its contract by refusing to cover the health system's pandemic-related financial losses and extra expenses. 'Like many businesses, RWJBarnabas has suffered substantial financial losses" because of the pandemic, since many elective procedures and surgeries were canceled or postponed, and extra expenses were incurred to take the steps needed to recover, the lawsuit said.'"

—"These N.J. bridges are in the worst shape and really need repairs"

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