News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Do Committees Even Matter Anymore?

Monday, June 14, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Do Committees Even Matter Anymore?

Jun 14, 2021

Presented by Anbaric Development Partners

Good Monday morning!

Two weeks ago, I noted how the Legislature abruptly approved, and the governor signed, two major bills without holding a committee hearing on them: One ending the governor's emergency COVID powers (sort of) and one to beef up polling staff for the following Tuesday.

After that, I learned about a proposed constitutional amendment floating around the Legislature for years that would require every bill to receive a committee hearing.

That resolution isn't going anywhere. But it made me wonder how many bills go straight to the floor without a committee hearing in either house. State Sen. Anthony Bucco (R-Morris), the original sponsor of that amendment, sent me a list.

So far this session, the number is 166 . However, many of those are duplicates. I haven't done a detailed breakdown, but without duplicates we're still talking about several dozen bills at least. They range from time-sensitive and important bills like those mentioned above, to purely symbolic resolutions like commemorating Earth Day's 50th anniversary. The number of bills approved without a committee hearing has been similar for the past two sessions as well.

I could see there being emergencies when it would be hard to put together a last-minute committee hearing on legislation. But it's hard to imagine there are that many instances.

WHERE'S MURPHY — In Trenton for a 1 p.m. coronavirus press conference. Media: Fox 29 at 7:30 a.m.

QUOTE OF THE DAY : "He has never told me why. All he has ever said is, 'You know why and I don't have to tell you because I'm the mayor… Well, Frank Hague has been dead a long time. So that answer wasn't satisfying." — Assemblymember Nicholas Chiaravalloti on Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis' decision to boot him from "the line"

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

R.I.P. — "Candy Straight, leading voice for the election of women to public office, dies at 73," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: " Candace L. Straight, a savvy investment banker and film producer, zealous advocate for the election of women candidates for state and local office across the nation, and a popular Republican fundraiser, died on June 13 after a short illness. She was 73. With an enormous network of faithful friends and an extraordinary passion for the political arena, Straight was a force in New Jersey politics for nearly 40 years. She played a key role in the election of Christine Todd Whitman as governor of New Jersey in 1993 and 1997 and held positions in the administrations of three governors. 'Candy was one of those truly special people who, once a friend, was a friend forever. She was my friend and a genuinely good person. She was an early and important supporter of my political career, a fun golf partner, a passionate supporter of Rutgers, a successful movie producer, and so much more,' Whitman said. 'Her support for women and their rightful place in the world was a driving force in her life. I will miss her sage counsel, advice and friendship.'"

GOLDMAN'S STACKS — "How N.J.'s budget went from rags to riches, just in time for Murphy's re-election year ," by NJ Advance Media's Samantha Marcus : "The answer is more than just federal aid. It's a story of controversial borrowing, cautious forecasting and who won and lost when business in the state ground to halt. Those stimulus checks, for example, really did stimulate the economy and boosted sales tax revenue. Richer residents actually did well during the pandemic, and that sent income tax revenue soaring. The white-hot housing market means the state is collecting lots of cash from its real estate taxes. And New Jersey is not alone. States slashed their fiscal year 2021 forecasts by as much as 20%, said Brian Sigritz, director of state fiscal studies for the National Association of Budget Officers. But by February 2021, revenue in 29 states rebounded enough to wipe out their early losses, according to a study by The Pew Charitable Trusts. 'Similar to New Jersey, most states have seen revenues come in above forecasts that were made after the pandemic began,' Sigritz said."

EDNA MAHAN — "At women's prison, rape and brutality as Murphy dawdles," by The Star-Ledger's Tom Moran: "We have a governor who knows how to say the right thing. But look at his record on Edna Mahan, and the indifference is hard to forgive. He stuck by Hicks until the end, even after the guard riot, even after the Senate passed a resolution unanimously calling for Hicks to be fired. Boxer's report shows that Hicks didn't even know who was in charge at Edna Mahan, a shocking revelation that shows Hicks could not possibly have been engaged in a serious reform effort. Boxer's report outlines the measures enacted during the Murphy years, all of them half-hearted and incomplete. The fixed cameras left blind spots all over the prison campus, and the DOJ found that guards knew the spots where they could assault inmates undetected, one of which had a mattress on the floor. Prison officials concluded in 2019 that a total of 634 cameras would be needed. But the rollout has been slow and won't be finished until September of this year."

CLEARLY THE VIDEO SHOWED SHE WAS IN A PERFECTLY FINE STATE TO BE DRIVING — "Cunningham vindicated as toxicology reports show zero alcohol," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "While Intoxicated on March 4, toxicology reports conducted by law enforcement. 'The State Police toxicology report examining the blood found no evidence of alcohol,' former Gov. James E. McGreevey told the New Jersey Globe. McGreevey said that blood reports did show non-narcotic, prescription drugs in her system. That's consistent with the explanation McGreevey gave on the day of the incident. A video of Cunningham's arrest shows her a slightly disoriented but unable to pass a field sobriety test. The 70-year-old Cunningham is considered a leading candidate to replace Loretta Weinberg as the Senate Majority Leader."

—"This is who Edna Mahan was and how her dream of a reformist prison died"

—"Why did it take so long for N.J. to close the door on scandal-ridden women's prison?"

EDUCATION — "First look at learning loss shows a third 'below grade-level'", NJ Spotlight News' John Mooney: "The Murphy administration this spring took the unprecedented step of gathering local schools' own assessment data to get a snapshot of how the state's students were doing during the pandemic. By culling and analyzing data from the first half of the school year, the Department of Education sought to measure the extent of the potential damage to learning — so-called learning loss — over the course of the pandemic and the widespread shift to remote learning. Last week, the department sent districts a report on the statewide results of that effort, and it left a worrying — and somewhat confusing — picture as districts close out the school year and prepare for the next."

—"Frustrated parents call on Murphy to end any mask mandates in N.J. schools"

—Scutari proposes letting medical marijuana dispensaries relocate if cities ban adult use sales

—"N.J. man says he was wrongly arrested. His lawsuit could change court rules for cops"

DON'T MISS THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO will feature a special edition of our Future Pulse newsletter at the 2021 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of global health industry leaders and innovators who are turning lessons learned from the past year into a healthier, more resilient and more equitable future. Covid-19 threatened our health and well-being, while simultaneously leading to extraordinary coordination to improve pandemic preparedness, disease prevention, diversity in clinical trials, mental health resources, food access and more. SUBSCRIBE TODAY to receive exclusive coverage from June 22-24.

BIDEN TIME

FUGEETIVE — "Fugees rapper Pras, Jho Low charged in scheme to get Trump administration to drop 1MDB probe," by CNBC's Dan Magnan: " A federal grand jury has hit the fugitive Malaysia financier Jho Low and Fugees rapper Prakazrel 'Pras' Michel with new criminal charges, accusing them of running a back-channel campaign to get the Trump administration to drop an investigation of Low and the 1MDB investment company and to have a Chinese dissident returned to China. The new charges against Low, 39, and the 48-year-old Michel come six months after former President Donald Trump pardoned former top Republican fundraiser Elliot Broidy in connection with his guilty plea in October for his role in the illegal lobbying effort on Low's behalf. CNBC has reached out to Broidy's lawyer to ask whether Broidy testified before the grand jury that indicted Low and Michel. Because of his pardon, Broidy would be unable to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination if called to testify at a grand jury investigating his activities related to Low and Michel."

AN ARTICLE BENVENUTO WELCOMES — 'Hard-nosed, buttoned-down guy': Colleagues defend New Jersey prosecutor who oversaw leak cases, by POLITICO's Josh Gerstein : Friends and allies of a federal prosecutor tapped last year to dig into a series of leak cases are pushing back against perceptions that he was a pro-Trump crony brought in to try to pin leaks on Democratic members of Congress. Associates said Osman Benvenuto, 39, had misgivings about taking the assignment because he feared he might be seen as tarnished by the work given the perceived politicization of the Justice Department under Attorney General William Barr, but the New Jersey-based career prosecutor ultimately decided to accept the job after friends counseled him to do so. Several of Benvenuto's friends and mentors said they found it utterly implausible that he would have taken on a political mission for the Trump administration. For one thing, Benvenuto is registered to vote in New Jersey as a Democrat and previously registered as a Democrat in New York City.

—Mount Holly school board member wants to challenge Andy Kim in 3rd District

— Full of s---': Candidates warned not to fake Trump endorsement

LOCAL

PRINCIPAL'S 'HIT LIST' TOPPED BY 'PARENTS JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND' BY DJ JAZZY JEFF AND THE FRESH PRINCE— — "Asbury Park principal whose tweet led to lockdown says it was misinterpreted," by The Asbury Park Press' Susanne Cervenka: "An Asbury Park school principal said his tweet Tuesday morning — which led to the district-wide lockdown of schools — was a misinterpreted, artistic commentary on the direction of the school district and not a threat of violence. Reginald Mirthil, who has been on leave from his $146,642-a-year position as the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School principal, said he wanted parents and the community to better support students and pay more attention to the people hired to teach and manage tax dollars. Instead, the tweet led to a shutdown of all schools, as well as one primary election day polling location at Asbury Park High School. The tweet, posted at 8:28 a.m., included a picture of Mirthil standing behind a chain link fence in front of a shuttered school, which was digitally altered to have flames coming from its doors and windows. Mirthil has an American flag draped around his neck with handcuffs and what he said is a toy gun in his hands … Mirthil told the Asbury Park Press that he tries to infuse his lessons with hip hop culture and music to better reach students and parents. He explained the symbolism he intended to express in the tweet in the newsletter."

— " Asbury Park schools close Friday after teachers call out to protest interim superintendent"

CROWNED VIC — "Carstarphen's 100-day Camden balancing act: Navigating COVID and improving quality of life," by WHYY's P. Kenneth Burns: "Interim Camden Mayor Vic Carstarphen will be toeing the line on two fronts: managing the city through the COVID-19 pandemic and focusing on quality of life. The mayor — who is running for the job on a permanent basis — released what he plans to focus on in the first 100 days of his administration. When asked which initiative is the closest to him, Carstarphen said, 'They're all close to me because it means a lot to our residents and citizens of our city. However, he said that improving roads in Camden was among the most important issues for a majority of city residents he spoke to on the campaign trail … Camden has begun Phase 1 of a $15 million demolition plan to get rid of about 300 blighted properties. 'It creates a bad atmosphere,' Carstarphen said. And cameras are being installed in certain areas to catch those engaging in illegal dumping."

COME ON, ALL THE COOL TOWNS ARE DOING IT — "North Jersey towns ban marijuana businesses. Is this the trend?" by The Record's David M. Zimmer: "Overall, in Passaic County most towns are opting out. Officials in Ringwood, Totowa, Bloomingdale and North Haledon recently introduced laws to ban all six classes of cannabis businesses. Besides Pompton Lakes, Wayne and Woodland Park have also already adopted them. More towns could follow. 'I think that it is a cautious decision because this is new to New Jersey,' said Keith Kazmark, the Woodland Park mayor. 'We are going to take a wait and see attitude on this; see how it works and how it unfolds.' … In Bergen County, more than a dozen towns have already enacted bans. Oakland Councilman Pat Pignatelli said the aversion had more to do with the state's still uncertain regulations than the industry itself. 'By banning it, we reserve our right to accept or deny it,' he said. 'This is such a monumental step for us, I would encourage a cautious approach.'"

THEY NAMED IT IN HONOR OF FERRIS BUELLER — "Columbus Day chaos prompts Randolph to 'discover' a solution," by InsiderNJ's Fred Snowflack: "The Randolph school board voted last month to change Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day on the school calendar. That prompted widespread condemnation in this affluent, Morris County town, a petition drive and a stormy board meeting Thursday night. At the end of a lively three-hour plus session, the board 'solved' the problem by getting rid of all holidays. That's right, the board said it would stop noting all holidays on the school calendar. From now on, they will be labeled simply as 'day off.' So in a matter of weeks, the second Monday of October has transitioned from Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day to nothing in the Randolph school community."

—"'A place that can inspire the world': A deal is struck to save Camden's MLK house"

—"Hackensack moves to stop possible reinstatement of cops fired for 2016 warrantless search,"

—"Flemington to consider allowing marijuana businesses. Here's how it would work"

— "Trenton mayor looking for police director who's more 'vested' in the city"

—"Franklin bans legal weed businesses with plans to revisit in the future"

—"Groups say they found poll issues in Newark, call on election official to investigate"

—" Court backs reduced pension for Paterson police officer cleared of sex charges"

—"Tenafly Hitler report controversy: Trust, misunderstanding, mistakes and forgiveness"

—" Bergenfield docked police officer's sick leave for serving in National Guard, lawsuit claims"

—"'I don't care what it costs me' — NJ woman in court over nasty anti-Biden signs"

—" A Jersey Shore movie theater roared back to life in an unlikely saga"

—"Jersey City Ward E Councilman Solomon launches reelection campaign in Hamilton Park"

JOIN TUESDAY FOR A CONVERSATION ON REOPENING THE U.S.-CANADA BORDER : It's been more than one year since the border between the U.S. and Canada first closed to non-essential travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The unprecedented and ongoing closure imposed economic and social costs in border communities and across both countries. Join POLITICO for an urgent conversation on what's at stake in the border closure, what it will take to reopen safely, and how the pandemic will change the border in the long term. REGISTER HERE.

EVERYTHING ELSE

R.I.P. — "'Hero of empathy': N.J. LGBTQ icon Emily Sonnessa dies at 91," by NJ Advance Media's Rodrigo Torrejon: "Emily Sonnessa was the most fair person Jan Moore had ever met. As a lesbian couple for 52 years, it was hard to be fair. More times than they could count, their union was met with derision, ridicule and outright opposition. But Sonnessa never flagged. She'd always hear the other side out. No matter what. 'An unsung hero of empathy,' her wife Moore told NJ Advance Media on Saturday … Sonnessa died at age 91 Friday morning in the Ocean Grove home she shared with Moore, surrounded by her closest friends and family and Moore, the love of her life. She died after a battle with late-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Sonnessa was a LGBTQ icon in New Jersey and across the country, fighting for marriage equality, senior health, residential living and LGBTQ and AIDS patients rights in her later years, alongside Moore. The couple was also the subject of the 2017 award-winning PBS documentary 'Love Wins,' which chronicled their relationship over more than 50 years and the hardships in living closeted before finding true love."

TRUE CRIME — "Long-buried secrets: The serial killer and the detective," by The New York Times' Michael Wilson: "For decades, a string of killings of teenage girls haunted suburban New Jersey. A local investigator began to wonder: Could there be a link to a series of infamous Times Square murders?"

—""NJ restaurant incident raises question: Are dress codes racist and no longer relevant?"

—" The pandemic might be waning. But these N.J. residents aren't taking off their masks"

—"More N.J. companies no longer test job seekers for weed. Amazon stopped it last week"

A message from Anbaric Development Partners:

With a bold vision of creating 7500 MW of wind energy by 2035, New Jersey is leading the race to scale the offshore wind industry, but a major question remains: How will we transport that energy back to shore? The answer is planned transmission, the most efficient, economic, and environmentally friendly way to bring offshore wind power to New Jersey's homes and businesses.

Acknowledging the considerable benefits of a planned transmission approach, the BPU alongside PJM issued a first-in-the-nation transmission-only solicitation earlier this year. Now, New Jersey will need a partner that can deliver on this transformative opportunity.

With extensive experience building transmission systems, Anbaric is the company New Jersey can trust to achieve our state's clean energy goals. Anbaric is committed to scaling the offshore wind industry while protecting ratepayers and the environment.

Visit nj.anbaric.com to learn more.