Academic Declines Continue, Anti-Bribery Bill Moves Forward, The “Line” Injunction Holds, Legislation Targets Squatters, Harm Reduction Efforts Expand, OPRA Faces its Third Assault in Six Months

The Kids Are Not Okay- The Academic Declines Continue

NJ Education Report

48% of teachers say the academic performance of most students at their school is fair or poor; a third say it’s good and only 17% say it’s excellent or very good.

49% of teachers say students’ behavior at their school is fair or poor; 35% say it’s good and 13% rate it as excellent or very good.

Overall, 80% of American teachers say that over the last five years the status of K-12 public education is worse than it was before and they expect it to be even worse five years from now. Only 20% of teachers think it will get better. Read More

Anti-Bribery Bill Moves Forward

NJ Globe

Alongside now-former Assemblymen David Wolfe (R-Brick) and Gary Chiusano (R-Frankford), McGuckin first introduced the legislation in 2012, soon after charges against former Assemblyman Louis Manzo (D-Jersey City) were dismissed because Manzo was not an elected official when he accepted bribes in his Jersey City mayoral campaign. But despite the political focus on the Manzo case, the bill never came to a vote in committee or got a Senate sponsor. Read More

Injunction Preventing Use Of Line This June Remains In Place

New Jersey Monitor

A trio of federal judges on Wednesday rejected county clerks’ entreaty to block a preliminary injunction that bars the use of the county line in June’s Democratic primaries, the latest blow to party leaders in a case that could end the use of New Jersey’s unique ballot design.

The decision is another win for Rep. Andy Kim and others who allege that the line — a ballot design that lends party-endorsed candidates an advantage in primaries by grouping them on the ballot — violates constitutional protections on free association and the elections clause of the U.S. Constitution. Read More

New Legislation Eyes ‘Squatters’

NJ Spotlight News

Two Republican state senators have introduced a bill that would criminalize occupying a vacant property, commonly known as “squatting.”

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Some activists and attorneys are pushing back, claiming it’s not a widespread problem and the legislation is being fueled by fear-mongering over migrants. Read More

NJ Harm Reduction Efforts Expand to Combat Opioid Dependence and HIV

Patch

Recent legislative efforts have paved the way for expansion of harm reduction centers in New Jersey. These initiatives include funding allocations for harm reduction programs, the removal of legal barriers to harm reduction services, and the implementation of policies to ensure the safety and effectiveness of harm reduction centers. The department’s HRC expansion will include a mix of new sites both mobile and fixed as well as expanded services for already existing centers. Learn more about New Jersey’s Harm Reduction Centers. Read More

OPRA will Face Another Assault in April

Berkeley Heights Community Watch

If these bills pass, NJ would have one of the worst OPRA laws on the books, and the ability of the public and good government groups to obtain documents needed for proper oversight would all but disappear.

BHCW created an easy-to-use email form that allows you to send a message to all the decision-makers connected to these bills with content about our concerns you can edit. Read More

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