Senate Passes Connors, Rumpf & Gove “Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs” Measure
The State Senate unanimously approved legislation sponsored by Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove that would establish a “Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs” (HOFNOD) program within the Division of Fish and Wildlife to encourage children to avoid drug use.
Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs is a nationally recognized program developed by the Future Fisherman Foundation which has operated successfully in over a dozen states. The Connors-Rumpf-Gove bill would establish the HOFNOD program on a Statewide basis by enabling the Division of Fish and Wildlife to implement and model the program after the pilot HOFNOD program implemented in Ocean County in 2000. To the maximum extent possible, the division will implement and operate the program in every county in the State.
Connors, Rumpf & Gove Bill Seeks to Protect Taxpayers by Targeting Bad Checks Written to Counties and Municipalities
Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove are set to introduce legislation that would permit municipalities and counties to increase the service charge imposed for checks returned for insufficient funds.
Under current law, the service fee imposed by a municipality or county cannot exceed $20 per check. The 9th District Delegation’s legislative initiative would allow municipalities and counties to impose a service charge up to, but not to exceed, the usual customary service charge of the commercial banking institution where the municipality deposits its checks and other written instruments.
Committee Advances Connors, Rumpf & Gove “Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs” Measure
Legislation sponsored by Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove that would establish a “Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs” (HOFNOD) program within the Division of Fish and Wildlife to encourage children to avoid drug use was released today by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.
“Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs” (HOFNOD) is a nationally recognized program developed by the Future Fisherman Foundation which has operated successfully in over a dozen states. The Connors-Rumpf-Gove bill would establish a program in each county within the state to be overseen and coordinated by the Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Ocean County VFW Commander Honored by Connors, Rumpf & Gove at Senate Veterans Committee Hearing
As part of a ceremony held during a recent Senate Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing, Senator Christopher J. Connors presented Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) District 12 Ocean County Commander Larry Kelly a jointly issued Resolution for his service in our country’s Armed Forces and his tremendous efforts on behalf of veterans. The Resolution was also issued by Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove, who serves on the Assembly Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
VFW District 12 Ocean County Commander Larry Kelly (l) speaking after receiving a Joint Legislative Resolution from Senator Chris Connors (r) on behalf of the delegation from the 9th legislative district.
VFW members from across the state were honored during the May 19 Senate Military and Veterans’ Affairs hearing. Mr. Kelly was also honored by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs (DMAVA) for his outstanding dedication and sacrifice.
Connors, Rumpf & Gove Measure Would Modify Existing Law Regarding Funding of County VoTech Schools
9th District Legislators Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove announced today they are drafting legislation that would allow a board of education of a county vocational school to reduce its local share tax levy if the board and the county government agree to the reduction.
The 9th District Delegation’s initiative comes at the request of the Ocean County Freeholder Board which, in preparing the County Budget, discovered that current State law did not allow for a reduction in the County levy allocation to the vocational school districts. A minimum tax levy for school districts was established under Governor Corzine’s “School Funding Reform Act of 2008.”
Connors, Rumpf & Gove Bill Authorizing Towns to Offer Free Beach Badges to Military Personnel Passes Assembly
Legislation sponsored by Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove that would allow municipalities to provide free or reduced-fee beach badges to active military and New Jersey National Guard personnel, as well as their spouses and children over the age of 12 was passed today by the General Assembly.
The 9th District Lawmaker’s legislation (S-114) seeks to amend current law, which only authorized municipalities to provide free or reduced beach badges to persons 65 or older and certain disabled individuals. Existing law also provides that children under the age of 12 cannot be charged for beach badges.
Action Taken on Connors, Rumpf & Gove Alzheimer’s Measure
Legislation sponsored by Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove to establish a 15-member Alzheimer’s Disease Study Commission was released today by the Assembly Health and Senior Citizens Committee.
The Commission’s duties would include, but would not be limited to, studying the current impact and incidence of Alzheimer’s disease among residents and make projections on the future impact on the state’s population, study the state’s role in long-term care for persons with early stage and early onset of Alzheimer’s Disease and consider the capacity of public safety and law enforcement to persons with Alzheimer’s disease.
Connors, Rumpf & Gove Oppose Bill Aimed at Deregulating State’s Telephone and Cable Industries
Responding to a wave of outreach from concerned ratepayers, Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove of the 9th Legislative District want constituents to know that they are vehemently opposed to and have voted against legislation that would deregulate telephone and cable industries in the state.
Legislation (A-3766/S-2664) entitled the “Market Competition and Consumer Choice Act” is currently pending before the State Legislature. The measure passed the Assembly on February 17, at which time Assemblyman Rumpf and Assemblywoman Gove voted ‘NO.’ The 9th District Assemblypersons were two of only seven votes against A-3766 and the only two members of their Party to vote ‘NO.’
Gove Will Join Connors on Veterans’ Hospital Task Force
In a recent announcement, Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove has been appointed to join Senator Christopher J. Connors on the “New Jersey Veterans’ Hospital Task Force,” which will be charged with studying and evaluating, and developing recommendations relating to the construction and operation of a veterans’ health care facility in southern New Jersey.
Senator Connors was a prime sponsor of the legislation, which was also cosponsored by Assemblywoman Gove and fellow 9th District Legislator Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf.
Ocean County, Municipalities Support Connors, Rumpf & Gove Measure to Create Nuclear Facility Decommissioning Council
The Ocean County Freeholder Board, as well as the governing bodies of Lacey and Ocean (Waretown), have adopted resolutions supporting legislation (S-866/A-296) introduced by Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove that would establish an 11-member New Jersey Coordinating Council on the Decommissioning of Nuclear Power Generating Facilities. The Barnegat Township Committee has announced it will consider a Resolution at its next meeting scheduled in early April.
Under the legislation, the Decommissioning Council would be charged with coordinating and reviewing the development and implementation of plans prepared by public utilities and governmental agencies for the decommissioning of electric generating nuclear facilities in order to assure that the plans and plan implementation comport with applicable federal and state laws and policies.
