Connors, Rumpf & Gove: Heroin Dealers Chief Culprits in Elevating Opioid Addiction to Nation Public Health Emergency
In response to President Trump’s declaration of the opioid crisis as a national public health emergency, the 9th District legislative delegation renewed its call for New Jersey to correct a defect in State law that allows heroin dealers to receive lesser sentences as compared to other drug charges.
A bill sponsored by Connors, Rumpf and Gove would increase penalties for heroin dealers. (©iStock)
Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove have introduced companion legislation (S-272 and A-1175) which would empower prosecutors to charge drug dealers based on the dosage units rather than the weight of the drug.
Connors, Rumpf & Gove Supporting Bill to Protect Seniors From Telemarketer Harassment
Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove are putting their full support behind a legislative initiative to better protect consumers, most especially seniors, from telemarketing harassment.
The 9th District delegation supports legislation to protect consumers from telemarketing harassment. (SenateNJ.com)
Senator Connors is second prime and Assemblyman Rumpf and Assemblywoman Gove have requested to be added on as cosponsors to companion legislation, S-2461 and A-4209, that would establish a task force to evaluate and make recommendations relating to the cost and feasibility of implementing appropriate technology and other methods to reduce incidents of telemarketing harassment and intimidation of consumers in New Jersey.
Connors, Rumpf & Gove: 9th District Stands to Substantially Benefit from New Open Space & Clean Drinking Water Laws
Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove hailed the recent signing of several open space and clean water initiatives into law.
Connors, Rumpf, and Gove hailed the recent signing of several open space and clean water initiatives into law. (SenateNJ.com)
Those legislative environmental initiatives are as follows:
- S-3352/A-5045: Appropriates $71,700,224 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and various Green Acres funds to DEP for local government open space acquisition and park development projects;
- S-3353/A-5046: Appropriates $12.3 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues for recreation and conservation purposes to DEP for State capital and park development projects; and
- S-3354/A-5044: Appropriates $8,992,898 to DEP from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and various Green Acres funds for grants to certain nonprofit entities to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes
Correspondingly, bipartisan legislation (S-3240/A-4996) was also signed into law authorizing the NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust to provide loans with an interest rate at or below the prevailing market rate to local governments, public authorities, or public water utilities for environmental infrastructure projects, including clean drinking water projects.
9th District Delegation Bill Designating U.S. Constitution Week Signed Into Law
Legislation introduced by the 9th District legislative delegation that designates the week of September 17 through September 23 of each year as “Constitution Week” in order to remember and honor the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America on September 17, 1787 has been signed into law. New Jersey law now correlates with the national week as established by Congress in 1956.
New Jersey will now celebrate ‘Constitution Week’ each year under a bill sponsored by Connors, Rumpf, and Gove that was signed into law. (National Archives)
The joint resolution (AJR-72) supported by Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove enjoyed bipartisan sponsorship and was passed unanimously in both houses of the State Legislature. The 9th District delegation issued the following statement on the enactment of their measure:
“In working to establish U.S. Constitution Week in New Jersey, our thoughts were first and foremost with teaching our youth the immensity in which this sacred and living document has impacted not only on our country, but on the entire world.
Connors, Rumpf & Gove: Predictably, Trenton’s School Funding Fairness Plan Was a Bust
Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove all remarked on how, once again, Trenton power brokers ensured that the people of the 9th Legislative District will get severely shortchanged in terms of State school aid.
Connors, Rumpf, and Gove remarked on how Trenton power brokers have ensured that the 9th Legislative District will get severely shortchanged in State school aid. (SenateNJ.com)
As part of its constituent outreach efforts, the 9th District delegation issued the following joint statement:
“Once again, the state’s school aid formula failed students, teachers and taxpayers in the 9th Legislative District, as several school district are targeted for aid cuts. Trenton outdid itself by not just continuing to underfund our schools but to go one step further and cut school aid, even to school districts in areas still recovering from Superstorm Sandy.
Connors, Rumpf & Gove Statement on Ending of State Shutdown and Horizon Raid Showdown
Echoing the equivalent level of frustration expressed by their constituents, Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove offered the following remarks upon the end of the state government shutdown over the July 4th holiday:
Connors, Rumpf, and Gove echoed the frustration of their constituents over the state government shutdown that lasted until the July 4th holiday. (SenateNJ.com)
“Now that the state government shutdown has ended and the question remains: How was this ever allowed to happen?
“Like many of our constituents, we are still confounded as to why Trenton power brokers were fixated on raiding Horizon’s surplus funds not for the benefit of ratepayers but to fill the state’s coffers. From the outset, our delegation opposed the Horizon raid which the Governor initially made a condition of agreeing to special spending projects, including school funding, in the State Budget. What does Horizon’s surplus level have to do with state school funding?
Connors, Rumpf & Gove: If Horizon’s Surplus Is Excessive, Then Return Money to Policyholders, Not Trenton
Responding to mounting complaints from irate constituents regarding pending legislation that would raid surplus Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield funds, Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove issued the following statement:
Connors, Rumpf & Gove expressed opposition to pending legislation that would raid surplus Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield funds in response to mounting complaints from irate constituents. (©iStock.com)
“If Trenton contends that Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield is maintaining too much surplus, then why not just send it back to policyholders?
“It’s because Trenton is not concerned about policyholders’ costs. There’s a different agenda at work.
“This isn’t about transparency or reform. It’s an egregious money grab, even by Trenton’s standards.
Assembly Passes 9th District Delegation Bill to Designate U.S. Constitution Week
The State General Assembly passed legislation sponsored and supported by the 9th District Legislative Delegation that would designate the week of September 17 through September 23 of each year as “Constitution Week” in order to remember and honor the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America on September 17, 1787. This would correlate with the national week as established by Congress in 1956.
The General Assembly passed a 9th District bill to establish ‘Constitution Week.’ (National Archives)
The joint resolution (AJR-72) supported by Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove passed the Senate in November of last year. Having passed both Houses of the Legislature, the measure heads to the Governor’s desk.
Connors, Rumpf & Gove Sign Onto Superstorm Sandy ‘Clawback’ Bill to Assist Victims
Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove have all signed onto legislation intended to address circumstances in which Superstorm Sandy victims are required to repay overpayments in Sandy assistance aid.
Sen. Jennifer Beck’s legislation created foreclosure protections for victims of Superstorm Sandy. Applications are now being accepted by DCA. (FEMA)
Specifically, the companion legislation, S-3149 and A-4784, concerns adversely impacted homeowners impacted by the “clawback” of Community Disaster Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds awarded through the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation Program (RREM) and the Low-to-Moderate Income Homeowner Rebuilding Program (LMI).
The 9th District Delegation issued the following statement regarding its sponsorship of the legislation:
Connors, Rumpf & Gove: New Open Space Law Includes Areas Throughout 9th Legislative District
Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove praised the signing of legislation (S-2997) that appropriates nearly $60 million for open space projects.
The 9th District delegation praised new funding for open space. (SenateNJ.com)
Funding for the projects will come from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax (CBT) revenues for the State acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, including Blue Acres projects, and capital and park development projects.
The 9th District delegation, which supported and voted for the open space law, offered the following remarks:
