Legislative and Advocacy Round-Up (December 2020)

LEGISLATIVE AND ADVOCACY ROUND-UP

December 2020

Upcoming Events

1/4/21: Zoom call with Assemblyman Daniel Benson and Senator Patrick Diegnan regarding transportation and disability issues. This is an opportunity to present your transportation-related concerns.

1/9/21: Council for the Head Injured Community (Council) Zoom call

2/6/21: Council Zoom call

3/6/21: Council Zoom call

About the Council for the Head Injured Community

The mission of the Council for the Head Injured Community [CHIC] is to champion and publicize the advocacy, rights, and needs of people who have survived a brain injury. We encourage any person impacted by brain injury to join. The Council is also known for its sense of empowerment, social bonding, educational value, and ability to assist people with brain injuries in maximizing their quality of life.

To learn more about the Council, contact Tom Grady, Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs at tgrady@bianj.org.

About the Advocacy and Public Affairs Committee

The Alliance's Advocacy and Public Affairs Committee provides counsel on legislation and on strategy for advancing the Alliance's advocacy, public affairs, and public policy goals.

To learn more about this Committee, contact Tom Grady, Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs, at tgrady@bianj.org.

Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey, Other Disability Organizations Kick-off Legislative Disability Caucus

The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey joined the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities and 11 other organizations to virtually launch the bipartisan New Jersey Legislative Disability Caucus.

Chaired by Senate President Steve Sweeney (pictured above) the purpose of the Caucus is to serve as a bipartisan forum within the New Jersey Legislature for lawmakers and their staff to consider the impact on the disability community when shaping all public policies in New Jersey through increased awareness and a greater understanding of the complexities of the disabilities service system and issues affecting individuals with disabilities and their families.

Twenty-eight (28) members of the New Jersey Legislature joined Senate President Sweeney as founding members at virtual launch including:

· Senators: Anthony M. Bucco, Kristin M. Corrado, Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr., Vin Gopal, Thomas H. Kean, Jr., Fred H. Madden, Jr., Declan J. O’Scanlon, Jr., M. Teresa Ruiz, Troy Singleton, Joseph F. Vitale

· Assemblymembers: Daniel R. Benson, Annette Chaparro, Nicholas Chiaravalloti, Ronald S. Dancer, Joann Downey, Aura K. Dunn, Louis D. Greenwald, Eric Houghtaling, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Pamela Lampitt, Yvonne Lopez, Nancy F. Munoz, Carol A. Murphy, Holly T. Schepisi, Adam J. Taliaferro, Britnee N. Timberlake, Anthony S. Verrelli, Andrew Zwicker

Assembly Panel approves Benson & Giblin Bill to Create NJ Transit

ADA Task Force

Assemblyman Daniel Benson

Though the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990, many NJ TRANSIT stations do not have ADA-compliant accessibility features to accommodate visitors with disabilities, as required by the federal law.

With the goal to bring all NJ TRANSIT stations to full ADA compliance, legislation (A-3821) to create a task force to evaluate upgrades that need to be completed to ensure accessibility was approved in December by the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee.

The nine-member "NJ TRANSIT ADA Task Force" established under the bill would study ADA compliance in all bus terminals, train stations, stops and equipment owned or operated by NJ TRANSIT or entities contracting with the agency. The task force would compile a list of all upgrades that must be completed to be in full compliance with the ADA and determine associated costs.

Read about this bill HERE.

Economic Growth Committee Passes Kean Bill to Keep Power Flowing

to Hospitals, Nursing Homes

Power companies would be required to prioritize the restoration of electricity to hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities under legislation sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean and advanced by the Economic Growth Committee.

Kean's bill, S-265, requires the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to adopt regulations obliging electric utilities to give preference to restoring power to critical facilities, including chronic or acute renal dialysis centers, and research labs or clinics that store human blood, tissue, or DNA.

Read the bill HERE.

Senator Tom Kean

Legislative That Advanced

The New Jersey State Legislature advanced various legislative proposals. Legislation listed below has advanced through the legislative process. Please contact Tom Grady, Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs if you would like more information on these bills at tgrady@bianj.org and/or whether you would like to contact your elected representatives to express your views about these bills.

S-265/A-1226: Requires electric public utilities to provide priority power restoration to certain medical facilities, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes.

S-313: Establishes Disparity in Treatment of Persons with Disabilities in Underrepresented Communities Commission in DCA.

S-1937: Establishes Task Force to Promote Employment by State Agencies of People with Disabilities.

S-2701 / A-4138: Requires Department of Human Services to develop public emergency response plan for licensed providers of services to individuals with developmental disabilities.

A-3821: Establishes “New Jersey Transit ADA Task Force.”

A-5180: Requires DOE to develop transition checklist for students with disabilities; requires DOE to maintain information on website concerning transition resources.

AJR-200: Designates first week of May of each year as Wounded Warrior Appreciation Week.

Thank you to elected officials for supporting Alliance-backed legislation

The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey supports a broad range of legislation that relates to brain injury. We appreciate those members of the State Legislature that support bills by registering as a cosponsor or introduce legislation. We would like to publicly thank the following member(s) for sponsoring the following bills:

S-313: Establishes Disparity in Treatment of Persons with Disabilities in Underrepresented Communities Commission in DCA. - Senator Nellie Pou

S-1937: Establishes Task Force to Promote Employment by State Agencies of People with Disabilities. - Senators Tony Bucco, Kristen Corrado, Tom Kean, Nellie Pou, Troy Singleton

S-2701: Requires Department of Human Services to develop public emergency response plan for licensed providers of services to individuals with developmental disabilities. - Senators Richard Codey, Nellie Pou

A-1597: Establishes Task Force to Promote Employment by State Agencies of People with Disabilities. - Assemblywoman Carol Murphy

A-3821: Establishes “New Jersey Transit ADA Task Force.” - Assemblyman William Moen

To learn more about the advocacy, public affairs, and public policy function of the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey, contact Tom Grady, Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs, at tgrady@bianj.org.

“I often wished that more people understood the invisible side of things. Even the people who seemed to understand, didn't really.”

― Jennifer Starzec