AGENDA FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH 2008-2009
INTRODUCED LEGISLATION

The NJ Business & Industry Association's Agenda for Economic Growth is a blueprint for building a strong private-sector economy in New Jersey, creating jobs, strengthening the State's business climate, and improving its economic competitiveness. These are specific NJBIA recommendations in the areas of Business Taxes, Education, Economic Development, Energy, Environment, Healthcare and Manufacturing.

Listed below is the legislation that has been introduced to date to implement the recommendations.  Please contact with any questions.  View the complete Agenda for Economic Growth.

Last updated: March 18, 2009

Table of Contents

Economic Development
Education
Energy
Environment
Labor
Healthcare
Taxation

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Establish a Preference Program for New Jersey Manufacturers for Government Contracts

Bill: A-1479 (Burzichelli, Greenwald, Vas, Quigley, Conaway)
Summary:    Requires and permits preference in awarding certain contracts in order to satisfy certain urban revitalization goals.

Reform the BEIP Job Incentive Program to Spur Greater Economic Growth

Bill: A-2997 (Vas, Greenwald)/S-2114 (Kyrillos, Cunningham)
Summary: Revises certain eligibility requirements and employment incentive limitations and provides for extension of certain grant agreements under Business Employment Incentive Program.

Bill: S-1919 (Sarlo, VanDrew)/A-2867 (Greenwald, Cryan)
Summary: The Permit Extension Act. SIGNED INTO LAW

EDUCATION

Controlling Costs & Increasing Accountability

Bill: A-1113 (Cryan, Burzichelli, Voss)/S-1898 (Turner)
Summary: Eliminates one-year notice that a school district is required to give superintendent of schools if the district determines not to reappoint. SIGNED INTO LAW

Bill: A-1107 (Cryan, Lampitt, Fisher)
Summary: Requires reporting of public high school, district and Statewide drop-out and graduation rates.

Expanding Education Options & Innovation
Bill: S-1607 (Lesniak, Kean)/A-2897(Cryan)
Summary: Establishes pilot program in Department of the Treasury to provide tax credits for contributions to entities which provide tuition scholarships to children residing in Camden, Elizabeth, Lakewood, Newark, Orange, Paterson and Trenton.

Bill: S-541 (Girgenti, Turner)
Summary: Establishes pilot program in the NJ Department of Education to provide instruction in personal finance to elementary school children. SIGNED INTO LAW

Bill: A-1943 (Schaer, Lampitt, Coutinho)
Summary: Establishes pilot program in Department of Education to provide instruction in personal finance to high school seniors.

Bill: A-591 (Voss, Malone)
Summary: Establishes a loan redemption program for certified technology education teachers employed in public schools in the State.

Bill: A-590 (Voss, Diegnan)
Summary: Establishes the Preschool Through Grade 20 Council to consider the structure and design of the current system by which a preschool through grade 20 public education is provided.

Increasing Standards & Expectations for Students

NJ-STEPS - High School Reform - NJBIA lobbied the State Board of Education to reform the alternative graduation assessment known as the SRA. The new assessment created by the State Board of Education will be more rigorous, raising the standards to graduate from high school.

Maintaining, Expanding and Promoting Workforce Training

NJDOLWD Basic Skills Literacy Grant - The NJBIA Basic Skills Workforce Training Program has been a model example of how to increase flexibility and utilization of NJ’s workforce development resources.

ENERGY

Allocate Additional Societal Benefit Charge (SBC) Dollars to Business Ratepayers

Bill: A-616 (Karrow, Chivukula, Prieto)
Summary: Provides for allocation of societal benefits charge among residential, small commercial and large commercial and industrial utility customers, establishes a credit against societal benefits charge and provides for certain energy assistance grants.

Business Going Green - Keep it Voluntary and Accessible

Bill: A-2070 (McKeon, Milam, Lampitt, Greenstein)/ S-1077 (Smith)
Summary: The "Green Building Tax Credit Act."

Energy Audits & Incentives - Helping Businesses Lower Their Energy Costs

Bill: A-843 (Chivukula, Karrow)
Summary: Provides for equal opportunity for businesses to apply for certain energy related incentives.

Bill: A-849 (Chivukula, Voss, Ramos)/S-2343 (Turner)
Summary: Directs the PBU to establish certain energy-conservation programs.

Bill: A-616 (Karrow, Chivukula, Prieto)/S-2287 (Allen)
Summary: Provides for allocation of societal benefits charge among residential, small commercial and large commercial and industrial utility customers, establishes a credit against societal benefits charge and provides for certain energy assistance grants.

Bill: A-2550 (Lampitt, Chivukula)/ S-1299 (Smith)
Summary: Permits wind and solar facilities in industrial zones.

Bill: A-3240 (McKeon)/ S-1064 (Smith)
Summary: Establishes financial incentives for certain energy audits.

Reduce Manufacturing Energy Costs by Eliminating the 11 Percent Energy Tax/Surcharge and Promoting Efficiency

Bill: A-1085 (Cryan, Vas, Karrow)/ S-1032 (Rice)
Summary: Exempts sales of energy and utility service to manufacturing facilities from the sales and use tax and the transitional energy facility assessment (TEFA) unit rate surcharge.

Return CIEP Retail Adder Funds to CIEP Customers

Bill: A-2507 ACS (Chivukula)/S-1932 (Ruiz)
Summary: Authorizes BPU to use revenue from retail margin assessed on certain customer classes to benefit only those customer classes by supporting development of combined heat and power, energy efficiency and demand response projects.

ENVIRONMENT

Eminent Domain Reform

Bill: S-559 SCS (Rice, Sweeney, Buono)/A-1492 (Burzichelli)
Summary: Revises procedures for a fairer and more limited use of eminent domain in municipal redevelopment programs.

Proposed Regulatory and Legislative Changes to Overhaul the State's Site Remediation Program

Bill: S-1897 (Smith)/A-2962 (McKeon)
Summary: Establishes licensed site professional program for site remediation and makes various changes to site remediation laws.

HEALTHCARE

Keep Health Insurance Affordable by Not Enacting More Healthcare Mandates

Bill: A-2255 (Greenwald, Conaway)/S-1680 (Oroho)
Summary: Requires Mandated Health Benefits Advisory Commission to study financial impact of all enacted mandated health benefits.

Reform the State-Regulated Health Insurance Market

Bill: S-1557 (Vitale, Singer)/A2624 (Cohen)
Summary: Expands NJ FamilyCare, establishes mandate for health care coverage of children, and makes various reforms to individual and small employer insurance markets.  SIGNED INTO LAW

LABOR

Restore the Fiscal Integrity of Dedicated Payroll Funds before They Become Insolvent

Bill: SCR-60 (Sweeney, Kean, T.)/ACR58 (Merkt)/ACR134 (Burzichelli)
Summary: Proposes constitutional amendment requiring contributions collected from assessments on wages to be used for employee benefits and prohibiting use of the contributions for any other purpose.

Bill: S-1698 (Buono)/A2801 Greenwald, Milam)
Summary: Prevents a $350 million payroll tax increase for employers under the Unemployment Insurance Fund; appropriates $260,000,000 to unemployment compensation fund. SIGNED INTO LAW

TAXATION

Conform New Jersey's "Net Operating Loss" Tax Policies to National Standards

Bill: A-3124 (Greenwald)/S-2130 (Codey, Buono)
Summary: Revises the treatment of net operating losses under the corporation business tax to support businesses and promote job creation.  The bill extends from seven to twenty years the number of tax years in which corporation business taxpayers can deduct from taxable income net operating losses sustained in previous tax years.

Create a New Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit

Bill: A-2721 (Vas)
Summary: Provides a corporation business tax credit for certain investment in manufacturing equipment and manufacturing facility renovation, modernization and expansion.

Enact Single Sales Factor Business Tax Reform for Manufacturers

Bill: A-2626 (Vas)/S-2136 (Kyrillos)
Summary: Provides manufacturers a single sales fraction corporation business tax income allocation formula.

Make Existing Business Tax Credits Available to Non-Corporate Entities

Bill: A-460 (Malone, Cohen)/S551 (Sweeney)   
Summary: Allows New Jersey S corporations to elect to transfer corporation business tax credits to shareholders to apply against the shareholders' gross income tax liability.

Reforming the BRRAG Tax Credit Program

Bill: A-3294 (Milam)/S-2213 (VanDrew)
Summary: Amends the BRRAG  to: 1) extend eligibility to businesses that pose a demonstrable flight risk due to lease expirations, competing proposals, a competitive cost advantage in favor of out-of-State locations, or other factors, without requiring relocation to another facility in New Jersey as a prerequisite; and 2) increase the one-time base tax credit amount from $1,500 to $2,500 per retained full-time job and from $1,500 to $4,000 per job if those jobs a) number 2,000 or more, and b) are being located from outside any designated urban center to areas within such a center. SIGNED INTO LAW

Continue to Repeal Unfair Business Tax Policies: Repeal the Throw-Out Rule Tax on Out-Of-State Income

Bill: A-2722 (Vas)/S-1874 (Oroho, Sweeney)
Summary: Eliminates throwout of receipts in allocation of entire net income under the corporation business tax. SIGNED INTO LAW