Weinberg, McKeon, Kean: NJ Transit Reform Bill Will Make Agency Responsive, Transparent and Accountable
NJ Senate & Assembly give final approval to bill to add commuters to NJT Board, mandate public hearings, establish legislative oversight and expand disclosure
Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, Assemblyman John McKeon and Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean Jr. today lauded final passage of sweeping NJ Transit reform legislation that will add commuters to the NJ Transit Board, mandate public hearings prior to substantial schedule changes or fare hikes, expand legislative oversight, and mandate the disclosure of detailed fiscal, safety and personnel data.
Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, Assemblyman John McKeon and Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean Jr. lauded the final passage of sweeping NJ Transit reform legislation. (SenateNJ.com)
“The overwhelming bipartisan passage of this legislation exemplifies the cooperation of Republican and Democratic legislative leaders who have stood together in recent years on the most important mass transit issues, from improving NJ Transit service to pushing for funding to expand rail and bus capacity by building the Gateway Tunnel and expanding the Port Authority Bus Terminal,” Senator Kean (R-Union) said.
Kean/Beach Blockchain Task Force Passes Senate
Legislation sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean (R-21) and Senator James Beach (D-6) to establish a task force charged with exploring the merits of using Blockchain technology to modernize government systems and safeguard personal data has passed the New Jersey State Senate.
The New Jersey Senate has approved a bill by Sens. Tom Kean and James Beach establishing a task force to explore the merits of using Blockchain technology to modernize government systems and safeguard personal data. (©iStock)
“Blockchain is not a myth, or a passing fad. This technology has evolved tremendously since the early days of Bitcoin and crypto-currency. The more I learn about Blockchain, the more I have come to see this as a great way for government offices to increase efficiency and secure the electronic systems we use every day to aid and protect residents statewide,” Senator Kean said. “The task force established by our bill will look for cost-effective ways to implement this technology in a way that can benefit our taxpayers.”
Kean Statement On Redistricting Announcement
Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean issued the following statement in response to news that the redistricting amendment has been pulled from Monday’s Senate Voting Session agenda:
Sen. Tom Kean said the decision to pull the redistricting amendment from the Dec. 17 Senate Session board list is a big win for the people of New Jersey. (SenateNJ.com)
“This is a big win for the people of New Jersey. The proposed redistricting amendment would have disenfranchised millions of voters, taking away one of the most important rights we have as Americans: the power to choose who represents us in the halls of government.
“This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Gerrymandering is wrong. We will remain vigilant, and fight back against any redistricting proposal that betrays democracy.”
Kean Testifies in Opposition to “Undemocratic” Constitutional Amendment
Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean testified in opposition to a proposed amendment to the New Jersey Constitution, SCR-43/SCR-152/ACR-205, at a public hearing today in the Senate State Government Committee.
Nobody supported the Democrats' proposed constitutional amendment that mandates partisan gerrymandering at public hearings today on SCR-43/SCR-152 & ACR-205. Here are scans of the witness slips that show the unanimous opposition: https://t.co/1nBrz3IMC0 https://t.co/BPQAcT2OyS
— NJ Senate GOP (@senatenj) December 13, 2018
Included below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:
Testimony for Public Hearing on SCR-43/SCR-152/ACR-205
Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean
December 13, 2018
Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to speak.
I am here to express my strong opposition to SCR-43, SCR-152, and ACR-205.
The constitutional amendment that’s before us today is undemocratic. It’s a shameless stunt and a power grab that is designed to give Democrats in the Legislature a permanent majority.
Those aren’t my words. Rather, they’re the dire warnings expressed by a host of independent election experts, newspapers, civil rights leaders, and academics from across the political spectrum.
In fact, not a single person, not a single expert, not a single organization…left, right, or center…has come out in support of this proposal.
Kean Bill Would Ban Students Convicted of Hazing From Receiving State Tuition Aid
New Jersey college students who are convicted of hazing would no longer be eligible to receive State financial aid, under new legislation sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean.
The bill, S-3039, was today advanced by the Senate Higher Education Committee.
More than 200 students have died from hazing-related accidents in the United States since 1838, and 40 students have died in the past decade alone, according to reports. (Economist.com/Hank Nuwer)
“Our children should never suffer the pain of being humiliated or forced to participate in dangerous activities like binge drinking, just so they can feel accepted by their classmates,” Sen. Tom Kean said. “The numbers do not lie. Half of all students are hazed at some point during their college career. Our legislation sends a clear message: if you engage in hazing, the state will no longer fund your education. Kids are at schools to learn, not to humiliate others for personal gratification.”
Senate Committee Advances Kean/Beach Blockchain Taskforce
Bipartisan Bill Would Modernize State Govt. Systems
The Senate Budget Committee has passed legislation sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean (R-21) and Senator James Beach (D-6) to launch the “NJ Blockchain Initiative Task Force.”
The task force established under the bill would be charged with developing new strategies to increase the efficiency of electronic communication.
Sen. Tom Kean’s bipartisan bill that would launch the NJ Blockchain Initiative Task Force passes committee. (Pixabay)
“The purpose of this taskforce is to look at every layer of government and see if there is a cost-effective way to implement this fast moving technology in a way that will benefit our residents,’ Kean said. “Blockchain is not a myth – nor is it hype. This technology has evolved tremendously since its initial platform for Bitcoin digital currency. The more I learn about Blockchain, the more I have come to see this as a great way for government offices to increase efficiency and secure the electronic systems we use to aid and protect residents Statewide.”
Kean: Democrats’ Redistricting Amendment About Cementing Their Control, Limiting Voter Choice
Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean said a constitutional amendment (SCR-43) being fast-tracked by Democrats is designed to make legislative elections less competitive while cementing permanent Democratic majorities in the New Jersey Legislature.
Sen. Tom Kean said a constitutional amendment proposed by Democrats is designed to make legislative elections less competitive while cementing permanent Democratic majorities in the New Jersey Legislature. (SenateNJ.com)
“The constitutional amendment proposed by New Jersey Democrats is not about making our elections fairer or legislative districts more competitive,” said Kean. “This sham of an amendment is about power. It’s about Democrats who have controlled the Legislature for nearly two decades trying to cement their power by permanently rigging the election process in their favor.”
Kean & Oroho: First Amazon, Now Google. How Many Opportunities Will NJ Miss Before We Take Action?
Senate Republicans Call for Changes to Business Tax Policies in Wake of NYC Google Expansion Announcement
In light of yesterday’s Wall Street Journal report detailing Google’s plans to add 12,000 new jobs in New York City, Senate Republicans Tom Kean and Steven Oroho said that the expansion would cost New Jersey thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in lost tax revenue.
Senate Republicans Tom Kean and Steven Oroho are calling for action following reports of Google’s plans to add 12,000 new jobs in New York City, which the senators said will cost New Jersey thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in lost tax revenue. (WikiCommons)
“Given our state’s bad-for-business policies, it wasn’t a surprise that Amazon chose Long Island City over New Jersey, but the news of Google’s decision to expand to New York City is just as bad,” Senator Oroho said. “Many of these new Google employees will most likely choose to raise families in New Jersey, while paying income taxes in New York. That means we will lose out on the high-paying jobs that could have been created here, and the tax revenue we need to fund our schools.”
Kean: Murphy’s Tax Increases Blew NJ’s Shot for Amazon’s HQ2
Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean said massive tax increases imposed by Governor Phil Murphy and legislative Democrats this year have likely blown New Jersey’s shot at luring Amazon’s new headquarters and tens of thousands of high-paying jobs.
Sen. Tom Kean said massive tax increases imposed by Gov. Phil Murphy and Democrats this year have likely blown New Jersey’s shot at luring Amazon’s new headquarters and tens of thousands of high-paying jobs. (SenateNJ.com)
“New Jersey was well on the path to creating the stable, predictable tax environment that employers like Amazon require until Governor Murphy’s budget reversed nearly a decade of fiscal discipline,” said Kean. “The massive multi-billion dollar business tax increase signed by Governor Murphy in July was the nail in the coffin for Newark’s proposal to host HQ2.”
Kean: NJ Transit Rail Commuters Need Relief Now
Following yet another day of major service disruptions for commuters who rely on New Jersey Transit trains to get to work, Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean called for the agency to take immediate action to prevent future problems.
Following major service disruptions for NJ Transit rail commuters, Sen. Tom Kean called for the agency to take immediate action to prevent future problems. (SenateNJ.com)
“I’ve heard from countless commuters that whenever they think things are as bad as they can possibly be on our rails, NJ Transit finds a way to prove them wrong,” said Kean. “After so many repeated failures to deliver safe and reliable service, there’s no more time for excuses from Transit’s management. Commuters deserve to hear from the leadership at NJ Transit what contingency plans they can implement today to improve service.”
