Legislators and government officials talked legislative priorities and developments in the law at the NJSBA Annual Meeting and Convention panel “Inside Trenton New Laws, New Updates and What It Means.”
Patrick Stewart, from Public Strategies Impact, led the discussion on issues impacting the practice of law that ranged from rising costs in New Jersey, climate change, school funding, housing and health insurance.
Assemblywoman Claire S. Swift
“I was able to propose legislation, it’s called the Underage Gambling Bill...if you get caught gambling underage in New Jersey you can be criminally charged,” Swift said. “This is crucial legislation here in Atlantic County. It helps young kids. They do pay a fine, but they won’t have a criminal record.”
Assemblywoman Victoria A. Flynn
“In light of FIFA coming here for the World Cup, we know that incidents of human trafficking increase dramatically. There has been a lot of effort to address that at the state level,” Flynn said.
Assemblywoman Luanne M. Peterpaul
“I think affordability is on everyone’s minds. It’s a big issue here in New Jersey,” Peterpaul said.
Sen. John F. McKeon
“My number one priority is the NJ Climate Resilience Act,” McKeon said. “In New Jersey we have a beautiful ocean that is warping more than any other state in the nation. We have billions and billions of property within a half mile of that. Our state could be devastated. We need to get ahead of the curve.”
Sen. Joseph A. Lagana
“Schools are still reeling from the effects of COVID. What we’re seeing is a major increase in anxiety and depression among children,” Lagana said. “We should be doing everything we can to make sure that schools, parents and their children have the resources to deal with these issues.”
Sen. Anthony M. Bucco
“High-density housing is changing the character of communities,” Bucco said. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for affordable housing. But we can’t build high-density housing in areas where there’s no infrastructure, or mass transportation, or jobs available. And it should be available for the folks who need it the most.”
Sen. Jon M. Bramnick
“The polarization in this country is dangerous. You don’t really see it as much in Trenton, but if we don’t address that polarization this democracy is under serious threat,” Bramnick said.