The Senate passed S2260 (Ruiz), which would secure protections for patients and providers accessing and providing reproductive healthcare services and establish the right of residents to reproductive healthcare activity that is restricted in other states. The New Jersey State Bar Association supports the bill because it ensures New Jersey remains a safe haven where residents’ safety is prioritized and reproductive rights and bodily autonomy are legally protected..
Earlier this month, the bill was substituted with a bill that creates a new crime of “interference with reproductive health care services” and to allow for civil actions against a person who unlawfully interferes with another person’s reproductive healthcare services.
Sen. Jon M. Bramnick raised concerns about language in the bill that would allow a person to make a claim that they suffered mental anguish. “My concern is the restriction is so broad the damages seem to be inevitable or likely that there would be mental anguish,” Bramnick said. He pointed out that he is a supporter of people to pursue reproductive and transgender rights, but urged an amendment to address this issue. He also raised concerns about restricting a board’s ability to impose penalties. He abstained on the bill.
Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz, the bill’s sponsor, said she would consider amending the bill to address Bramnick’s concern. “I’m listening. If we need to change one particular word to abate the confusion that doesn’t really exist in practice and/or law, we will be discussing it with the Assembly side before it hits their end,” Ruiz said.
The bill passed 21-12. The bill requires a full vote in the Assembly before it goes to the governor.
Bill Establishing Guidelines for Creditworthiness of Applicants Seeking Affordable Housing Units Advances
The Senate advanced a bill that would establish statewide standards for how landlords evaluate creditworthiness of applicants for affordable housing and subsidy-related rentals. S219 (Turner)/A1766 (Verrelli) would standardize a review of these applications and reduce denials driven by credit scores and similar screening tools that disparately impact protected classes. The New Jersey State Bar Association has been monitoring the legislation, but has not taken a position on the bill.
While advocates for the bill supported the concept of a streamlined application, concerns were raised about the lack of affordable housing, the application fees which are still onerous to many, and concerns about considerations of creditworthiness for survivors of domestic violence. Denise Higgins from the Coalition to End Domestic Violence testified earlier before the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee that they are often unfairly denied housing because of lack of income or rental arrears caused by an abuser. They offered an amendment to consider the history of domestic violence.
The bill was twice amended to remove an evaluation of the health history of an applicant and the applicant’s family and proof of health insurance coverage as well as to clarify that there is no duty on a person licensed by the New Jersey Real Estate Commission during a transaction for which the licensee is not the landlord.
The bill passed the Senate 23-13 and remains pending in the Assembly Housing Committee.