This Week in Trenton: Four Bills Worth Watching Alongside the Budget Hearings

The calendar is split between a huge day of work for the assembly on Monday (today) and then state budget hearings the next two days.  There are four bills that connect to housing, immigration, privacy, and public contracts that are worth a look.

A3877 this bill would give preference for certain state aid to municipalities that change zoning to allow for more housing.  It also ties those changes to advantages around transportation funding and school debt service aid for facilities projects.  While this might not sit well with many residents of communities grappling with the impact of redevelopment, it could incentivize local governments to trade its zoning flex for state money.

A4070 a privacy bill that would set parameters on when government and healthcare entities can collect certain information (immigration status, place of birth, social security numbers as examples) and would block much of the information from being disclosed publicly. The also sets limits on how data collected from automated license plate recognition devices can be shared or sold.

A4071 limits the extent to which police and local officials can cooperate with immigration enforcement and bans a slew of actions based on immigration status alone. This one definitely pushes a button with some seeing this as a way of increasing public safety, while others will view it as a barrier between local law enforcement and the feds.

A4072 raises the bar for workers and contractors taking on jobs connected to public works.  Contractors will need to certify that journeymen/women meet specific standards (experience and apprenticeship requirements).  This will likely affect who’s allowed to work or even compete for contracts in tax-funded projects.

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