Assemblywomen Donlon and Peterpaul Announce 13 Bills Signed Into Law This Summer

DR. MARGIE DONLON, SENATOR VIN GOPAL and LUANNE PETERPAUL, ESQ. 

The Governor signed 13 of Assemblywoman Margie Donlon and Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul’s bills into law this summer.

Either Assemblywoman Donlon or Assemblywoman Peterpaul, or both, and Senator Vin Gopal, (D-Monmouth) were the prime sponsors of four of the bills and cosponsors of the remaining nine.

“Many of these bills support small businesses and protect consumers. They reflect the concerns that Legislative District 11 residents tell us are important to them, such as utility costs, as we travel around the district talking to businesses and residents,” said Assemblywoman Peterpaul. The bills on which the Assemblywomen were primary sponsors include A5768, which requires the BPU to revise community solar program targets and directs the agency to open registration by October 1, 2025 for an additional 3,000 megawatts of community solar projects. Senator Gopal was a primary sponsor of the Senate version. Another of their bills, A5141, establishes an historic distillery license to allow the manufacturing and consumption of distilled alcoholic beverages on-and-off premises under certain circumstances by a licensee on the NJ Register of Historic Places. Senator Gopal also was a primary sponsor.

“Our sponsored bills also address healthcare concerns, which are a top priority for the LD11 office, and ensure healthcare insurance is more accessible and affordable,” said Donlon, who is a physician and primary sponsor of A5810, which promotes equity in the health insurance appeal process. “This bill eliminates fees for appeals against health insurance carriers that deny, reduce, or terminate benefits.”

Assemblywoman Donlon and Senator Gopal also were primary sponsors of A5199, a new law that requires eligible resident and fellow physicians employed by Rutgers University, including University Hospital, and their dependents, receive coverage in the State Health Benefits Plan (SHBP) on the first day of employment.

“This legislation corrects a situation that resulted in these healthcare professionals working in hospital environments, where they are exposed to diseases, infections and other dangers, but didn’t have health coverage for a period of time,” Gopal said. The LD11 legislators also cosponsored nine other bills that became the law since June 30 of this year. These bills include:

A5792 – Provides for workers’ compensation coverage of certain counseling services for first responders and ensures that mental health-related communications are confidential. A5687 – Establishes the “Next New Jersey Manufacturing Program” to incentivize in-state manufacturing investments and job creation. A5466 – Requires the BPU to study the effects of data centers on electricity costs. A5463 – Requires electric public utilities to submit an annual report on voting to the BPU.

A5447 – Prohibits the sweepstakes model of wagering; establishes new penalties for unlawful gambling operations and practices; directs Division of Consumer Affairs and Division of Gaming Enforcement to enforce penalties. S4567 – Appropriates $107,999,000 from constitutionally dedicated Corporate Business Tax revenues and various Green Acres funds to the DEP to make grants to local governments for open space acquisition, park development, and planning projects. S4476 – Permits awarding of contracts for certain preschool education services by resolution of the board of education; extends the maximum length of preschool education services contracts to three years. Senator Gopal was a primary sponsor in the Senate. S3910 – Makes various changes to the provision of preschool aid and facilities requirements; establishes Universal Preschool Implementation Steering Committee; requires full-day kindergarten in all school districts. S3711 – Makes annual allocations of $500,000 from the Clean Communities Program Fund for public outreach concerning single-use plastics reduction programs permanent.

Senator Vin Gopal, a lifelong resident of Monmouth County elected in 2018, serves as Senate Majority Whip and Chair of the Senate Education Committee. Assemblywoman Dr. Margie Donlon, a practicing physician, serves on the Assembly Health and the Tourism, Gaming & the Arts Committees; Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul, Esq., serves on the Assembly Commerce, Economic Development & Agriculture, Aging and Human Services, and the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committees They represent residents of Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Fair Haven, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, and Tinton Falls in the State Senate and State Assembly.