TEMPORARY DISASTER RELIEF EMPLOYMENT

If you are interested in finding temp work while New Jersey rebuilds after Hurricane Sandy, please call 877-682-6238 or e-mail SandyHelp@dol.state.nj.us.

You may also send your resume to FEMA-NJ-localhire-jobs@fema.dhs.gov for additional job opportunities.

KEY DISASTER RECOVERY CONTACT INFORMATION

1. FEMA: http://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585

2. Business Assistance Services:
N.J. Business Action Center http://www.newjerseybusiness.gov/ or 1-866-534-7789
U.S. Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov/content/disaster-assistance; 1-800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov

3. Disaster Mental Help Hotline – 1-877-4357 or 2-1-1

4. Disaster Unemployment Insurance (now covering all 21 counties)
North Jersey – 201-601-4100
Central Jersey – 732-761-2020
South Jersey – 856-507-2340
Out-of-State – 888-795-6672

5. Volunteer – 1-800-537-7397

6. Donate – N.J. Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund organized by the Governor and Mary Pat Christie http://www.sandynjrelieffund.org/.

For additional disaster-related contact information, visit the Assembly Republican website at http://www.njassemblyrepublicans.com/?page_id=6576
or visit the state’s web page, http://www.nj.gov/ (click on Hurricane Sandy Information Center).

DECROCE OFFERS LEGISLATION REQUIRING BACK UP GENERATORS FOR VITAL FACILITIES SERVING THE PUBLIC

Assemblywoman Drafts NJ Residents Power Protection Act

(Parsippany, NJ) In the wake of Hurricane Sandy’s devastating impact on New Jersey’s power grid, Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R-26th) is sponsoring  legislation requiring  gas stations, nursing homes and certain other critical facilities to have generator backup power.  
DeCroce said certain facilities which provide critical and unique services that protect public safety and help economic recovery must have secondary sources of power.

“We cannot allow our frail elderly in nursing homes to be at the mercy of high winds and rains that topple trees and power lines,” said DeCroce. “And neither can we tolerate  long lines at a handful of operating gas stations as people try to get fuel to run their home generators or to operate their cars.”

Besides requiring gas stations and nursing homes to have backup generators, DeCroce’s N.J. Residents Power Protection Act  would require public and private assisted living facilities, Class C (dementia patients ) boarding homes and all firehouses and emergency medical facilities to have a full source of backup power.

DeCroce’s legislation would require the backup energy come from natural gas generators  -- where natural gas is available --  or propane stored in above-ground tanks. The generators would be hard wired into the facilities’ electrical systems.

Natural gas and propane are preferable to gasoline powered generators, said DeCroce because the source of energy would be more constant and reliable and would eliminate the hazards posed by gasoline powered generators, which emit harmful fumes and pose a fire risk.  She noted that there were at least two deaths reported from fumes of a gas powered generator  -- two teenage girls in Newark – who kept the generator too close to a window.

DeCroce also said that by hardwiring generators to facilities, there would be less need for extension cords coursing through nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

“Extension cords snaking through nursing homes are an invitation to disaster,” said DeCroce. “The cords pose a hazard to elderly people in wheelchairs or those whose mobility is assisted by walkers and canes.”

DeCroce’s legislation would also require backup power sources for any new construction of grocery stores or convenience stores.
“All these facilities that provide vital services to the public – whether they are emergency response buildings, gas stations, grocery stores or nursing homes – should have the backup power needed to serve the needs of our residents and our economy,” said DeCroce.

“The technology is there to be used; let’s put it to good use before the next major storm hits our region,” added the assemblywoman.

DeCroce said she is seeking bipartisan support for the legislation. “Storm victims are not Republicans or Democrats, they are our friends and neighbors,” she said.

Contact Info:
Tel: 973-265-0057

DeCROCE: TIME FOR ASSEMBLY TO GET BACK TO THE BUSINESS OF REFORM

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce / 973-265-0057
Assembly Republican Press Office / 609-847-3400

          Now that the Assembly Budget Committee has received its update from the Office of Legislative Services (OLS) on the state’s revenue picture, Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce, R-Morris, Passaic and Essex, said it is time for the people’s house to take up the people’s business.

            “On Wednesday, we heard an update from OLS that now is not the time to hit the panic button on the state’s financial situation,” said DeCroce. “The Assembly Democrats went out of their way to convince everyone their committee hearing was not about politics. With no earth-shattering revelations from OLS, I hope they recognize that it is time to move forward and begin to tackle the unfinished business which taxpayers deserve."

            DeCroce said she supports the call for the Assembly to take up the issues that have not been addressed, such as a middle class tax cut, closing the loopholes being exploited by municipalities in the property tax cap law, reforming payouts for unused sick days and enacting good government legislation.

            “I hope the chairpersons of the respective committees will put meaningful bills on their agendas that address the important issues,” said DeCroce. “We should be devoting time to debate legislation that drives down the cost of government, returns money to the most overtaxed people in the country and holds government and elected officials accountable for their actions. It is time to have constructive conversations and put aside the transparent political attacks. People expect their elected officials to fix problems, not avoid them.”

GOVERNOR CHRISTIE SIGNS ANGELINI/DeCROCE BILL

Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini / 732-531-1045
Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce / 973-884-6190
Assembly Republican Press Office / 609-847-3400

            Governor Christie signed legislation today that would reorganize the departments responsible for women, children and family programs.

            The legislation, A-3101, was sponsored by Assembly Republicans Mary Pat Angelini and BettyLou DeCroce.

            “This reform strengthens the critical social services New Jersey provides without any impact on those who rely on them,” said Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini, R-Monmouth, a member of the Health and Senior Services and Human Services committees. “The Department of Children and Families will be able to better focus its services on individuals by treating the child and family in one place.”

            The Department of Children and Families will be reorganized by transferring the Division on Women from the Department of Community Affairs to the DCF and transferring services for children less than 21-years-old to DCF.

            “This will enhance critical programs for women facing domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault,” Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce, R-Morris, Passaic and Essex, a member of the Assembly Women and Children Committee. “This streamlined approach will make these vital programs more efficient and effective.”

McHOSE/CASAGRANDE/DeCROCE VOTE TO PROTECT WOMEN AND BABIES

Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose / 973-300-0200
Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande / 732-866-1695
Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce / 973-884-6190
Assembly Republican Press Office / 609-847-3400

            Assembly Republicans Alison Littell McHose, Caroline Casagrande and BettyLou DeCroce voted to protect women and babies by opposing legislation that would permit legally binding agreements between donor and surrogate parents.

            “This legalizes the sale of the womb,” McHose, R-Sussex, Warren and Morris, said. “It preys upon low-income women who will not be informed of the health risks – both physical and emotional – and disregards the sacred fact that both mother and her baby are human beings, not a commodity.”

            The legislation was approved despite widespread opposition of groups such as New Jersey Right to Life and the National Organization for women.

            “This is a dangerous class warfare that benefits the wealthy at the expense of the health, safety and emotional well-being of low-income women who are desperate for cash, as well as innocent babies,” Casagrande, R-Monmouth, said. “A number of women will put their bodies through the wringer and expose themselves to all sorts of disease because they are poor, need money and some members of this Assembly decided to serve the best interests of those with the most cash.”

            The bill also ignores recommendations of the New Jersey Bioethics Commission that said gestational agreements should never be legal.

            “The bill poses the risk of developing a breeder class of women, particularly for the poor and impoverished who will be exploited by brokers who have a financial self-interest,” DeCroce, R-Morris, Passaic and Essex, said. “The National Organization for Women and Right to Life’s joint opposition is a strong signal that something is horribly wrong with this policy.”

ALEX DeCROCE’S LAW ENHANCING CRIME VICTIMS’ RIGHTS

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce / 973-884-6190
Assemblyman Bob Schroeder / 201-391-3673

Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi / 201-666-0881

Assembly Republican Press Office / 609-847-3400

BILL WOULD STRENGTHEN PROTECTIONS FOR CRIME VICTIMS –

WHICH THE LATE REPUBLICAN LEADER ALEX DeCROCE STRONGLY SUPPORTED

            Bipartisan legislation enhancing the rights of crime victims was approved by Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee today. It is named for the former Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce, who championed the rights of crime victims.

            “Alex DeCroce’s Law,” is sponsored by Assembly Republicans BettyLou DeCroce, Bob Schroeder and Holly Schepisi.

            “This bill builds upon the rights of crime victims that Alex and I fought so hard to secure through a public referendum that changed the constitution,” said BettyLou DeCroce, R-Morris, Essex and Passaic, a former trustee of the New Jersey Crime Victims’ Law Center. “As the court process plays out, crime victims deserve equal, if not preferential treatment from the court system. They deserve to know when hearings will occur, be safe from intimidation and receive fair compensation for their losses.”

            The bipartisan bill, A-2380, would ensure:

• Victims are notified about the progress of their case, including any changes in the court schedule.
• Protect them from harassment or abuse by defendants or their supporters.
• Provide medical assistance that is related to the crime.
• Guarantee compensation for losses sustained by the victim.
• Give greater consideration to a victim’s impact statement.
• Allow victims to display a picture or wear a button in support of a murdered loved one in court.

“Crime victims deserve our empathy and protection as they endure the process of bringing criminals to justice,” Assemblyman Bob Schroeder, R-Bergen and Passaic, said. “They help prevent others from having to suffer the same ordeal they have experienced, and we need to do everything we can to support them. I’m honored to continue to advance the rights of crime victims in the name of Alex DeCroce. ”

            Alex DeCroce sponsored and advocated for the Victims’ Rights Amendment – a landmark amendment to the New Jersey Constitution that guaranteed the rights of crime victims. After voters approved the amendment, crime victims’ rights were constitutionally-protected in 1991.

Alex DeCroce had sponsored legislation strengthening those rights for several sessions and his measure was on the agenda, but not called for a vote, on the last day of the 214^th Legislature. The former Assembly Republican leader died in the Statehouse that night after the session ended.

            “Alex DeCroce revolutionized the way crime victims are treated in New Jersey and this legislation will ensure that innocent people are not re-victimized during the legal process,” Schepisi, R-Bergen and Passaic, said. “The fair and compassionate treatment of victims is a pillar of our judicial system.”