Pennacchio & Oroho Tour Lake Hopatcong with Senate President Sweeney
Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) and Senator Steven Oroho (R-24) joined Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-3) for a boat tour of Lake Hopatcong today to gain a first-hand understanding of the blue-green algae blooms that caused the lake and others across New Jersey to be closed for recreation for much of the summer.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio and Sen. Steven Oroho joined Senate President Stephen Sweeney for a boat tour of Lake Hopatcong today. (SenateNJ.com)
After the tour, Pennacchio and Oroho issued the following statement:
“We were glad to have the opportunity to join local officials and the Senate President for today’s tour of Lake Hopatcong. Before his untimely death, our dear colleague Senator Bucco was scheduled to join us. We are sure Tony was there in spirit.
Pennacchio Condemns Selective Outrage by Senate Democrats on Racism & Discrimination
Senator Joe Pennacchio said a resolution (SR-155) adopted by Senate Democrats condemning certain comments by the President as racist is a demonstration of utter hypocrisy.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio said a resolution adopted by Senate Democrats condemning certain comments by the President as racist is a demonstration of utter hypocrisy.(SenateNJ.com)
“We have numerous examples of elected Democrats at all levels of government making comments which are clearly discriminatory, and in some cases blatantly anti-Semitic,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “Where’s the official condemnation?”
Pennacchio Seeks to Make NJ a Leader in Fusion Energy
Introduces Bill Package to Support Research & Commercialization of Fusion Energy Technology
Senator Joe Pennacchio has introduced a bipartisan package of legislation to make New Jersey a global leader of fusion energy research and the development of commercial technology to bring fusion power to market, saying it represents a rare opportunity for the business and environmental communities to work together.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio’s package of bills would make New Jersey a global leader of fusion energy research and the development of commercial technology to bring fusion power to market. (SenateNJ.com)
“After bringing together and listening to experts in the field of fusion energy, it’s clear that the development and commercialization of this clean, sustainable source of power would revolutionize the way the world thinks about energy,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “As the home of the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab and a growing ecosystem of start-ups that are looking to bring fusion power to market, New Jersey has a real opportunity to be a global leader in fusion energy technology. It’s wholly apparent that some prudent moves by the State to support this industry in its infancy could yield massive dividends for our residents and New Jersey’s future. Just as California has its Silicon Valley, New Jersey could have its Fusion Epicenter if we play our cards right.”
Pennacchio: Murphy Administration Refuses to Share Docs Detailing Rationale for Closing NJ Lakes
NJDEP Denies OPRA Request for Information Related to HAB Advisories for Lake Hopatcong & Greenwood Lake
Senator Joe Pennacchio said the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has denied legal requests for public records related to the decision to issue advisories for Lake Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake for harmful algal blooms (HAB), lending credence to the suggestion that the Murphy Administration intentionally utilized the local economic pressures associated with lake closures to create a false sense of urgency for nearby communities to create expensive new stormwater utilities permitted through the “rain tax” recently enacted by the Governor.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio said the Murphy Administration’s refusal to release records related to the effective closure of several lakes for the summer lends credence to the suggestion that the actions were politically motivated. (SenateNJ.com)
“If the decisions to issue the advisories that have effectively closed Lake Hopatcong and other New Jersey lakes for much of the summer were based purely on public health concerns, there’s no reason for the Murphy Administration to deny public record requests for internal documents containing discussions of the rationale behind those actions,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “The fact that the Governor’s staff refuses to share the deliberative documents that we requested leads us to believe that they have something to hide. Perhaps they don’t want the public to see the political underpinnings of their economically damaging decision to close Lake Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake to recreation, unnecessarily, during prime summer months.”
Pennacchio Calls for Enacting Important Anti-Bullying Legislation
After a recent television news investigation into school bullying found the danger may be more prevalent than state statistics show, Senator Joe Pennacchio urged the General Assembly to pass his Mallory’s Law legislation bolstering New Jersey’s anti-bullying statutes.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio is calling for the enactment of “Mallory’s Law” to toughen NJ’s anti-bullying laws. Pictured: the Senate honors Mallory’s Army on Dec. 18, 2017 for its fight against bullying. (SenateNJ.com)
The News 12 New Jersey report indicates school districts may be significantly under-reporting bullying cases. One district reported nine incidents to the state in three years, while school board minutes showed 27 in the same period.
“We need to stop this nonsense and prevent the under-reporting of bullying that is going on, and my bill will help do that,” said Pennacchio, whose bipartisan bill (S3433) passed the Senate in June with unanimous support, although the Assembly version has not moved. “We’re going to force schools to keep better records.”
Pennacchio Votes Against Flawed Vote-by-Mail Bill
Democrats Block Amendment to Prevent Voter Fraud
Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) voted against flawed vote-by-mail legislation today saying the measure fails to address the significant issue of voter fraud.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio voted against flawed vote-by-mail legislation saying the measure fails to address the significant issue of voter fraud, including voting by illegal aliens. (SenateNJ.com)
“The vote-by-mail expansion that we were here to fix was flawed for more reasons than those recently identified by the Secretary of State,” said Pennacchio. “Voter fraud is very real in New Jersey, and much of that fraud centers on ballots not cast in a polling place. This legislation does nothing to prevent illegal aliens from voting or to stop campaign operatives from illegally registering people, collecting ballots, and rigging elections.”
Pennacchio Bill Expanding Veteran Benefits to Discharged National Guard Members Signed
Legislation by Senator Joe Pennacchio making discharged members of the New Jersey National Guard eligible for county veterans’ benefits is now law.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio’s legislation making discharged members of the New Jersey National Guard eligible for county veterans’ benefits is now law. (Flickr)
Pennacchio’s measure, S-2538, allows former Guard members discharged with an NGB-22 to access veterans’ benefits, including a county veteran identification card and a “veteran” designation on their driver’s license. Previously, a DD-214 form from the military was required.
Pennacchio: Murphy’s Frivolous SALT Lawsuit Is a Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
Senator Joe Pennacchio criticized Governor Murphy’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, claiming it is a waste of state resources and taxpayer money.
Sen.Joe Pennacchio criticized Gov. Murphy’s lawsuit against the IRS, claiming it is a waste of state resources and taxpayer money. (Flickr)
“The Murphy Administration is lawsuit happy,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “The Governor should not be using New Jersey taxpayer dollars to play politics. Rather than fighting with the federal government, I urge Governor Murphy to focus on genuine and immediate tax solutions that we have the power as state lawmakers to advance.”
Pennacchio Calls for Immediate Legislative Action on Greenwood Lake Fund
Second Largest Recreational Lake Shutting Down Due to Toxic Algae Bloom
In light of news that Greenwood Lake will close due to a toxic algae bloom, Senator Joe Pennacchio called for the State Assembly to immediately vote on his legislation that would create and annually dedicate half-a-million dollars to the New Jersey Greenwood Lake Fund.
In light of news that Greenwood Lake will close due to a toxic algae bloom, Sen. Joe Pennacchio has called on the Assembly to vote on his bill that would establish the “NJ Greenwood Lake Fund.” (GoogleMaps)
“New Jersey is in the midst of a water crisis – toxic algae is spreading across our freshwater lakes at an alarming rate,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “The expense of protecting Greenwood Lake shouldn’t fall on the backs of the local residents and business owners in West Milford alone. The State of New Jersey must prioritize funding to safeguard one of Passaic County’s most popular and scenic waterways.”
Pennacchio Pushes State to Fully Support Our Most Vulnerable Students
Calls for Legislative Action this Fall
Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) has introduced legislation to strengthen State support for special education students throughout New Jersey.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio has introduced legislation to strengthen State support for special education students throughout New Jersey. (Flickr)
“School districts shouldn’t have to choose between funding special education programs or providing services to other students,” Pennacchio said. “With extraordinary special education costing enormous amount of dollars, we must ensure every child has an equal educational opportunity without negatively impacting a school’s budget. My proposal would make certain that our most vulnerable students, regardless of their zip code, are provided with the resources they need to succeed.”
