Advanced: Pennacchio Bill Removes Government Red Tape to Help Veterans Get Hired
Legislation Inspired by Local Veteran Will Help Military Personnel to Enter Civil Service
Legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) to remove an unnecessary bureaucratic hurdle for veterans applying for civil service jobs in New Jersey has been approved by the Senate State Government Committee.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio’s bill to remove government red tape for veterans applying for public service jobs. (Flickr)
“It’s inspiring when a veteran who has honorably served our nation wants to return home to continue serving their community,” said Pennacchio. “Unfortunately, some of our heroes face the challenge of navigating government red tape when they try to claim New Jersey’s civil service veteran’s preference to continue their public service. After they’ve placed their lives on the line for our freedoms during their military service, we should make it easier for our veterans to utilize this important career benefit that they’ve earned.”
Pennacchio Praises Valve for Blocking “Active Shooter” Video Game
Advises Parents to Review the Games Their Children Have Downloaded
Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) praised Valve Software for blocking the release of the “Active Shooter” video game on its Steam online gaming platform. The game, produced by an independent developer, allows players to simulate a school shooting with digital counters tracking the number of victims.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio praised Valve for blocking the release of the ‘Active Shooter’ video game which simulates a school shooting, and encouraged parents to review the games their children have downloaded. (Pixabay)
“Valve Software did the right thing by preventing the release of the ‘Active Shooter’ game, which would train children in the digital world how to commit horrific acts of violence in real schools that target real students, teachers, and law enforcement officers,” said Pennacchio. “There’s a genuine concern that children have a hard time differentiating between ultra-realistic first person shooter games and the real world. We shouldn’t condition our kids to carry out the next Parkland or Sandy Hook.”
Pennacchio Bill Establishing NJ Greenwood Lake Fund Passes Committee
Senator Joseph Pennacchio’s legislation establishing the “New Jersey Greenwood Lake Fund” to preserve and protect New Jersey’s second largest lake has passed the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.
Sen. Joseph Pennacchio’s legislation establishing the “NJ Greenwood Lake Fund” to preserve and protect New Jersey’s second largest lake has passed the Senate Environment Committee. (Google Maps)
“One of Passaic County’s most popular and scenic waterways, Greenwood Lake supplies 3.5 million New Jerseyans and thousands of businesses with their drinking water daily,” Pennacchio (R-26) said. “Establishing an annual, permanent state funding source will guarantee our ability to maintain and safeguard this natural lake reservoir. This will ensure that generations of New Jerseyans can enjoy this beautiful waterway for years to come.”
Pennacchio & Bucco Call on NJEA to Offer Solutions to Prevent Disturbing Conduct Seen in Hidden-Camera Videos
Encourage Teachers’ Union to Take Active Role in Upcoming Legislative Hearings
Senator Joe Pennacchio and Senator Anthony Bucco urged the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) to offer solutions during upcoming legislative hearings to prevent the types of reprehensible conduct that was captured on hidden-camera videos of local union leaders.
Sens. Joe Pennacchio and Anthony Bucco urged the NJEA to offer solutions to prevent the reprehensible conduct captured on hidden-camera videos of local union leaders. (SenateNJ.com)
“I truly believe that most teachers are horrified by the hidden camera footage and don’t want their profession tarnished by the refusal of their own union to do what’s right,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “I hope those good teachers will urge the NJEA to accept a seat at the table to engage productively in the upcoming legislative hearings. They should see this as an opportunity to excise this cancer that exists among them that has led to the NJEA’s horrific policy that every teacher should be protected at any cost.”
Pennacchio & Bucco Commend Hearings to Investigate Alarming Teacher Union Videos
Senator Joe Pennacchio and Senator Anthony Bucco applauded the announcement of joint hearings of the Senate Education and Labor committees to investigate alarming undercover videos in which top teacher union representatives are filmed revealing that they “bend the truth” to “defend the worst people” and boast of covering up a sex scandal with a teenage girl.
Senators Pennacchio and Bucco applauded the announcement of joint hearings to investigate alarming undercover videos in which top teacher union representatives are filmed revealing that they “bend the truth” to “defend the worst people” and boast of covering up a sex scandal with a teenage girl. (Flickr)
“The direct confirmation by teachers’ union reps that they’re willing to cover up horrendous accusations, such as sex with a student, is deeply disturbing and illegal,” said Pennacchio. “We all know the overwhelming majority of New Jersey teachers want what’s best for our students. It’s sad that these representatives are willing to sacrifice the safety of our children and tarnish the entire education profession to protect dangerous and predatory teachers.”
Pennacchio Highlights Murphy’s Charitable Deduction Scheme Hangs on IRS Approval
Pennacchio: New Jersey Can Provide Immediate Relief by Removing its Own $10K Cap
Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) cautioned against Governor Phil Murphy’s scheme allowing homeowners to contribute to municipal charitable funds in lieu of making property tax payments, as it will likely not pass IRS tax review.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio said New Jersey could provide immediate tax relief by removing its $10,000 cap on the property tax deduction that state income taxpayers can claim. (Wikimedia Commons)
“While I agree with the intentions of Governor Murphy, I stress the importance of a real property tax relief plan,” Pennacchio said. “Trenton must take responsibility for our high property tax problem and immediately create a solution, such as removing New Jersey’s property tax deduction cap. The removal of our cap is instant relief which doesn’t depend on the IRS for approval.”
Now Law: Pennacchio/Bucco ‘Pass the Trash’ Legislation to Protect Students from Abuse
Governor Phil Murphy has signed legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Pennacchio and Senator Anthony Bucco to end the practice of “passing the trash” by preventing predatory teachers from continuing to victimize innocent kids at a different school.
Senator Pennacchio and Bucco’s “Pass the Trash” law was signed by the Governor.(SenateNJ.com)
“As I’ve said all along, the safety of our students is paramount,” Pennacchio (R-26) said. “By enacting the ‘Pass the Trash’ law, this state is honoring its responsibility to protect innocent children from chronically-abusive teachers. I am proud that we were able to do this on a bipartisan basis with the support of the Governor. This legislation will go a long way to safeguarding students from abuse.”
Pennacchio: Murphy Must Sign Critical ‘Pass the Trash’ Bill
News Reports Highlight Dangers of Failing to Sign Legislation to Protect Students from Sexual Abuse
In light of yesterday’s news that dozens of New Jersey teachers lost their licenses due to sexual abuse or related allegations last year, Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) strongly urges Governor Phil Murphy to immediately sign bipartisan legislation to end the practice of “passing the trash,” which will prevent predatory teachers from continuing to victimize innocent kids at a different school.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio urges Gov. Murphy to immediately sign critical “Pass the Trash” legislation. (Flickr)
“We must put the welfare of our students first,” Pennacchio said. “This legislation will stop the process of passing the trash, so that abusive teachers can’t simply travel around from school to school and continue to put innocent kids in harm’s way. There is no reason for Governor Murphy to not immediately sign this bill into law.”
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Pennacchio: Innocent People Are Languishing in Prison. The Time for Action is Now
Following Friday’s Exoneration of Two Innocent Men, Sen. Pennacchio Calls for Action on His Bipartisan Bill to Reduce Wrongful Convictions of NJ
Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) today called on Legislative leaders to immediately post his bipartisan bill creating the “New Jersey Innocence Study and Review Commission” for a committee hearing.
Pennacchio is calling for action in light of Friday’s news that Eric Kelley and Ralph Lee, two innocent men who have spent the past 24 years seeking exoneration, have been freed from prison.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio (at the podium), NAACP NJ President Richard Smith, Lesley Risinger, Founder of The Last Resort Exoneration Project; and AJ Nash, a wrongfully convicted and exonerated man, speak at an Oct. 5, 2017 press conference on Pennacchio’s bill to reduce wrongful convictions in New Jersey. (SenateNJ.com)
“Ralph Lee and Eric Kelley’s case proves that our criminal justice system is in need of reform. No one should have to wait 24 years behind bars for a crime they did not commit,” Senator Pennacchio said. “Although I am relieved to see the outcome in their case, the reality is that our work is far from over. There is no telling how many innocent people could be languishing behind bars at this very moment.
Pennacchio Bill to Hold Utilities Accountable for Power Outages Passes Senate Committee
Bill First Introduced Before Sandy to Improve Utility Reliability, Storm Preparedness & Accountability Advances With Bipartisan Support
The Senate Economic Growth Committee has passed legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Pennacchio to hold utility companies accountable for their failure to provide reliable service.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio’s bipartisan bill would hold utility companies accountable for failing to provide reliable service. Pictured: a New Jersey street without power following Superstorm Sandy. (SenateNJ.com)
“Right now, a negligent utility only pays $100 a day in fines,” Senator Pennacchio (R-26) explained. “That penalty is not only completely ineffective, it is an insult to the thousands of families who have suffered for days, or even weeks without power. How much money have they lost because of these outages? Probably a lot more than $100 a day. We must hold these companies accountable for getting the lights back on as quickly as possible.”
