Legislation sponsored by Sen. Joe Pennacchio and Sen. Tony Bucco that would provide course credits for high school students who become volunteer firefighters was approved today by the New Jersey Senate. (Pixabay)

“New Jersey is suffering from a severe shortage of first responders,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “By incentivizing high school students to become volunteer firefighters in their municipalities, students can earn credits to meet certain graduation requirements. This bill provides an innovative solution to reduce New Jersey’s firefighter shortage and promotes educational opportunities for students outside of the classroom.”

The legislation, S-3901, would permit students to be eligible for credits in health, safety, and physical education for successfully completing a course at a county fire academy, provided they meet certain criteria.

“Firefighting is a skilled profession that is necessary to ensure the safety of our communities,” Bucco added. “This bill enables students to receive their education while simultaneously serving as vital public servants.”

To receive credits, a student must be between 16 and 18 years old, complete an examination to become a junior firefighter, and must volunteer at their local fire department for a period of two years.

“Trenton Democrats just passed legislation that would give individual prosecutors the authority to divert almost any offender into a Mental Health Diversion Program prior to prosecution without the input of a judge,” said Pennacchio. “Under the bill, there would be no jail time, even for most violent crimes, the offender’s record would be eligible for expungement, and there would be no limit to the number of times an individual could reenter the program. This legislation will put public safety at risk and dramatically weaken the justice system for victims of crimes.”

S-524 creates a so-called “Mental Health Diversion Program” that gives prosecutors unbridled authority to divert violent criminals away from the criminal justice system without jail and without a judge.

In order to be eligible for the program, an offender must be diagnosed with a “mental disorder,” which under the bill can include conditions as common as depression.

Notably, the above determination is not made by the court, or a medical professional, but instead outsourced to a social worker. What’s worse, the social worker is authorized to make this determination remotely, e.g., by only “meeting with” the offender over Zoom.

The bill would also:

• Give prosecutors sole discretion to make most crimes eligible for the Mental Health Diversion Program, including second-degree crimes, violent crimes, arson, weapons offenses, and more.
• Ensure offenders are treated to a “moving on” or graduation ceremony and that their criminal records are automatically eligible for expungement.
• Mandate no consequences for a criminal who fails the program and place no limit on the number of times a criminal may renter the program.

You can view the full bill here.

For further comment or background from Sen. Pennacchio, please contact Jonathan Azzara in the SRO communications department.

Sen. Joe Pennacchio’s bill that would provide course credits for high school students who become volunteer firefighters was approved by the Senate Education Committee. (Pixabay)

“New Jersey is suffering from a severe shortage of first responders, and firefighters are no exception,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “By incentivizing high school students to become volunteer firefighters in their municipalities, students can earn credits to meet certain graduation requirements. This legislation provides an innovative solution to reduce New Jersey’s firefighter shortage and promotes educational opportunities for students outside of the classroom.”

Senator Pennacchio’s bill, S-3901, would permit students to be eligible for credits in health, safety, and physical education for successfully completing a course at a county fire academy, provided they meet certain criteria.

To receive credits, a student must be between 16 and 18 years old, they must also complete an examination to become a junior firefighter, or equivalent, and must volunteer at their local fire department for a period of two years.

“Firefighting is a skilled profession that is necessary to ensure the safety of our communities,” Pennacchio added. “This bill enables students to receive their education while simultaneously serving as vital public servants.”

Legislation sponsored by Sen. Joe Pennacchio that would grant municipal authorities greater flexibility to provide rate reductions to qualified senior citizens was approved today by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee. (Pixabay)

“Out-of-control inflation and run-away interest rates are hurting families throughout New Jersey, but the threatening fiscal environment is hitting seniors and individuals with disabilities particularly hard,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “These New Jerseyans are desperate for some relief and this legislation is a step in the right direction. By allowing more people to qualify for utility rate discounts, we can help more residents keep their lights on and heat their homes.”

Pennacchio’s bill, S-1899, would increase from $10,000 to $15,000 per year the annual income eligibility limit for certain seniors and individuals with disabilities to receive a reduction or total abatement of the rents, rates, fees, or other charges collected by a local unit or units operating a sewerage facility or a water supply facility, a municipal or county utilities authority, or a municipal or county sewerage authority.

The bill would also require the Commissioner of Community Affairs to consult with the Department of the Treasury in order to adjust the income eligibility limit annually to reflect increases in the consumer price index for all urban consumers in the New York City and Philadelphia areas as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Sen. Joe Pennacchio issued a statement regarding the Murphy Administration’s continued assault on parental rights after a new FDU poll revealed the majority of New Jerseyans say parents should have control over what’s taught in schools. (Pixabay)

“For years this administration and its democrat accomplices in the State Legislature have continued to interject themselves in what is a moral and constitutional right of parents to raise their children and to be the ultimate source to determine what is in their best interest. Under the guise of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the state has positioned itself as the ultimate arbiter. While the administration is focused on stripping away the rights of parents, test scores have dramatically declined and the state offers no plan to address this pressing problem.

“The state is now using children as pawns in a political chess game and it is causing anxiety and depression among some of our greatest students. The objectionable curriculum proposed by the administration is metastatic, affecting all grades and all subjects. While the state attorney general is forcing schools to adopt their guidelines, it is also telling courts these guidelines are not mandatory, further adding to the confusion.

“The top down approach from Trenton, understandably, elicited a visceral response from parents, the likes that which we have never seen before. The objections to the state strong-arming its controversial curriculum transcends all political parties. One only needs to look at the passion of local school boards to see how the parents have responded. Their request is simple, ’stay away from our kids.’”

Sen. Joe Pennacchio and Sen. Bob Singer condemned the terrorist attacks launched by Hamas into Israel over the weekend and called on New Jersey legislators to immediately return to Trenton to pass a resolution supporting Israel and the Jewish people. (Flickr)

“Israel is the home for all Jewish people throughout the world. It breaks my heart to see the senseless violence that has erupted in Israel after visiting the country just a few weeks ago. We must condemn the unjust violence against Israel and offer our unwavering support for our Jewish communities during this difficult time,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “The atrocities being committed by Hamas Terrorists against innocent women and children are horrible. Everyone has a right to exist in peace. The Senate should return to Trenton immediately to pass a resolution to show that we stand in solidarity with Israel and the Jewish People.”

Senator Pennacchio and Senator Singer announced that they would be drafting a resolution that shows support for Israel in the wake of ongoing terrorist attacks in the Middle Eastern nation.

“As the representative for the largest Jewish community in the State, I find the terrorist attacks in Israel to be incredibly abhorrent. The Jewish community deserves the Legislature’s unwavering support in the wake of this horrific violence,” said Singer (R-30). “My heart breaks for the families impacted by this global atrocity. It is necessary now, more than ever, for the Legislature to stand in solidarity with our Jewish communities. The Senate must reconvene in Trenton to pass our resolution and condemn Hamas for their violence against Israel.”

Sen. Joe Pennacchio slammed the Murphy Administration’s handling of State-run veterans homes following a report issued by the SCI that revealed insufficient care for residents at memorial homes at Menlo Park and Paramus. (©iStock)

“Once again, another investigative body illustrates how this administration failed our veterans. From the start of the pandemic, hundreds of American heroes have died due to inadequate medical care and a lack of effective management and oversight,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “After three years of Democrats in the Legislature stonewalling calls for a comprehensive investigation, it is now time to hold this administration accountable for the immense harm done to veterans.”

In a September report, the DOJ found that veterans’ constitutional rights were violated as a result of insufficient infection control practices, inadequate medical care, and a lack of management and oversight which subjected residents of these veterans homes to serious and often deadly infections.

The SCI report underscored the DOJ’s findings and highlighted how staffing issues, lack of protective equipment, and communication breakdowns contributed to a disastrous outcome for many residents.

Although Pennacchio supported the SCI’s investigation, he said there were still many serious questions that went unanswered in its report.

“The veterans homes in Menlo Park and Paramus both had inadequate PPE, but according to the SCI, the veterans home in Vineland had ‘a warehouse full of equipment with no shortages.’ If that was the case, why didn’t the Vineland facility share some of its supplies with its northern counterparts?”

“The report also mentioned that a woman had to beg the staff at Menlo Park to test her mother for COVID. Why were the facilities so resistant to testing?” Pennacchio asked. “Why did the report not examine the directive from then State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli that prohibited facilities from testing hospitalized residents for COVID prior to readmission? Why were nursing homes forced to take back COVID positive residents? Why did the report fail to mention Persichilli’s offer to resign after employees in her own department criticized her response to COVID? We need answers to these questions and many others. This is why for nearly four years I’ve been calling for a legislative committee with subpoena power.”

Since 2020, Pennacchio has been calling for a special legislative investigation to be conducted by the Legislature to examine the management and policy failures that led to hundreds of unnecessary deaths in the State-run veterans homes and thousands of deaths in the 500 nursing homes and assisted living facilities during the pandemic.

He sponsors a resolution, SR-32, that would form a special legislative committee with subpoena power to conduct the investigation. On six separate occasions since May of 2020, Senate Democrats have blocked efforts by Pennacchio and Senate Republicans to bring his resolution up for a vote.

“Every nursing home and assisted living facility in this state was affected in some way by the Murphy Administration’s disastrous COVID policies. The residents that were in these facilities have families, and they deserve answers,” Pennacchio said. “Does anyone in Trenton truly care about our elderly? Because after nearly four years of inaction, it sure doesn’t seem like it. New Jerseyans deserve so much better.”

Sen. Joe Pennacchio and Sen. Kristin M. Corrado sent a letter to the Senate President to call for a special legislative committee to be formed to investigate claims New Jersey violated the constitutional rights of veterans at two State-run memorial homes. (©iStock)

The United States Department of Justice concluded that veterans’ constitutional rights were violated at the Menlo Park and Paramus long-term care facilities. The report indicated that inadequate infection control practices, inadequate medical care, and a lack of management and oversight subjected veteran residents to horrific conditions during the pandemic.

Senator Pennacchio and Senator Corrado both sponsor legislation to address the issue. Senator Pennacchio sponsors SR-32 which calls for a special legislative committee to be formed with subpoena power that would be able to investigate the findings of the DOJ report and hold those who failed to keep veterans safe accountable.

Senator Corrado sponsors S-67, which is a bipartisan bill that would establish the Office of Inspector General for Veterans’ Facilities to investigate complaints at State-run veterans’ homes.

“The abhorrent conditions that our veterans were subjected to in these State-run memorial homes should never happen again. We must all do our part as legislators to protect veterans in our State,” the lawmakers wrote.

The full text of the letter is below: (Click here for PDF)

Dear Senate President Scutari,

We were pleased to see a quick, bipartisan response in defense of our brave veterans after the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a scathing report on the abhorrent management of two State-run memorial homes.

As you would agree, it is our duty to protect our veterans after everything that they sacrificed to keep us and our freedoms safe. We must do whatever it takes to ensure that no veteran endures the  travesty of poor living conditions, inadequate care, and a systematic failure to meet basic needs. Every day that we delay these efforts puts more veterans who reside in these long-term care facilities at risk of uncontrolled, serious, and deadly diseases and infections.

For this reason, we are calling for the Legislature to return to Trenton and investigate these matters further. A special legislative committee should be established to analyze the results of the DOJ report and hold hearings to recommend an appropriate course of action. It is clear from the report that there is a lack of accountability from this administration and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMAVA). We must ensure that those who are responsible for failing to protect veterans are held accountable for their inaction.

Specifically, the DOJ report claims that the DMAVA impeded with a federal investigation on top of violating veterans’ Fourteenth Amendment rights. The report states that staff attorneys and facility management followed DOJ department staff around the facility “far beyond what was necessary to provide direction, standing nearby as DOJ staff spoke to witnesses, and knocking on doors of offices and rooms where witnesses were being interviewed. Witnesses reported that supervisors and managers inquired about what questions DOJ personnel had asked and specifically discouraged staff members from speaking with DOJ.”

In addition to holding hearings, legislators must work together to pass bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting vulnerable residents at veterans and nursing homes so that we can prevent these  atrocities from ever happening again. One bipartisan bill you may want to consider is S-67, which would establish the Office of Inspector General for Veterans’ Facilities. Under the bill, the Inspector General for Veterans’ Facilities would be able to investigate complaints at State veterans’ facilities. The inspector general would also be empowered to conduct evaluations and inspections to ensure the safety and quality of care provided at State veterans’ facilities.

As you are aware, from the onset of the pandemic, legislators called for investigations into the State’s response on six separate occasions, but those requests never evolved into action. In fact, the  former Senate President agreed to create a bipartisan Review and Recovery Committee, but that never came to fruition.

Because we all share the same concerns about how veterans were treated at these State-run homes and want to protect our more vulnerable residents, it is imperative that the Legislature return to Trenton immediately. A select bipartisan committee with subpoena power will help achieve effective solutions that will protect veterans and hold those who failed to keep them safe accountable.

The abhorrent conditions that our veterans were subjected to in these State-run memorial homes should never happen again. We must all do our part as legislators to protect veterans in our State.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Senator Joe Pennacchio

Senator Kristin M. Corrado

Sen. Joe Pennacchio lambasted Democrats and the governor’s administration’s handling of State-run veterans homes after a DOJ investigation revealed constitutionally deficient care for residents at memorial homes at Menlo Park and Paramus. (©iStock)

“This administration failed our veterans. From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of our heroes have died due to inadequate medical care and a lack of effective management and oversight,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “This report is so damning that even Joe Biden’s DOJ can’t spin how badly our Veterans homes were handled. After three years of inaction from Democrats in the Legislature stonewalling calls for a comprehensive investigation, it is now time to hold this administration accountable for the harm done to veterans and nursing home residents.”

The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced today that there is reasonable cause to believe that residents at two State-run Veterans homes were subject to unreasonable risk and harm.

Specifically, the investigation found that veterans constitutional rights were violated as a result of inadequate infection control practices, inadequate medical care, and a lack of management and oversight which subjected residents of these veterans homes to serious and often deadly infections.

Senator Joe Pennacchio sponsored a resolution, SR-32, to form a special legislative committee with subpoena power to conduct a legislative investigation. On six separate occasions, Senator Pennacchio urged lawmakers to approve his legislation and form the select committee only to be rejected by Democrats each time.

Former Senate President Steve Sweeney agreed to form a bipartisan Review and Recovery Committee in 2020 to investigate the administration’s response to the pandemic, but never followed through and the committee was never formed.

“This DOJ report is devastating. Our veterans risked their lives to defend this country but were left defenseless by this administration’s disastrous management of veterans homes during the pandemic,” Pennacchio added. “They should be ashamed of themselves and so should every Democrat who stonewalled legislative attempts to investigate these atrocities. The great veterans of New Jersey deserve so much better.”

Sen. Joe Pennacchio renewed Republican calls for a special voting session to protect parental rights. (Pixabay)

“Activist lawsuits launched by the Murphy administration are doing more to hurt at-risk children than protect them. If Governor Murphy believes that suing schools into submission and taking rights away from parents is the right thing to do, then the Legislature must step in and defend parental rights. We need to have a special voting session to rein in the Murphy administration’s destructive policies and address the real inequities facing education.

Republican and Democrat leadership have expressed numerous concerns regarding decisions made by the State Board of Education and the attorney general’s office for lashing out at parents and local school boards. Schools across this state have faced critical funding cuts because of Governor Murphy’s failure to work with Republicans on fixing the flawed S-2 school funding formula. How much longer are we going to wait to rein in this administration’s misguided priorities and protect fundamental parental rights? Legislators should return to Trenton and do the right thing. New Jersey families deserve better.”

Senate Republicans called for a special voting session to repeal the New Jersey State Board of Education’s decision to favor equitable outcomes over equal opportunities, and to reevaluate past legislation that allowed the Murphy administration to push their misguided priorities under the guise of diversity, inclusion and equity.

The Senate President and Assembly Speaker also shared concerns regarding the controversial decision and criticized the board for not coordinating with elected officials.

Senator Pennacchio sponsored legislation in 2022, S-2385, to remove the sexual indoctrination curriculum being pushed on our young children.

Republican lawmakers announced plans to introduce new legislation that would protect parent’s rights and prevent the Murphy administration from forcefully injecting identity politics into the classroom.

One of the schools targeted by the attorney general was Hanover school district which is in Senator Pennacchio’s legislative district.

Senator Pennacchio is calling on the Legislature to return to Trenton to vote on legislation that would protect parents, their children, and allow communities to work together with their local school boards to decide what’s best for their children.

Senator Joe Pennacchio said that Governor Murphy should practice what he preaches and focus more on fixing the broken school funding formula than upending school curriculum in response to recent changes made by the State Board of Education to New Jersey’s Administrative Code.

Sen. Joe Pennacchio said that Gov. Murphy should practice what he preaches in response to recent changes made by the State Board of Education. (Wikipedia)

“If Governor Murphy wants to talk about inequities in education, he should start by explaining why he cut funding for more than one hundred schools throughout the state this year. We have a broken school funding formula that is based more by zip code than actual educational need and it is hurting students academically. As a result, some schools receive huge funding increases while most districts are left fighting for crumbs,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “If the Murphy administration were truly concerned about equity in education, they would have supported Republican efforts to reform the school funding formula to provide full and fair funding for all New Jersey school districts this year. Instead, Governor Murphy decided that the best way to educate students was to cut funding to their schools and teach them that equitable outcomes are more important than equal opportunities.”

Senate Republicans have pushed to reform the state’s school funding formula to avoid large funding cuts to help states address student needs, such as learning loss. Republicans in the Legislature have also raised concerns about how the current formula considers inflationary pressures and increased benefit costs that support special education programs and the overall cost per pupil throughout the state.

The following chart shows the drastic changes in school aid funding given to school districts since the enactment of S-2 in 2018: FY18 — FY24 School Funding.

“If equity is Governor Murphy’s top priority then he should practice what he preaches and work with Republicans to fix this unfair formula which has decimated more than one hundred schools throughout the state with funding cuts,” Pennacchio added. “Parents do not need the government acting as a co-parent in the classroom, they need their school districts to have the resources to educate their children. Now is the time to address the real inequity facing New Jersey schools by reforming the broken school funding formula and stopping our children from being used as pawns to satisfy Governor Murphy’s agenda of identity politics. Parents and their children deserve better.”

Senator Joe Pennacchio blasted the Murphy administration for a recent controversial ruling made by the State Board of Education that has parents and legislators feeling concerned about the direction of education policy in New Jersey.

“New Jerseyans and even some Democrat leaders are speaking out against the Murphy administration’s attempts to push identity politics into the classroom. Parents are tired of their kids being subject to this constant social engineering experiment when real issues such as learning loss are being ignored. Substituting equity for equality is an anathema to our Constitutional principles and the fact that these changes were specifically directed at children makes it more onerous. I urge Governor Murphy to respect parental rights and veto the Department of Education’s meeting minutes to stop these misguided policies from going into effect.

Sen. Joe Pennacchio blasted the Murphy administration for a recent controversial ruling made by the State Board of Education that has parents and legislators feeling concerned about the direction of education policy in New Jersey. (Pixabay)

These issues stand in a long line of grievances that New Jersey families have with the Murphy administration. During the pandemic, Governor Murphy’s Department of Education hurt students academically when they shut down schools and made parents feel like they were losing autonomy over their children by forcing students to wear masks, even as COVID-19 subsided. Today we are seeing more of the same from the State Board of Education and the controversial curriculum they are pushing into the classroom. It is time for government bureaucrats to step aside and let parents, teachers, and local school boards work together to determine what is in the best interests of their community.”

The State Board of Education narrowly approved a controversial set of new guidelines on August 2nd for school districts. School districts have 60 days to implement the new policies, or they risk losing state and federal financial aid.

Senate Republicans announced their intention to introduce legislation that would repeal the state board’s decision and called on the Legislature to return to Trenton for a vote before the new policies go into effect after reports of concerns from even Democratic legislative leadership were made public about the NJ School Board.

With the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) beginning “building decarbonization” efforts, Senator Joe Pennacchio urged the Legislature to take action on a bill he sponsors with Senator Steven Oroho that protects the right of New Jerseyans to buy and use gas stoves.

Sen. Joe Pennacchio urged the Legislature to take action on a bill he sponsors with Sen. Steven Oroho that protects the right of New Jerseyans to buy and use gas stoves. (Flickr)

“Governor Murphy has said that ‘no one is coming for your gas stove’ even as his bureaucrats at the BPU were advancing plans to ‘decarbonize’ the state, which means eliminating natural gas and electrifying everything,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “Unless we have ironclad guarantees written into state law to protect energy choice and the right of New Jersey consumers to buy and use gas stoves, the governor’s words are meaningless.”

Pennacchio and Oroho sponsor legislation, S-3560, that prohibits the adoption of State and local rules that prohibit the use of stoves and ovens powered by natural gas and other delivered fuels.

When the legislation was announced in January, Pennacchio warned that a state-level ban on gas stoves and appliances remains the long-term goal of Governor Murphy’s extreme Energy Master Plan.

The BPU took the first steps yesterday toward “building decarbonization” through the approval of a plan to begin the process of replacing gas appliances with electric versions.

“Our bill would guarantee the right of New Jerseyans to use gas stoves and prevent state regulators from implementing any intrusive and expensive bans,” added Pennacchio. “If there are no bans or mandates coming down the pike, Governor Murphy should have no problem saying he would sign this bill into law. Unfortunately, I don’t expect we’ll hear that from him.”

Senator Joe Pennacchio responded to Governor Phil Murphy’s comments on Face the Nation yesterday that suing school districts is “the right thing to do” to stop parental notification of matters that involve the well-being of their children.

Sen. Joe Pennacchio challenged Gov. Phil Murphy’s assertion that suing school districts over parental notification policies is “the right thing to do.” (CBS/Face the Nation)

“The LGBTQ community has acknowledged that up to 50% of children who experience sexual dysphoria or question their sexual identity may contemplate suicide,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “Parents shouldn’t find out when their children are in the hospital, or worse yet in the morgue, that they have been struggling with these serious issues. Parents who have cared for their children since birth should not be kept in the dark when their children are at risk.”

The governor refused to respond directly when asked about a comment from an attorney for the school board in Marlboro that blocking school officials from telling a parent about these issues is a violation of the constitutional right of a parent to direct and control the upbringing of their children.

Pennacchio reiterated his support for the Hanover Township Board of Education, which is being sued by the Murphy administration over its parental notification policy.

“Hanover is absolutely right to want to engage parents and notify them of anything affecting their kids that might cause them harm,” added Pennacchio. “The overwhelming majority of parents love their children and want to be able to support them no matter what they’re going through. It’s really sad that Governor Murphy doesn’t trust parents enough to take care of their own kids.”

Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks Jr. lost their lives Wednesday night while battling a cargo ship fire at Port Newark. (Newark Department of Public Safety)

“Each day, firefighters put their own lives in jeopardy to respond to dangerous, often life-threatening situations,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to all of these men and women for their service and dedication. Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks were heroes who gave their lives to protect others and their sacrifice will never be forgotten. I extend my deepest condolences to their families and friends.”