Bateman Intros ‘Timothy J. Piazza Law’ to Combat Hazing
Bill Named for NJ Teen Who Was Killed in Penn State Hazing
Following the tragic death of a local teen, Senator Kip Bateman has introduced the “Timothy J. Piazza Law,” to increase criminal penalties for hazing.
Following the tragic death of a local teen, Senator Kip Bateman has introduced the Timothy J. Piazza Law, to increase criminal penalties for hazing. (The Timothy J. Piazza Memorial Foundation)
Timothy Piazza, a 19-year-old Penn State University student, died on Feb. 4, 2017 during a fraternity hazing ritual. Timothy’s death was captured by a video that showed Penn State University fraternity brothers ignoring Timothy’s unconscious condition.
Piazza, for whom S-3150 is named, was a native of Readington, a town within Senator Bateman’s 16th Legislative district.
“Every college student has the right to live and learn in a safe environment without fear, and parents who send their child off to school should expect no less,” Bateman said. “Unless we explicitly prohibit the deep-rooted custom of hazing, more families will suffer like the Piazzas. While I can never erase their pain, I appreciate their activism in the wake of extreme adversity. No student should undergo such a gruesome experience. I hope Tim’s tragic passing will evoke real change.”
Bateman Bills to Incentivize Taxpayers & Public Utilities to Protect Pollinators Pass Committee
Two bipartisan bills sponsored by Senator Kip Bateman to provide corporation business tax credits to taxpayers and public utility companies who develop habitats to protect pollinators, such as honeybees, have passed the Senate Environment Committee.
Sen. Kip Bateman’s bills would provide corporation business tax credits to taxpayers and public utility companies who develop habitats to protect pollinators, such as the honeybee. (Flickr)
“We can’t keep New Jersey ‘the Garden State’ without pollinators and keystone species like the honeybee,” Senator Bateman (R-16) said. “Think about all of the resources we have funneled into our farming and agricultural tourism industries. None of these businesses can flourish without pollinators. Providing CBT tax credits to people who take action to protect pollinators is a fiscally-responsible way to keep our ‘Jersey Fresh products’ growing strong for generations.”
MEDIA ADVISORY (9/6): Bateman, Community Leaders to Host Prescription Drug Disposal Event at Hunterdon Healthcare
As part of an ongoing effort to combat New Jersey’s opioid abuse epidemic, Senator Kip Bateman (R-16) will join forces with local officials and representatives from Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals to host a prescription drug disposal event at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6, at Hunterdon Healthcare in Flemington, New Jersey.
The event is open to the public and the media is encouraged to attend and help spread the word about the need to properly dispose of prescription medication.
Senator Kip Bateman, local leaders, and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals will host a prescription drop-off event on Sept. 6 at Hunterdon Healthcare in Flemington, NJ. (Wikimedia Commons)
The majority of teenagers who abuse prescription drugs acquire the substances at the home of a friend or family member, according to the United States Department of Justice.
“A life-threatening prescription drug problem often starts in one of the safest places we can imagine – our homes. An old bottle of painkillers left on a bathroom shelf may seem harmless, but for countless teens, a couple of pills left unattended is as dangerous as it gets,” Senator Bateman said. “No child should be able to easily access a medication that can be abused or sold for a profit.
“Participating in a prescription drop-off program is one the best ways to protect our daughters, sons, and neighbors from the perils of addiction. I encourage everyone in the area to join us and take action to combat New Jersey’s opioid crisis by safely disposing of the prescription drugs that are sitting in your home right now,” Bateman added.
WHAT: Prescription Drug Disposal Event
WHO: Senator Kip Bateman (R-16); Julian Malawi, Mallinckrodt Director of Government Affairs & Advocacy; Frederick W. Brown, Hunterdon County Sheriff; Anthony P. Kearns, III, Hunterdon County Prosecutor; William R. Healey, Hunterdon Healthcare Director of Donor and Community Relations; and Eric Orlando, Kaufman Zita Group Senior Vice President.
WHEN: Thursday, September 6, at 4 p.m.
WHERE: Hunterdon Healthcare Hospital: 2100 Wescott Drive, Flemington, NJ 08822.
AVAILABILITY: OPEN
CONTACT Emily Everson, NJ Senate Republican Office: 609-847-3600; Rhonda Sciarra, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals: 908-238-6765.
NOW LAW: Bateman Bill Allowing Schools to Administer Narcan & Maintain Supply of Lifesaving Opioid Overdose Antidote
Governor Phil Murphy has signed legislation sponsored by Senator Kip Bateman (R-16) that will allow school nurses or another trained employee to administer an opioid antidote such as Narcan, to anyone who overdoses on school grounds, including students and staff.
The legislation also requires high schools, and permits lower level schools, to maintain a supply of the opioid antidote, naloxone hydrochloride, on school grounds at all times.
Gov. Phil Murphy signs Sen. Kip Bateman’s bill to allow school nurses or trained employees to administer an opioid antidote such as Narcan to anyone who overdoses on school grounds, and to maintain a supply of the lifesaving treatment on campus. (Adapt Pharma)
“When someone is dying from an overdose, every second counts. We shouldn’t waste time waiting for an ambulance to arrive, when a trained employee could save someone’s life immediately,” Senator Bateman said. “Addiction is a disease. We can’t bury our heads in the sand and pretend that this is not affecting kids across New Jersey. We have to be ready to save young lives and that means having Narcan on school grounds at all times.
“I am so glad to see this become law,” Bateman added. “It would be wrong to let another school year go by without giving employees the tools they need to prevent an overdose from becoming a fatality.”
Drug overdoses are the sixth-leading cause of death in New Jersey, with the rate of fatalities on track to increase in 2018, demonstrating the critical need for Senator Bateman’s legislation. Youth overdoses are also on the rise in New Jersey.
SIGNED: Bateman Law to Stop Retirement Communities From Taking Advantage of Seniors, Surviving Estate Holders
Governor Phil Murphy has signed legislation long-sponsored by Senator Kip Bateman to hold continuing care retirement communities (CCRC) accountable for reimbursing seniors or estate holders in a timely manner.
Gov. Phil Murphy has signed Sen. Kip Bateman’s bill to hold continuing care retirement communities accountable for reimbursing seniors or estate holders in a timely manner. (Flickr)
Senator Bateman introduced this legislation after a CCRC held Ed Nagle’s deceased mother’s entrance fee’s “hostage,” resulting in an $88,481 loss for his family, as reported by NJ.com’s “Bamboozled.”
A similar incident occurred to Patricia Lund, who after two years of living in a CCRC, opted to move in with her son and daughter-in-law in 2009. However, she has yet to receive her refundable entrance fee – worth over $160,000.
Gov. Signs Bateman’s $9.7 Million CBT Appropriation for State Park Projects
Governor Phil Murphy has signed legislation sponsored by Senator Kip Bateman appropriating $9.703 million from constitutionally-dedicated corporate business tax (CBT) revenue to the NJ DEP for State capital and park development, preservation, conservation, and recreation projects.
Gov. Phil Murphy signs Sen. Kip Bateman’s legislation appropriating $9.703 million of CBT revenue funds to the NJ DEP for State capital and park development, preservation, conservation, and recreation projects. (SenateNJ.com)
“New Jersey is blessed with some of the most beautiful parks in the country, but we cannot keep them that way without funding regular maintenance, let alone build new ones,” Senator Bateman (R-16) said. “Using constitutionally dedicated CBT revenue is a voter-approved, fiscally responsible way to expand these preservation projects in every part of our state.”
With 54% Increase in School Aid, Manville Students & Taxpayers Finally Get the Dollars They Deserve
Senator Kip Bateman (R-16) and Mayor Richard Onderko released the following statement highlighting that Manville, one of the most underfunded school districts in New Jersey, will receive an additional $3,280,647 state aid in the coming year, representing a 54.2 percent increase over FY-2018 state aid.
Sen. Kip Bateman and Mayor Onderko highlight that Manville, one of the most underfunded school districts in New Jersey, will receive an additional $3,280,647 state aid in the coming year, representing a 54.2 percent increase over FY-2018 state aid. (©iStock)
“Manville has suffered a number of hardships that have made the impact of flat state aid even worse, such as damage from Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy. Homes were abandoned, the cost of flood insurance went up, and the poverty rate has gone through the roof. Yet, through all of this, we haven’t seen an extra penny in state aid until now. When the state doesn’t adequately fund our schools, property taxpayers are forced to make up the difference,” Senator Bateman said. “I am very glad that we, as a community of parents, school officials, and local leaders, came together to fight for full funding. Thank you for standing up. It was the right thing to do.”
Gov. Signs Bateman/Corrado Resolution Establishing ‘Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day’
Governor Phil Murphy has signed legislation sponsored by Senate Republicans Kip Bateman and Kristin Corrado designating June 4 of each year as “Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day” in New Jersey.
Gov. Murphy has signed legislation sponsored by Sens. Kip Bateman and Kristin Corrado designating June 4 of each year as “Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day.” (SenateNJ.com)
“One in 100 children are impacted by Tourette syndrome in New Jersey,” Senator Bateman (R-16,) a longtime advocate for those with Tourette syndrome, stated. “People who cope with this syndrome often face significant challenges. By designating June 4 as ‘Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day,’ we can raise awareness, support research, and decrease the stigma surrounding this condition.”
Editorial: Medical Examiner Reforms Long Overdue in NJ
The following editorial by Senator Kip Bateman on his bipartisan effort to reform New Jersey’s state medical examiner system, in order to provide compassion and justice for grieving families was published on MyCentralJersey.com and in the Courier News on July 6, 2018:
One of the most heartbreaking tragedies anyone can endure is the sudden loss of a loved one. It is a time of great upheaval and sorrow. Many questions will go unanswered and those who are left behind are often forever changed. The last thing we want surviving family members to worry about is whether or not government officials are doing their job.
Sen. Kip Bateman worked for 8 years on a bipartisan basis to reform NJ’s state medical examiner system, in hopes of providing compassion and justice for surviving loved ones. The landmark reform became law in July 2018. (©iStock)
Families should not have to spend years waiting for answers because of bureaucratic delays, or mistakes made at a State Medical Examiner’s Office. If an autopsy is necessary, it should be performed as soon as possible. If an investigation is required, it should be conducted without delay. These are simple expectations that any ME’s office should be able to meet.
Bateman on Signing of “Revised State Medical Examiner Act”
Senator Kip Bateman (R-16) issued the following statement on the signing of the “Revised State Medical Examiner Act” (S-879) today by Governor Phil Murphy:
Sen. Kip Bateman said the signing of his ‘Revised State Examiner Medical Act’ into law will help grieving families to find closure, while ensuring that criminal deaths are quickly investigated and those responsible held accountable. (©iStock)
“I’ve worked with Senator Vitale for the past eight years on a bipartisan effort to reform our state’s system of medical examiners to ensure that families are provided the information and care they deserve when a loved one dies under suspicious circumstances.
