Connors, Rumpf & Gove Call for End to Seismic Blasting Near Barnegat Bay
The New Jersey General Assembly passed a legislative resolution sponsored by Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove which urges the cancellation of seismic blasting plans in the Atlantic Ocean near Barnegat Bay. The resolution (AR-220) further urges the National Marine Fisheries Service to cancel any future plans relating to the performance of seismic testing in the Atlantic Ocean near Barnegat Bay.
A graphical depiction of a marine seismic testing array. (Hannes Grobe/Wikimedia Commons)
Assemblyman Rumpf, Assemblyman Gove and Senator Christopher J. Connors, representatives of the 9th Legislative District in the New Jersey Legislature, have vehemently opposed the seismic blasting program on account of environmental concerns raised by prominent environmental and fishing organizations.
Connors, Rumpf & Gove: School Funding Disparity for Suburban and Rural Taxpayers Just Got Worse
Citing the growing disparity in State school funding as one of the chief reasons for high property taxes, Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove lambasted the enactment of legislation that provides an undisclosed amount of supplemental State aid to the Atlantic City School District.
Connors, Rumpf and Gove lambasted the enactment of legislation that provides an undisclosed amount of supplemental State aid to the Atlantic City School District. (Flickr)
The legislation, A-3983, narrowly passed both houses of the Legislature in June. Senator Connors, Assemblyman Rumpf and Assemblywoman Gove all opposed and voted against the bailout bill when it was presented on the floor of their respective Houses for final passage.
Connors, Rumpf & Gove Call for Action on Their Initiative to Expand Veterans’ Protections
Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove are calling for action on their legislative initiative to update, modernize and bring in line with existing federal law the benefits and protections afforded to military servicemembers and their dependents.
The “New Jersey Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act,” sponsored by Connors, Rumpf and Gove, would bring New Jersey law in line with federal law regarding the benefits and protections afforded to military service members and their dependents. (©iStock)
The 9th District delegation’s initiative, S-210 and A-743, entitled the “New Jersey Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act,” would replace the New Jersey Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act of 1979 to expand the definition of those who are protected under state law by reconciling differences between State and federal law.
Connors, Rumpf & Gove Hail Enactment of Sandy Reform Legislation
Speaking as the legislative representatives of one of the hardest hit areas by Superstorm Sandy, Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove praised the enactment of legislation that will provide assistance to Sandy victims still involved in the recovery and rebuilding process.
Aerial view during an Army search and rescue mission shows damage from Superstorm Sandy to the New Jersey coast, Oct. 30, 2012. (U.S. Air Force/Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen)
Under the recently enacted law, applicants of Sandy assistance programs will be provided with a personal timeline establishing a general estimation of when an applicant can expect to receive assistance. This would apply to the applicants seeking funding from the Low- and Moderate-Income Program (LMI), in addition to the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation Program (RREM) and Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program (TBRA), and the Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.
Quarterly goals for distributing Superstorm Sandy aid will be established under the newly enacted law. In addition, the state is now required to develop and maintain an Internet website or webpage providing information concerning recovery and rebuilding programs.
Gove Named to Veterans’ PTSD Task Force
9th Legislative District Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove has been selected to serve as a member of a task force that is being established to study how veterans diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are treated in judicial proceedings.
Asw. DiAnne Gove will serve on a task force studying how veterans with PTSD are treated in judicial proceedings. (Wikimedia)
“Serving as a member of the Task Force is a tremendous privilege in that it affords me the a unique opportunity to further represent the interests of our veterans,” stated Assemblywoman Gove, who has served on the Assembly Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee since being elected to the Assembly in 2009. “Post traumatic stress disorder is one of the most serious issues confronting our veterans. As such, we have an obligation to better understand its implications of post traumatic stress disorder in judicial proceedings for those who have served our nation.”
Connors, Rumpf & Gove: Time to Take the Fight to Heroin Dealers
Heroin dealers must face harsher sentencing in light of the devastating consequences of their criminality activity, says the 9th District Legislative Delegation. Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove want the New Jersey Legislature to follow through on enhancing penalties for heroin possession as a direct measure to curb New Jersey’s deadly heroin epidemic.
Legislation sponsored by Connors, Rumpf and Gove would increase penalties for certain heroin offenses. (Victor/Flickr)
Connors, Rumpf and Gove have worked closely with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office on heroin-related policy matters, including the drafting of legislation. The 9th District legislators pointed to two recent major announcements regarding the deadly consequences and costs related to heroin use in their call for legislative action to go on the offensive with heroin dealers:
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that, nationwide, heroin-related deaths have nearly quadrupled from 2002 to 2013. Confirming what many already suspected, our own state statistics show that New Jersey’s death rates are higher than the national average which was 2.7 per 100,000 people for that time period whereas the death rate in our state for 2013 was 8.3 deaths per 100,000. The number of heroin deaths in New Jersey was 781 in 2014, including those in which morphine was found to be present according to the New Jersey Office of the State Medical Examiner.”
Connors-Rumpf-Gove to Legislature: Act on Financial Exploitation of Seniors & Disabled Bill
Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove are calling for action on a legislative initiative that would create the new offense of theft by financial exploitation of a vulnerable person.
Connors, Rumpf and Gove are calling for legislative action on their bill creating the new offense of theft by financial exploitation of a vulnerable person. (Flickr)
Under the 9th District delegation’s legislation (S-925/A-738), a newly established offense of financial exploitation would be established for a person who, when being in a position of trust, commits a theft against a senior citizen or a person with a disability.
Rumpf & Gove Vote “No” on Common Interest Community Bill, Connors Pledges to Oppose in Senate
9th District legislators Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove voted against a common interest community (A-469) legislative measure that would modify State laws which regulate homeowners’ associations. Senator Christopher J. Connors, also representing the 9th Legislative District, has pledged to oppose the legislation should it be considered in the Senate.
Asm. Brian Rumpf and Asw. DiAnne Gove voted against a bill modifying laws regulating homeowners’ associations in the Assembly and Sen. Chris Connors has pledged to oppose the bill in the Senate. (©iStock.com)
The 9th District delegation issued the following statement on its opposition to the latest version of common interest community legislation considered by the Legislature:
“On the surface, this common interest community bill seems to have the best intentions by calling for homeowners’ rights to common property, establishing standards for elections and access to records as well as providing for a recall procedure for board members. However, our extensive past experience with common interest community legislation has taught us that, inevitably, the devil is in the details.
