Final legislative approval on a bill requiring all employers to provide six weeks of paid leave could come as early as next week. The State Senate on March 3 voted 22 to 16 for S-786 (Sweeney). (A minimum of 21 votes are needed for passage of a bill in the Senate.) The Assembly Appropriations Committee is scheduled to vote on the bill along with a companion bill, A-873 (Albano), on Monday, March 10. If the bill is released by the committee, it could leave this costly employer mandate one vote away from being sent to Governor Jon Corzine, a vote that could come as early as March 13 in the Assembly.

This is your last chance to stop this huge mandate from becoming law. Go to our Membership Alert. Send a message to your elected officials telling them to vote NO on paid family leave.

"It is incredible that the Senate voted for a huge new mandate, especially during a recession," NJBIA President Philip Kirschner said. "This is going to make doing business in New Jersey that much harder. It's the wrong bill at the wrong time." NJBIA Senior Vice President Melanie Willoughby pointed out that unlike existing unpaid leave laws, this bill does not exempt small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. "Should this bill be enacted, the State's economy will continue to deteriorate."

Here is how members of the State Senate voted on March 3rd, followed by their party affiliation and legislative district number. Please contact them and let those who voted for it know of your disappointment, and thank those who voted against the bill.

State Senators who voted against business by supporting paid leave are:

NJBIA wishes to thank those Senators who stood up for businesses by not voting for paid leave. They are:

Assembly Committee Adopts NJBIA-Backed Amendments to Mental Health Expansion Bill

The Assembly Appropriations Committee on March 3 adopted amendments to control costs in a mental health coverage expansion bill providing insurance coverage for behavioral problems and substance abuse. NJBIA strongly supported the amendments to A-2077 (Gordon, Vainieri-Huttle).

The issue is how to require small-business health plans to provide coverage for mental health problems on par with coverage for other conditions. As originally written, the bill would have provided virtually unlimited coverage without the checks and balances used to control costs in treating other diseases. The committee amendments allow for independent confirmation that treatment is necessary, better define the mental illnesses and substance abuse conditions that will be covered, and apply the same coverage limits and financial requirements (co-payments, deductibles, etc.) as applied to the plans’ medical and surgical benefits.

In a related development, the US House of Representatives this week also passed a bill to expand mental health coverage. For more information, contact Christine Stearns at ext. 260.

Chief of Staff Abelow Says Budget Cuts May Change, But Not the Budget Amount

Bradley Abelow, Governor Jon Corzine's chief of staff, said February 29 that the administration was willing to discuss changes to the budget the Governor has proposed as long as spending is not increased further. Abelow, along with Governor's Counsel Ed McBride and Policy Director Adam Zellner, spoke to about 160 NJBIA members at the first NJBIA Meet the Decision Makers program. Through the course of an hour-long presentation and question and answer period, they touched on the Administration’s financial restructuring plans and fielded questions on paid family leave, healthcare reform and other issues.

While most people have focused on the Governor's plan to raise tolls to pay down State debt, Abelow said the financial restructuring plan involved a great deal more. The State would not spend more than the recurring revenues it takes in, for instance, and any new borrowing would have to be approved by voters. As a down payment, Abelow said, the Administration's proposed budget would spend $500 million less next year than it does this year. "It may not sound like a lot in the context of a $33 billion budget," he said, "but I will tell you that we had to cut $2.7 billion to achieve that reduction." He said the Administration is willing to discuss changes in the budget, but "we cannot afford a bigger government than what we have proposed. We're willing to talk, but this is the size budget we expect to have."

On paid family leave, Abelow acknowledged that despite widespread opposition among businesses, the Administration supports legislation mandating paid family leave, but added that it is still committed to growing the economy. "We feel strongly that paid family leave is important for our citizens," Abelow said. "We understand and fully respect the view that many of you in this room have."

Meet NJ's Top Government Leaders at 5 Special Briefings

NJBIA will bring together top Administration officials, along with legislative leaders, for insightful briefings at the Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township on five of the biggest issues impacting your business operations, Transportation - March 26, Taxes and Spending - April 2, Healthcare Reform - April 22, Energy Costs - May 16, and Environmental Regulations - October 17.

Support the NJ Business Hall of Fame Gala, April 17

The NJ Business Hall of Fame (NJBHOF) 2008 Gala, to be held April 17 at The Mezzanine in Newark, will honor three business leaders, including NJM Insurance Group President and CEO Anthony G. Dickson. Please support this special event by buying a ticket, being a sponsor and/or purchasing an advertisement. Call Dawn Schwartz, at 973-533-1133 for more information.