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To ensure some level of dignity to the incarcerated, legislators last year passed a reform law that gave broad powers to the corrections ombudsman and created an advisory board to assist those efforts. At the moment, New Jersey has neither.
The current ombudsman said he would retire on Aug. 1, but he is on an extended leave until then, using up paid time off.
Seats on the advisory board remain open, and members of that board have been unable to meet both because they lacked a quorum and because there is no ombudsman to coordinate with.
Latest bid to complete pot legalization drops fines for minors
TRENTON A cleanup bill meant to address concerns voiced by Gov. Phil Murphy that have held up enactment of legislation legalizing and decriminalizing marijuana is due for votes Tuesday and Thursday – though for now it, too, is still being cleaned up.
Two-thirds of voters in November approved a constitutional amendment legalizing adult-use marijuana, effective Jan. 1, but the accompanying enabling legislation that is required still hasn’t been enacted, though it was passed in December. Murphy wants specific provisions addressing marijuana use by minors.
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The latest version of that plan, S3454, was introduced last week. It would impose $50 civil penalties on people ages 18 to 20 for possession or consumption of marijuana and a tiered system for people under age 18 that includes a written warning, a referral to treatment programs or services and, ultimately, $50 fines.
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Lately, we’ve seen efforts by public bodies to clamp down on public comment. In December, the Rutgers Board of Governors voted to limit the number of speakers to 12 and give them two minutes each. On Monday, the Hudson County Board of Commissioners passed the first draft of an ordinance limiting total public comment time to two hours, after listening to nine hours of opposition to renewing their jail contract with ICE.