Tag: new jersey

New Jersey Lawmakers Are Considering 2 Bills To Heavily Regulate Homeschooling

New Jersey has as many as 94,518 homeschooled students, according to 2022 data from the National Home Education Research Institute. A series of bills being considered by the New Jersey Legislature aim to heavily regulate homeschooling and restrict parents’ and students’ educational freedom in the state.

In June, Assemblyman Sterley S. Stanley (D–East Brunswick) introduced Assembly Bill 5825, which would require all homeschooling parents at the beginning of the school year to send a letter to the local school district’s superintendent that includes the name and age of the student and the name of the instructor administering the home education program. Parents will also be mandated to share a copy of the homeschooling curriculum, “which shall be aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.” In addition to setting requirements for mathematics and science, state learning standards require lesson plans to cover issues such as climate change and diversity, equity, and inclusion in K-12 classrooms.

The bill would also require supervisors of the homeschooling program to maintain a portfolio of student records, such as writing samples, worksheets, and reading lists. The portfolio, which is to be submitted to the district superintendent annually, must also include a written evaluation of the student’s educational progress by a qualified evaluator. That person can be a licensed psychologist or teacher but not the student’s parent or guardian.

New Jersey is one of 12 states that don’t require families to check in with, obtain approval from, or file with the government to legally homeschool. Will Estrada, senior counsel at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, tells Reason that no states currently require a homeschool curriculum to align with the public schools. Many parents, he adds, have pulled their children out of public school specifically because the public education system’s one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for their child’s individualized needs.

New Jersey is also considering A.B. 5796. Introduced by Assemblyman Cody D. Miller (D–Turnersville) in June, the bill requires homeschooling families to annually meet with a public school official for a basic child welfare check.

While preventing abuse is a noble goal, lawmakers’ concerns over the welfare of homeschoolers appear to be misguided. Estrada points to a 2022 peer-reviewed study that found homeschooled children do not face higher rates of abuse and neglect. The study incorporated nationally representative data from 1,253 “previously homeschooled and conventionally schooled (public and private schools) adults,” who were asked to anonymously report about school-age experiences of abuse and neglect. The survey found that the type of school students go to “is a non-issue” in determining the likelihood of abuse “after considering the role played by demographics” such as family structure, years in foster care, large family size, and household poverty. The report’s findings are supported by a 2017 study, which found that “legally homeschooled students are 40% less likely to die by child abuse or neglect than the average student nationally.”

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New Jersey Democrats Unleash Onslaught of Gun Control Bills

At this point, you’d think that New Jersey lawmakers would have run out of ways to harass gun owners, but sadly, that is not the case. In fact, the Senate Law & Public Safety Committee is meeting today to consider a whopping 18 different gun control bills.

Keep in mind that the state already requires a permit to purchase a firearm, and a separate permit to carry. There’s a 7-day waiting period on all firearm transfers, and person-to-person sales are now allowed. New Jersey has a ban on so-called assault weapons and magazines that can hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. Those gun owners who do possess a valid carry permit are barred from exercising their Second Amendment rights in scores of locations, though the state’s “gun-free zones” are the subject of ongoing litigation in federal court. 

Despite all those laws, Democrats still have an appetite for more. From NRA-ILA:

Some of the worst bills on the agenda include:

S.1558 makes it a first-degree crime (up to 20 years in jail) to transport, ship, or even dispose of a firearm without a serial number. There is no exception for previously owned historical firearms that were lawfully manufactured and lawfully acquired without a serial number.

S.3893 prescribes penalties for the sale and possession of “machine gun conversion devices.” Such devices are already banned at both the state and federal levels.

S.3894 creates a crime for possession of digital instructions to illegally manufacture firearms or firearm components. This legislation creates a crime even if someone never produces a gun or component—simply possessing a digital file for a component makes you a criminal.

S.3895 expands the crime of reckless discharge. Discharging a firearm in New Jersey is already illegal unless done “for a lawful purpose,” which is an affirmative defense. Now, every time a firearm is used—even in legitimate self-defense situations, prosecutors will have more tools to harass law-abiding gun owners. 

S.3706 mandates the use of Merchant Category Codes. This is nothing more than government-sanctioned snooping that can be used to create a firearms registry or discriminate against gun owners and lawful businesses.

S.3896 attempts to criminalize lawful self-defense with a firearm. Though cloaked in language focusing on criminal misconduct by bad actors, the operative portion of the bill is not limited to bad actors and allows prosecution for self-defense where a firearm is discharged.

S.3900 allows imprisonment before trial for an unlimited amount of time when someone is merely accused of a firearms offense. If someone is accused of a gun crime, the government gets to lock them up and throw away the key while they await trial.

S.3894, is an assault on our First Amendment rights as well as our right to keep and bear arms. It’s never been a federal crime to manufacture your own firearm, and New Jersey’s criminalization of that act is already constitutionally suspect. Making it a crime to possess a digital file or lines of code that can aid in that manufacture is at least as egregious. Code is speech, whether New Jersey Democrats want to acknowledge that or not, and prohibiting the possession or dissemination of a code that can create a constitutionally-protected item (with the help of a 3D printer or CNC machine) is an act of authoritarianism overreach. 

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Trump admin to intervene on behalf of New Jersey family trying to stop government seizure of 175-year-old farm

ANew Jersey family trying to save their 175-year-old farm from being seized by a local government are getting support from the Trump administration.

The Cranbury city government announced its intention to seize the 21-acre farm through eminent domain in order to build low-income apartments, but the Henry family is resisting.

On Tuesday, Agriculture Sec. Brooke Rollins said the power of the federal government would intercede in the case on the side of the family.

“On the phone with Andy Henry of Highland Ranch in Cranbury, NJ. The city govt has approved seizing his 175-year-old family farm via eminent domain for affordable housing units,” wrote Rollins.

“Whether the Maudes, the Henrys or others whom we will soon announce, the Biden-style government takeover of our family farms is over,” she added. “While this particular case is a city eminent domain issue, we @usda are exploring every legal option to help.”

Andy Henry says he has received many multimillion-dollar offers for the farm, but he has denied all of them.

“Didn’t matter how much money we were offered,” Henry said. “We saved the farm no matter what. We turned down all the offers to preserve the legacy for our family, city, and even state.”

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North Jersey police officer pleads guilty to child porn distribution

A suspended Morris County police officer has pleaded guilty to distributing child porn, according to the county prosecutor’s office.

Anthony Kelly, 37, of the Ledgewood section of Roxbury, entered his plea June 16 to one count of second-degree distribution of child sexual abuse material before Morris County Judge Ralph Amirata. The state has agreed to recommend a seven-year prison sentence, the prosecutor said in a press release.

The investigation began in late 2024 after six CyberTips generated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were sent to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. The tips detailed the distribution of more than 100 items of child sexual abuse material from an account on Kik, an instant messaging application, between July and October 2024.

Investigators revealed the account belonged to Kelly, who was charged on Nov. 26. He is currently suspended without pay from the Dover Police Department.

Dover Police Chief Jonathan Delaney, in a statement to the Daily Record, said Kelly’s arrest “appears to be an isolated incident and does not reflect the values, professionalism, or character of the hardworking men and women of the Dover Police Department.” He added that he remains committed to upholding the high standards throughout the department.

“We will continue to cooperate fully with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office as this matter proceeds through the appropriate legal channels,” Delaney said. “In the meantime, I want to reaffirm my confidence in the dedicated officers of this department who serve with honor, courage, and a deep commitment to public safety.”

In addition to the seven-year recommended prison sentence, Kelly will be required to register pursuant to Megan’s Law upon his release, the prosecutor’s office said. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Amirata July 18.

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Indicted Atlantic City Mayor Wins Democratic Primary By Over 1,000 Votes

It’s only fitting that corruption pays off in a town that was bankrolled by the mob…

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small is, to put it gently, in legal hot water. Facing criminal charges related to child abuse and witness tampering, Small is heading toward a July 2025 trial in a courtroom rather than a campaign trail.

And yet, none of that seemed to matter to Democratic primary voters in Atlantic City, according to WPUR.

In what might be the most on-brand moment for Atlantic City politics, Small not only won his primary — he cruised.

The report says that he beat challenger Bob McDevitt by over 1,000 votes (2,683 to 1,580 at last count), Small proved that being under indictment is apparently not a dealbreaker in local elections. If anything, it might just be a résumé booster.

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OUTRAGE: Cranbury, NJ Moves to Seize 175-Year-Old Family Farm to Make Way for ‘Affordable Housing’ Project

Another American legacy is on the chopping block—this time in deep-blue New Jersey, where local officials are ramming through a plan to bulldoze a 175-year-old family farm in the name of “affordable housing.”

NJ.com reported that Chris Henry stood before the Cranbury Township Committee, pleading with officials not to rip his family’s heritage from the soil their great-grandfather purchased in 1850.

The Henry family, whose parents both served in World War II and whose mother’s name is etched into the town’s war memorial, is now watching bureaucrats prepare to seize their 21-acre farm by force.

Their crime? Refusing to sell.

The family has poured over $200,000 into preserving the historic Middlesex County farm, which is currently leased to a local rancher who raises sheep and cattle.

Despite the property’s agricultural use and historical importance, the Cranbury Township Committee voted unanimously in May to move forward with seizing the land through eminent domain.

All of this—just to meet a state-mandated housing quota pushed by far-left courts and Trenton bureaucrats.

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Disgraced Dem Denied Bail by Judge as He Continues to Fight for His Political Life

After a political career that included almost two decades as a Democrat in the United States Senate, Bob Menendez is looking at spending more than a decade in a United States federal prison.

And after a ruling Wednesday by a federal appeals court, he’s going to be behind bars while his appeal plays out.

But Menendez, convicted in July of last year of 16 corruption charges, is still claiming he was the victim of a prosecution vendetta.

Wednesday’s decision by a panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges denied a bid for bail that Menendez sought while he appeals his conviction, according to the Associated Press. The 2-1 ruling did not include any explanation, but its impact was evident.

Unless the Supreme Court takes up the case, Menendez, who is scheduled to report to prison on Tuesday, is going to be serving his 11-year sentence even as he fights to get the conviction overturned.

The case of the former New Jersey senator, who resigned from the Senate after his conviction, was not only a disgrace to the government and the Garden State, it became a national joke, with its FBI raid turning up gold bars, as well as copious amounts of cash hidden in the Menendez home.

In 2023, then-Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz argued on the House floor that Menendez demanding bribes in gold bars was a sign of how inflation had gotten under then-President Joe Biden.

Even the infamously liberal comedian Jon Stewart mocked Menendez on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.”

But Menendez continues to claim innocence and is fighting for his political reputation.

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Grand Jury Returns Three-Count Indictment Charging Democrat Rep. LaMonica McIver with Forcibly Interfering with Federal Law Enforcement Officers – McIver Faces 17 YEARS IN PRISON

A federal grand jury returned a 3-count indictment charging Democrat Rep. LaMonica McIver with forcibly impeding and interfering with federal law enforcement officers at the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark last month.

McIver is facing a maximum of 17 years in prison for all three counts.

Last month a judge ordered McIver to surrender her firearms and said she cannot travel outside of the US.

Per US Attorney Alina Habba:

Today a federal grand jury seated in Newark, New Jersey returned a three-count indictment charging U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver with forcibly impeding and interfering with federal law enforcement officers. This indictment has a maximum penalty of 8 years for Count One, an additional maximum penalty of 8 years for Count Two, and a maximum penalty of 1 year in prison for Count Three.

As I have stated in the past, it is my Constitutional obligation as the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer for New Jersey to ensure that our federal partners are protected when executing their duties. While people are free to express their views for or against particular policies, they must not do so in a manner that endangers law enforcement and the communities those officers serve.

Today’s decision by the grand jury is the next step in a process that my Office will pursue to a just end.

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NJ to Consider Bill that Would Mandate Monitoring and Publishing Data of Homeschoolers

The New Jersey Senate is set to consider a bill on Thursday that would require families who homeschool their children to register with their local governments and the governments to publish their data.

Senate Bill 1796 (SB 1796), sponsored by New Jersey state Sen. Angela McKnight (D) would require a “parent or guardian to annually notify” their local school district, in written form, of their intention to homeschool their children.

“The letter shall include the name, date of birth, and grade level of the child, and the name of the person who will provide instruction to the child,” the latest version of the bill’s text reads.

Under SB 1796, the school district will be required to “annually compile and make available for public inspection on its website information concerning the number of children who reside in the district who are being home-schooled” and what grades they are in. It does not include any provisions to protect the privacy of the individual children or families in question and does not provide a legal definition for the term “homeschool,” which opponents have observed does not formally exist in New Jersey law.

The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), which opposes the bill, alerted its members on Tuesday that on Thursday, June 5, a legislative hearing will be held regarding SB 1796. The bill appears on the docket for a New Jersey Senate Education Committee hearing scheduled for that day.

The HSLDA opposed the bill on the grounds that it would create “pointless and burdensome red tape”:

Senate Bill 1796 would require every homeschool family in New Jersey to file a letter with their public school superintendent expressing their intent to homeschool their children. The birth date and grade level of each child would be required as well, and the bill provides no privacy protection.

In a post on X, HSLDA encouraged homeschool families in the state to “call or email” their state senator and to ask them to oppose SB 1796.

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New Jersey Lawmakers Consider Recriminalizing Some Marijuana Purchases And Sales

Lawmakers mulled Thursday whether New Jersey should ramp up enforcement against unlicensed cannabis sellers by passing a bill that would criminalize the purchase of unlicensed marijuana.

The bill riled cannabis activists, who say it would bring back the criminalization of weed that New Jersey’s marijuana legalization law was supposed to end. 

Under the bill, sponsored by Senate President Nick Scutari (D-Union), it would be a third-degree crime to operate an unlicensed marijuana business and a disorderly persons offense to knowingly purchase from one. A person who leads an “illegal marijuana business network” would be charged with a second-degree crime. 

“We have a problem where people are opening up brick-and-mortar stores, small stores, unlicensed to sell these products, and quite frankly, they’re just selling them and this state is doing nothing about it,” Scutari told the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday. “We need to do something more about those brick-and-mortar stores, but we also need to continue to fight back against drug dealers because those are alive and well.” 

Scutari spearheaded legalizing recreational cannabis, first introducing legislation to regulate it for adult use in 2014. After bills languished in the Legislature, recreational cannabis was legalized in 2020 by voters, and Scutari was the primary sponsor of the bill to launch the legal marijuana industry.

Scutari said the new legislation would be a corrective measure in response to the “black and gray market” that has flourished even though hundreds of cannabis dispensaries have opened statewide.

New Jersey has some of the most expensive cannabis in the nation for both medical and recreational users. The industry has raked in over $1 billion since sales launched in April 2022. 

The committee did not vote on the bill, which does not yet have a companion in the Assembly.

Lawmakers generally voiced support for Scutari’s proposal to address the unlicensed THC products that they say undermine the regulated industry. Sen. Joe Lagana (D-Bergen) said he’s seen questionable cannabis products in “every single gas station I walk into, every convenience store, every corner store.”

But senators also repeatedly placed blame on the Attorney General’s Office, accusing it of not enforcing the state’s cannabis laws.

Sen. Mike Testa (R) blasted Attorney General Matt Platkin (D) for what he called “absentee” leadership. And Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Union) said that once certain laws aren’t enforced, the community “loses respect for government.” Bramnick suggested the committee should call on Platkin to appear before them on the issue and said ignoring the law is “disrespectful to this body.”

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