Trenton – Legislation sponsored by Senator Nicholas Scutari and Senator Joseph Lagana, which will revise penalties for drunk driving and expand the use of ignition interlock devices (IID), was signed into law today by Governor Phil Murphy.

An IID is a device that detects alcohol from breath samples it takes from the driver. If alcohol is detected, the vehicle’s engine will not start.

TRENTON – Two pieces of legislation sponsored by Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, that will help injured motorists recover the costs incurred from accidents, were signed into law today by Governor Phil Murphy.

Trenton – The state’s medical marijuana program will be vastly expanded under the terms of the “Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act” that was signed by Governor Phil Murphy today.

Sponsored by Senator Joseph Vitale, the chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, Senator Nicholas Scutari, the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Senator Declan O’Scanlon, the legislation will transform what was one of the more restrictive medical marijuana programs in the country into one that is accessible, affordable and that better serves the needs of patients in New Jersey.

Trenton – Legislation sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Senator M. Teresa Ruiz and Senator Nicholas Scutari, which would permit counties and non-governmental, community-based agencies, to establish family justice centers, passed the Senate today.

“When survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault need help, they are forced to go from one agency to the next to handle different types of issues,” said Senator Ruiz (D-Essex). “Whether it is legal assistance or health care support, having one dedicated place to receive these services removes barriers to better meet the diverse needs of survivors and their families. By creating these family justice centers, survivors and their family members will be able to obtain the resources and support they need in an efficient and effective manner.”

Legislation sponsored by Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, which would prohibit retroactive salary increases for all elected officials throughout the state, was introduced to the Senate last week.

“Elected officials should not have the capability to give themselves retroactive salary increases,” said Senator Scutari (D-Middlesex/Somerset/Union). “As elected officials in the legislature, we are prohibited from giving ourselves retroactive raises and bonuses. No elected official should be able to collect back pay upon salary increases; this legislation extends this basic standard to all elected offices in the state.  

Senator Nicholas Scutari and Senate President Stephen Sweeney talk about legalization of cannabis passing the committee hearings.

The state senator leading the charge on legal weed in New Jersey introduced a new bill Thursday that would bring recreational marijuana to the state while expanding the medical marijuana program.

State Sen. Nicholas Scutari on Thursday unveiled a combined bill that aims to address the two biggest marijuana-related issues in New Jersey: an expansion of medical marijuana and full legalization of weed for adults. Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, is also a prime sponsor, Scutari said.

This is the first bill introduced that combines the two efforts. Scutari's bill calls for 218 total marijuana dispensaries, 120 of them recreational and 98 of them medical.