FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 8th, 2021

Contact:

Eric Dobson, 856-952-5917,edobson@fairsharehousing.org

Lanisha Makle-Ridley, 973-415-7017,lmakleridley@fairsharehousing.org

UNITED BLACK AGENDA RELEASES ITS LAMEDUCK PRIORITIES

Trenton, NJ –Today, the United Black Agenda(UBA), a coalition of Black organizational leaders, releas edits legislative priorities for the lame duck session.  The priorities focus on strengthening Black communities and reducing racial disparities in New Jersey.   

“The United Black Agenda is committed to advancing this legislation to create a fairer and more equitable New Jersey,” said

 Rev. Eric Dobson, Deputy Director of Fair Share Housing Center. “These bills prioritize the lives of Black New Jerseyans and are long overdue.” As nearly half of New Jersey’s population is people of color, the United Black Agenda remains stalwart in its dedication to addressing the state’s history of discrimination, marginalization, and subjugation. 

2021 LAMEDUCK PRIORITIES

• S3825/A4285-Establishes requirements for use of deadly force
• S322/A711-Establishes New Jersey Reparations Task Force
• S3595/A4655-Limits police presence at polling places and ballot drop boxes; prohibits electioneering within 100 feet of ballot drop box.
• S2656/A5301-Requires access to law enforcement disciplinary records as government records; requires such records to be retained for certain period of time
• S2963/A4656-Authorizes creation of local civilian review boards to review police operations and conduct; appropriates $800,000•S422/A5533-Establishes standards for expiration of rental housing affordability controls
• S2516/A4270-Establishes guidelines for creditworthiness determinations concerning affordable housing programs
• S3683/A5380-Requires institutions of higher education to provide certain student loan information
• S2824/A4548-Reduces standard voter registration deadline to eight days before election; allows voter registration at polling place on election day and at offices where mail-in ballots are issued within 45 days before election•S2617-Establishes crime of law enforcement officer choking another person, designated as George Floyd’s Law
• A4284-Establishes crime of strangulation chokehold
• A4578-Establishes certain restrictions on qualified immunity defense for public employees
• A5728-Concerns body worn cameras for law enforcement officers•SCR96/ACR145-Amends Constitution to prohibit slavery or involuntary servitude

“The time is now,” said Rev. Dr. Charles Boyer, Founding Director of Salvation and Social Justice. “Black people have waited long enough for this legislation to be acted upon. We were told to wait until after the election. The election is over.”

“New Jersey’s population growth over the last decade was all in communities of color. It is time for the legislature to prioritize our needs,” said Richard Smith, President of the NAACP New Jersey State Conference. “The UBA’s lame duck priorities address critical issues for the Black community and structural racism in our state.”