TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - The Latest on legislative action in the New Jersey Statehouse (all times local):
6:40 p.m.
Two major pieces of late-year legislation won’t be voted on in New Jersey.
A spokesman for Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto said Monday that lawmakers will not vote on a measure to allow Gov. Chris Christie to write a book while in office and another to remove a requirement that state and local governments post legal notices in newspapers.
Spokesman Tom Hester says that the newspaper bill is being held. He says the measure that would have raised pay for high-ranking state officials while letting Christie profit from a book “will not be reconsidered.”
Prieto said in a statement that lawmakers will continue the discussion and consider all their options on the newspaper bill. He says opinions are “varied” at how to best “maintain transparency in this ever-involving information age.”
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6:15 p.m.
New Jersey lawmakers have approved a measure to punish billionaire investor Carl Icahn for closing Atlantic City’s Trump Taj Mahal casino.
The state Assembly voted, 60-17, Monday to impose a five-year license suspension for anyone shutting down a casino after Jan. 2016.
That means it would only apply to Icahn at this point, even though four other casinos have closed since 2014.
The measure still needs approval from Republican Gov. Chris Christie.
President-elect Donald Trump built the casino in 1990, but cut most ties with Atlantic City in 2009.
Icahn acquired it from bankruptcy court in March.
He says the bill is unconstitutional, would discourage investment in Atlantic City, and make it virtually impossible to reopen the casino should he decide to do so in the future.
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2 a.m.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie could cash in on a book deal before he leaves office, and legislative staff, judges and other officials would get a salary boost under legislation set for a vote.
The Democrat-led Assembly and Senate are scheduled to vote Monday on the bill before it heads to Christie for consideration.
Supporters say it’s been more than a decade since some aides have gotten a raise. They also say there’s no problem with the Republican governor drawing an income from book proceeds.
But opponents say the bill was a deal between Democratic lawmakers and Christie, whose second term ends in January 2018, and it will burden taxpayers.
Legislative budget forecasters say the bill carries a price tag of at least $10.6 million for 2018 and beyond.
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