A C T I O N A L E R T

S-823 (Vitale) and

S-494 (Gill and Gormley)

ISSUE: The above-captioned bills were released by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on September 18^th. The compromise was that $10M was added as a one-time only appropriation for treatment, and there were six cities which would be permitted to have the needle exchange programs. Because of the appropriation, the bill now goes to the full Senate instead of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee because Senate Leadership has placed the bill on a "fast track."

OUR

POSITION: The New Jersey Catholic Conference and the New Jersey Network for Catholic School Families opposes these bills because of the potential problems that needle exchange programs represent for children in both public and nonpublic schools. The problems with these bills are detailed on the enclosed Fact Sheet.

ACTION: Please call, fax or E-mail the office of your respective members of the New Jersey Senate in order to express your opposition to these bills. Use the enclosed Fact Sheet as a basis for your opposition.

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