New Jersey state Senator fights for longer yellow lights

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsLINDEN, N.J. (WABC) -- Drivers may get some extra time to get through those controversial red light cameras in New Jersey.

Lawmakers proposed the bill Wednesday.

Critics have long complained the cameras are riddled with flaws that keep drivers at the disadvantage while local governments rake in millions.

The state senator at the center of all this fought hard to shut down all of the red light cameras completely.

When he realized he didn't have enough votes in Trenton for that, he proposed what he says is the next best thing, making the yellow lights longer and the fines smaller.

"The yellow light is too short, they need to give more time to get through the intersection," said Gary Capone, a driver.

It's the number one complaint from drivers about the red light cameras; the light switches from yellow to red far too quickly.

"They don't give you enough time to stop, then someone winds up hitting you in the back," said Gayle Borget, a driver.

At the intersection of Stiles Avenue and Routes 1 and 9 in Linden, the light stayed yellow for almost four seconds, but a bipartisan group says it should be even longer.

"We should be trying to improve people's lives, not bang them out with a gotcha," said New Jersey State Senator Nicholas Scutari, (D) Union County.

State Senator Nicholas Scutari wants to give drivers an extra one and a half seconds before they are ticketed.

Currently, the light stays yellow for one second for every 10 miles an hour traveled on average through the intersection. So six seconds in a 60 mile per hour zone.

Under Senator Scutari's plan, drivers would have 7.5 seconds.

"We hope people will get less tickets and there will be fewer accidents," State Sen. Scutari said.

Senator Scutari and his co-sponsors also want to reduce the fines for people who fail to come to a complete stop on red before making a right turn.

Under his plan, they'd pay $20, down from $85 now.

"If you get stuck in an intersection then you get a ticket, and you're not going to fight it, everyone pays the $85," said Don Denisco, a driver.

New Jersey has 85 red light cameras recently certified that yellow lights were long enough.

The cameras raise millions of dollars for towns and cities looking for new revenue sources.

Some drivers have said they'd rather the town get money from these cameras then from raising property taxes.

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NJ senator pushes online bet bill

  By WAYNE PARRYATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Rushing to take advantage of a U.S. Justice Department ruling that in-state Internet gambling does not violate federal law, a New Jersey lawmaker is pushing for his colleagues to pass a bill legalizing online gambling within the state's borders.

State Sen. Raymond Lesniak told The Associated Press on Monday he'll try to get a bill through the Legislature and on Gov. Chris Christie's desk by next week. The goal is to make New Jersey the national leader in online gambling, now that the federal government says in-state bets do not violate the law.

"We can be the Silicon Valley of Internet gaming," said Lesniak, a Democrat from northern New Jersey. "It's the wave of the future. It's going to come and we can be in the lead on it."

Last month, the Justice Department opened the door for cash-strapped states and their lotteries to bring online gambling to their residents, as long as it does not involve sports betting.

The department said the federal Wire Act only prevents gamblers from wagering on sports outcomes online, and said other in-state bets would be OK.

Nevada is already moving fast to capitalize on the ruling. Late last week, the state's gambling regulators approved rules that allow companies in the state to apply for licenses to operate poker web sites. Caesars Entertainment Corp., which owns four of Atlantic City's 11 casinos, and Boyd Gaming Corp., which owns half of the city's Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, have already submitted proposals to be licensed in Nevada.

New Jersey tried to become the first in the nation to approve Internet gambling last year, but Christie, a Republican, vetoed the bill in March, fearing it would violate federal law and lead to a proliferation of back-room Internet gambling dens across the state.

A spokesman for the governor could not say Monday whether Christie would sign the bill if it passes. A spokesman for Senate leadership said it won't be clear until Tuesday whether there's enough support to move forward quickly on the bill, and a spokesman for Assembly leadership said leaders would listen to Lesniak's request before deciding on a course of action.

Lesniak introduced a new bill in August that he says contains safeguards to address Christie's concerns, including fines of $1,000 per player per day for anyone running an illegal Internet betting parlor, and $10,000 for advertising such illicit operations.

Bettors would have to be New Jersey residents at least 21 years old, and physically be in the state. Lesniak says existing software could verify those requirements.

So far, the bill is not scheduled for a vote on Jan. 9, the last day of the current legislative session.

But Lesniak said he is trying to secure approval from Assembly and Senate leaders to have it approved in committees this Thursday, then finally approved on Jan. 9 and sent to Christie. He said he expects to determine on Tuesday whether sufficient support exists to fast-track the bill through the Legislature in the closing days of the session.

"I got it through last year with overwhelming support," he said.

Robert Griffin, CEO of Trump Entertainment Resorts and president of the Casino Association of New Jersey, said the trade group is scheduled to discuss the matter Tuesday night. Last year, he said that money currently going to offshore online betting operations could benefit New Jersey.

Trump Entertainment Resorts announced plans last year to set up an Internet gambling operation as soon as it becomes legal to do so.

The bill says only the Atlantic City casinos could offer Internet gambling in New Jersey, requiring the computer servers to be physically located in Atlantic City to comply with state law mandating that all New Jersey casino gambling occur there. Gamblers would have to set up online wagering accounts with the casinos.

The bill also contains a provision intended to gain the support of the state's horse racing tracks, reinstating two-thirds of the subsidies the casinos had to pay to the tracks until last year. The casinos once had to pay $30 million a year to the tracks in return for keeping slot machines out of the tracks. Lesniak's bill would require that Internet betting licensees pay $20 million a year for three years to help increase race purses and help the tracks through a difficult period.

Lesniak said if the Internet bill becomes law, giving the casinos a new revenue stream, that would not necessarily make New Jersey lawmakers more likely to approve slot machines for horse tracks.

"Those are two separate issues," he said.

Internet gambling revenue would be taxed at 10 percent instead of the current 8 percent on traditional casino revenue.

The bill also would allocate $100,000 a year from online gambling proceeds to fund programs for compulsive gamblers. People with gambling problems would be able to set limits on how much they could bet or lose within a specific time frame.

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