The New Jersey State House, where BLET members spent significant time educating the state’s legislators about the much-needed rail safety legislation.
Outgoing New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a BLET-backed rail safety bill into law last week. The bill mandates a minimum of two crew members on hazardous material trains and requires the proper installation and ongoing maintenance of wayside detector systems. The bill also authorizes representatives of labor organizations to enter railroad property to assist in inspecting for safety hazards.
The bill had strong bipartisan support. On December 22, Senate Bill 3389 (PDF) passed by a vote of 28-9 while Assembly Bill 4460 (PDF) passed by a vote of 66-1.
Ray Vigil, Chairman of the BLET’s New Jersey State Legislative Board, said he and NJ SLB Secretary-Treasurer Andrew Arias, along with fellow BLET members throughout New Jersey, spent significant time lobbying for passage of the much-needed rail safety legislation.
“This bill is a cornerstone for rail safety in our state,” Vigil said. “I want to thank every lawmaker who supported this legislation. Republicans and Democrats in New Jersey came together with a shared commitment to protecting workers, passengers, and the public. This bipartisan effort shows that when it comes to safety, we stand united for the people of our state.”
Including New Jersey, 12 states now have crew-size laws on the books: New York, Kansas, Ohio, California, Wisconsin, Arizona, West Virginia, Minnesota, Washington, Nevada, and Colorado.
New NJ Governor Mikie Sherill was sworn into office on January 20. In November, Brother Vigil was appointed to serve on Gov. Sherill’s Transition Action Team as a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Innovation Committee.
Pictured, from left: Brother Arias and Brother Vigil