By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog
I’m still saddened that this legislation is necessary, Save Jerseyans, but here we are. That’s blue state living in 2015 for ya.
On Monday, state Senator Mike Doherty’s bill (S-2741) overriding municipal ordinances that interfere with kids shoveling snow within 24 hours of a snowstorm cleared the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee. The legislation provides that “no ordinance regulating solicitation for services shall be applicable to solicitations, whether written or oral, for snow shoveling services made within 24 hours of a snowstorm that has been predicted by a commonly recognized commercial or governmental weather reporting entity.”
“I agree with many who believe it is ridiculous that we need legislation to explicitly state that kids can legally offer to shovel sidewalks and driveways,” said Sen. Doherty after the committee voted. “It is a sign of how overbearing government regulation has become that kids risk running afoul of the law for offering to shovel snow.”
The legislation is a direct response to a January 2015 incident in Bound Brook, New Jersey where the police stopped enterprising teens from advertising their snow-shoveling services, door-to-door with flyers without a permit, ahead of a snow storm.
“Kids who should be learning the value of entrepreneurship and hard work are instead being taught the frustration of dealing with mindless government bureaucracy,” added Sen. Doherty, who represents New Jersey’s 23rd Legislative District. “Our laws should recognize the difference between a professional business and kids trying to earn a few bucks on a day off of school.“
Thank you Senator!
Well the law the teenagers fell under was to prevent people from soliciting by going door to door. It was put in the town because people going around and scamming people into changing their electric companies. It was an example of how over regulation and laws that are meant to combat one thing, end up adversely affecting others. Now a law has to be passed to exempt teenagers simply wanting to make extra money shoveling snow.
Shoveling was the right of passage to being an entrepreneur when growing up in the 60’s. Even though we made 2-3 dollars for shoveling we’d work all day.
ENOUGH of liberals butting in!!
Whack their butts off and leave the kids alone!!
The voice of reason.
Our esteemed legislators have nothing better to do it seems.
Maybe the Governor shouldn’t have been scaring everyone with premature emergency declarations and the snow shovelers could have done their solicitations without any hassles.