A Look At The 24 New Bills That Are Now Law

Two dozen payments launched and handed within the provincial legislature this fall have formally develop into legislation.

All the payments obtained royal assent on Friday earlier than New Brunswick MLAs adjourned for the vacations.

Whereas many of the payments have been introduced ahead by the Higgs authorities, a personal member’s invoice launched by the Liberals was amongst these included.

Here’s a take a look at a number of the 24 payments which obtained Royal Assent.

Modifications to the Public Sector Labour Relations Act

Labour leaders stated this controversial invoice, introduced ahead in late November, will weaken rights for public service staff throughout labour disputes.

The invoice makes a number of amendments to the province’s Public Service Labour Relations Act which unions say unfairly favour the federal government.

Among the many modifications included in Invoice 23, public sector employers are in a position to make use of so-called “scab” staff throughout a strike or lockout to interchange designated important staff who’re absent.

Unions now have to present a 72-hour strike discover whereas lockouts by the employer require 24 hours discover. Prior to now, no discover was required by both facet.

The amendments additionally replace what an arbitrator should contemplate if each the union and employer conform to binding arbitration.

Province introduces Lacking Individuals Act

The invoice makes it simpler for police to entry a lacking individual’s cellphone information if their disappearance isn’t thought of felony.

Officers are actually capable of request info contained in an individual’s information by the courts. That features “information associated to alerts from a wi-fi system which will point out the placement of the system.”

Different info that might be requested contains cellular phone information, all types of immediate messaging, and GPS monitoring information.

Beforehand, legislation enforcement businesses couldn’t compel people or organizations at hand over private details about a lacking individual except there was cause to suspect against the law had been dedicated.

Regulator has extra flexibility in setting petroleum costs

The New Brunswick Power and Utilities Board now has extra discretion in terms of setting petroleum product costs.

Power Minister Mike Holland beforehand stated that present laws has been much less efficient within the present market and makes New Brunswick seem out of step with neighbouring provinces.

“On the subject of gasoline costs, New Brunswickers have confronted a substantial amount of uncertainty because the starting of 2022,” he stated in November.

“Because of a sequence of world occasions, market costs have skilled unprecedented volatility, leading to a file variety of interruptions in gasoline, diesel and heating oil costs.”

Holland stated regulating petroleum merchandise is changing into tougher and the strict system used previously is now not an choice.

The amendments, he stated, additionally make New Brunswick’s regulated worth framework much like our neighbours in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Extra flexibility for Residential Tenancies Tribunal

Service New Brunswick Minister Jill Inexperienced introduced two new protections in November which she stated will assist shield tenants from extreme lease will increase.

Tenants now have 60 days as a substitute of 30 days to use for a overview by the Residential Tenancies Tribunal.

As well as, the Tribunal can now part in authorized lease will increase over two or three years in the event that they exceed inflation. Landlords should not capable of search one other lease enhance throughout that point.

The brand new measures have been launched because the province introduced it has no plans to increase the present lease cap, which expires on Dec. 31.

“If we discover that with out the cap in place that tenants are having issues or have gotten weak, we are going to put packages in place to assist them,” stated Inexperienced.

Intimate Accomplice Violence

New Brunswickers vulnerable to home abuse can now apply for information from police to be taught whether or not their accomplice has a historical past of intimate accomplice violence.

Police have additionally been given the authority to share info with an individual who could also be in danger to encourage them to use for disclosure.

Candidates will likely be supplied with a threat evaluation and contextual info, however won’t be given particulars of felony convictions or comparable info. The evaluation will likely be supplied verbally and no paperwork will likely be issued.

Those that obtain disclosure won’t be allowed to share or publish the data, and the topic of the request won’t learn about any functions which have been made.

Candidates can be provided and referred to packages and assist providers to make sure they’ve the assistance they want.

Extra management for New Brunswick Museum board

The New Brunswick Museum board now has extra management over the design and development of its new residence.

Tourism, Heritage and Tradition Minister Tammy Scott-Wallace stated empowering the museum’s board of administrators ensures the brand new facility meets the establishment’s wants and opens extra alternatives for the general public to take part.

“It’s the right place for this venture to be within the palms of the board members and the neighborhood which has a lot curiosity on this venture occurring within the metropolis,” stated Scott-Wallace in November.

The museum’s exhibition centre situated in Market Sq. in Saint John lately closed its doorways for good.

An interim centre being ready on Lancaster Avenue to deal with the museum’s collections and analysis actions whereas a everlasting facility is constructed will open by appointment subsequent 12 months.

Scott-Wallace stated a purposeful plan for the museum has been developed over the previous 12 months.

“The board will take from that. They are going to have their conversations and most probably rent a venture supervisor. They are going to come to the federal government with their proposal,” she stated, noting the board has “a few choices earlier than them.”

As soon as the board comes again with a proposal, Scott-Wallace stated the federal government will take the following step to safe provincial and federal {dollars} to “make it occur.”

Amendments to deal with catalytic converter theft

New Brunswick launched amendments to the Salvage Sellers Licensing Act aimed toward cracking down on the rise in catalytic converter thefts from automobiles.

Salvage sellers are now not capable of pay money for generally stolen gadgets, equivalent to catalytic converters, automobile batteries and copper wire.

They’re additionally required to gather additional information for these gadgets they purchase, together with a government-issued ID of the vendor, and the registration info of the automobile from which a catalytic converter originated.

“We’ve modeled these modifications after what’s working in different Canadian jurisdictions,” stated Public Security Minister Kris Austin in October.

“We all know we will’t cease each theft, however we will make it more durable for criminals to promote these stolen items.”

Laws to assist personal woodlot homeowners

New Brunswick additionally handed laws aimed toward offering extra assist to non-public woodlot homeowners within the province.

The modifications permit for added royalties to be collected so as to add to the Non-public Woodlot Sustainability Fund.

In keeping with the province, the fund will likely be used to bolster efforts to enhance the administration of personal woodlots and contribute to environmental conservation, recreation in addition to high quality of life.

Rick Doucet, president of the New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot House owners, stated this is a wonderful step in restoring their optimistic outlook for the long run

“It has been tough for woodlot homeowners to understand their future with optimism and confidence as previous authorities initiatives have eroded their capacity to take action,” Doucet stated in a information launch.

The funding is meant to construct confidence amongst personal land contractors and develop the long-term provide of fibre for the province’s wooden processing services.

You’ll be able to view the entire payments that obtained royal assent by clicking here.

With recordsdata from Allan Dearing, Tamara Steele and Tim Herd