the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey. Barnes also sponsored legislation that created stricter regulation of unlicensed, unsupervised, and untrained bounty hunters; created a law aimed at keeping common bomb-making materials away from terrorists; and given state and local law enforcement officers more tools to investigate online sex crimes against children. Before resigning his seat, the Assemblyman introduced a controversial piece of legislation, Assembly Bill 2877, which would have reduced drug-free school and public property zones from 1,000 to 200 feet. This bill was introduced in response to a report issued by a blue-ribbon panel, the New Jersey Commission to Review Criminal Sentencing, which strongly argued that the current drug-free school zone laws do not serve as the deterrent that they were purported to be. While this legislation remains the subject of some debate, it has received praise from the editorial page of The Star-Ledger, New Jersey's largest newspaper. In addition, this report and subsequent legislation generated national attention and was reported in a variety of national daily newspapers. On February 5, 2007, Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine nominated Barnes to serve as Chairman of the New Jersey State Parole Board. In mid-March, he resigned his Assembly seat to assume the Parole Board Chairmanship. On March 14, 2007, Barnes was confirmed by the New Jersey Senate and Barnes' son, Edison Councilman Peter J. Barnes III, was chosen to fill his father's vacant seat. Personal life Barnes resided with his wife Barbara in Edison, New Jersey. He had four children including Peter III who succeeded Barnes in the Assembly, John Patrick a former Hunterdon County, New Jersey prosecutor, Sheila, and Kelly. Barnes died on September 11, 2018, one day shy of his 90th birthday. References External links Assemblyman Barnes's Legislative Website 1928 births 2018 deaths Politicians from Providence, Rhode Island Providence College alumni Military personnel from Rhode Island United States Army soldiers People from Edison, New Jersey Politicians from Middlesex County, New Jersey Federal Bureau of Investigation agents 20th-century American politicians 21st-century American politicians Democratic Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly