Newsroom

Education Federal Mental Health Grant Cuts Threaten NJ School Services – Recent federal cuts of nearly $1 billion nationwide in school-based mental health grants will force New Jersey to prematurely end a statewide initiative focused on expanding access to mental health professionals in schools. The five-year, $15 million program provided services to over 40,000 students […]

Public Administration Murphy Issues Conditional Veto on Pop-Up Party Bill Over First Amendment Concerns – On May 8th, Governor Phil Murphy conditionally vetoed Bill SA4652, which would criminalize inciting public brawls and increase penalties for disorderly conduct. Murphy supports the bill’s intent to prevent public disturbances. However, he returned the bill to the Assembly, citing […]

NJSPL Research Affiliate Anita Franzione published an article with the New Jersey Advocates for Aging Well discussing economic challenges for older adults in the Garden State.

Public Administration Lawmakers Consider Utility Reform Bills Ahead of Summer Rate Hikes – On May 5th, the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee held a hearing on several bills that aim to mitigate upcoming electricity rate increases. The proposed measures, scheduled to take effect in June, include requiring the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to return […]

Health New Jersey Establishes Public Health Institute – On April 22nd, Governor Phil Murphy signed Bill S3562 (P.L.2025, c.46.) into law, authorizing the Department of Health to designate a nonprofit Public Health Institute. This institute will coordinate public health initiatives among government agencies and providers, provide administrative and financial support to public, private, and community-based […]

As the New Jersey State Policy Lab (NJSPL) reaches its fourth anniversary, it is my honor to serve as the Executive Director, working with an incredible team of dedicated professionals to better understand and investigate policy issues impacting the state. The NJSPL was created as the result of a grant from the Office of the Secretary […]

NJSPL Policy Fellow Linda Stamato published a new op-ed in New Jersey Hills discussing the importance of public service journalism to benefit the community as a whole.

Public Administration Appeal Filed in School Segregation Case – On April 15th, attorneys filed a motion asking a state appellate court to reconsider a lawsuit alleging the state has failed to address racial segregation in its public schools. The case, originally filed in 2018, argues that longstanding discriminatory housing policies have made New Jersey’s schools […]

The Ocean City School District wrote and published an article detailing their superintendent’s participation in the New Jersey Promising Practices Summit, a one-day educational event held for educators across the state in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey State Policy Lab, and the Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies.

Public Administration Assembly Committee Advances Bill Expanding Retirement Savings Access – On April 10th, the Assembly State and Local Government Committee unanimously advanced Bill A5358, which would expand eligibility for the RetireReady NJ program. The bill would require businesses with one or more employees to offer a retirement savings plan if no other option is […]

NJSPL Research Affiliate Hannah Younes was interviewed by the Daily Targum regarding her recently published research into the availability of non-fatal crash reporting data.

Public Administration Bill Criminalizing Deepfakes Becomes Law – On April 2nd, Governor Phil Murphy signed Bill A3540 (P.L.2025, c.40.) into law, criminalizing the creation or distribution of AI-generated media, commonly referred to as deepfakes, for unlawful purposes such as harassment or extortion. The law establishes penalties of up to five years in prison or $30,000 […]