Health
State and Labor Unions Offer Competing Plans to Cut Public Worker Health Costs – On July 31st, state and union officials unveiled competing proposals to reduce costs in the State Health Benefits Program by $200 million annually. The state plan primarily focuses on shifting more expenses to workers through higher deductibles, greater out-of-pocket maximums, and the elimination of certain high-cost plans. Unions instead proposed targeting savings through capping provider payments, expanding billing audits, and negotiating drug prices directly. While state officials maintained that their plan would achieve significantly more cost savings, union officials strongly criticized the plan, arguing that it unfairly reduces state worker benefits. This follows years of rising premiums due to rising drug costs, increased use of high-cost services, and broader inflationary trends.
State DACA Recipients Face Health Coverage Loss Under New Federal Rule – Starting August 25th, hundreds of DACA recipients in the state are expected to lose health coverage obtained through the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace due to a Trump-era federal rule that prohibits Dreamers from accessing these plans. The change will impact about 500 individuals and prevent another 16,000 from enrolling in the future. State Attorney General Matt Platkin is leading a lawsuit with 13 other states to challenge the rule, arguing it harms both DACA recipients and the broader New Jersey community.
Economics
NJ Launches Free Technician Training Program to Combat Auto Industry Shortage – This week, state officials and industry leaders launched the Technician Advancement Program (TAP), an 18-week, tuition-free initiative offering hands-on automotive technician training, mentorship, and guaranteed employment upon completion. The program, jointly developed by the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers and the Department of Labor, aims to create a direct pipeline from high school to careers in the automotive services and technician industry, which is facing a projected workforce shortage of 12,500 by 2026. Proponents say the new program will help address the workforce gap while providing young people debt-free education and access to high-paying job opportunities.
Education
Governor Murphy Signs Bill Requiring Schools to Provide Greater IEP Transparency to Parents – On July 22nd, Governor Phil Murphy signed Bill S3982 into law, expanding the information public schools must provide to parents ahead of their child’s annual Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. The IEP is a legally binding plan outlining the services a student with a disability requires in school. Under the new law, schools must provide parents with a written statement of items to be received no later than two days prior to the annual IEP meeting. These items must include a detailed written statement summarizing their child’s academic performance and progress and a list of any IEP team members unable to attend the meeting, along with providing their relevant input on student programs and services. The law requires schools invite parents to provide feedback on proposed services. Schools previously only had to provide parents with meeting goals, times, locations, and participants under most circumstances. Education and parent advocacy groups, including the SPAN Parent Advocacy Network and the Education Law Center, supported the bill as a step towards greater transparency but called for additional reforms, such as earlier notification to parents and reduced limitations on shared information, to address knowledge gaps and improve the process. The law also establishes a working group to review the IEP process and recommend further improvements.