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 provided. Currently, only businesses with 25 or more employees are required to participate in the program, which offers Roth and traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Supporters, including the American Association of Retired Persons, praised the measure and argued the expansion could help workers save and prevent a future “retirement crisis.” Several business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey, opposed the bill, warning of added administrative burdens, particularly for small employers.
New Jersey’s Resilience Projects at Risk Due to FEMA’s New Plan – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) confirmed the contents of an internal memo last week outlining plans to end the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, a federal grant initiative that has supported climate resilience projects nationwide, including in New Jersey. This cut threatens to stall or cancel major projects where funds have not yet been obligated, including flood resilience efforts in Cape May, Ocean, and Monmouth counties. Since its creation, the BRIC program has awarded over $180 million to 35 projects across New Jersey.
Trump Administration Revokes Multiple Rutgers University International Student Visas – The Trump Administration recently revoked around a dozen Rutgers University international students’ visas. Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway reaffirmed the university’s commitment to international students and said the school will provide legal support and other resources to affected students. While no specific reasoning was provided, Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously suggested that students involved in anti-war protests related to the Isreal-Hamas war could be targeted. However, it remains unclear whether the affected Rutgers students participated in any related demonstrations. This move follows reports that the Trump Administration has revoked hundreds of student visas across the country.