March 18, 2025 | NJ State Policy Updates
Education Assembly Committee Advances Bill Limiting School Cell Phone Use – On March 10th, the Assembly Education Committee unanimously advanced Bill S3695, requiring the Department of Education to develop guidelines for restricting school cell phone and social...
March 10, 2025 | NJ State Policy Updates
Public Administration Bill Redesigning Primary Election Ballots Becomes Law – On March 6th, Governor Phil Murphy signed Bill A5116 (P.L.2025, c.32.) into law, requiring the use of office-block ballots and eliminating the previous county line format, which a...
March 3, 2025 | NJ State Policy Updates
Public Administration Governor Murphy Reveals Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Proposal – On February 25th, Governor Phil Murphy presented his final annual budget to the Legislature, proposing a $58.1 billion fiscal year 2026 budget. The spending plan proposes...
February 24, 2025 | NJ State Policy Updates
Public Administration Lawmakers Advance Multiple Bills to Strengthen State Firearm Restrictions – On February 20th, the Assembly Judiciary Committee advanced ten bills to tighten firearm regulations. The bills would criminalize reckless firearm discharge,...
February 17, 2025 | NJ State Policy Updates
Environment Senate Committee Advances Bill to Cut Plastic Packaging – On February 10th, the Senate Environment and Energy Committee approved Bill S3398 in a 3 to 2 party-line vote, which would mandate producers implement plans to reduce plastic packaging by 50%...
February 10, 2025 | NJ State Policy Updates
Public Administration Signature Thresholds for Ballot Placement Increased by New Law – On February 3rd, Governor Phil Murphy signed Bill A5117 (P.L.2025, c.20.) into law, increasing the number of signatures required for candidates to qualify for primary,...
February 3, 2025 | NJ State Policy Updates
Public Administration New Jersey Sues over Federal Funding Freeze – On January 28th, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin and other Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s recent freeze on trillions in federal...
January 27, 2025 | NJ State Policy Updates
Public Administration New Jersey to Launch Rape Kit Tracking System in 2025 – On January 23rd, Governor Phil Murphy signed Bill S715 (P.L.2025, c.1) into law, requiring the creation of an online rape kit tracking system. The system, mandated to launch by August...
January 21, 2025 | NJ State Policy Updates
Transportation Target Zero Commission Established to End Traffic Fatalities by 2040 – On January 13th, Governor Phil Murphy signed Bill A1476 (P.L.2024, c.109.) into law, creating the Target Zero Commission to eliminate state traffic fatalities by 2040. The...
January 13, 2025 | NJ State Policy Updates
Education Elimination of Praxis Exam Requirement for Teachers Takes Effect – Effective January 1st, New Jersey no longer requires aspiring teachers to pass the Praxis Core basic skills test for certification, following bipartisan legislation (P.L.2024, c.26)...
January 6, 2025 | NJ State Policy Updates
Transportation Judge Denies New Jersey’s Challenge as Congestion Pricing Takes Effect – On January 3rd, a judge rejected New Jersey’s bid to halt New York’s congestion pricing plan which begins on January 5th. The program will impose an additional $9 toll during...
December 16, 2024 | NJ State Policy Updates
Education “Freedom to Read Act” Signed into Law to Protect Libraries and Limit Book Bans – On December 9th, Governor Phil Murphy signed the “Freedom to Read Act,” a law that limits book bans in public schools and libraries. The law establishes state guidelines...
December 9, 2024 | NJ State Policy Updates
Public Administration Draft of the First State Development and Redevelopment Plan in 23 years is Released – On December 4th, the State Planning Commission released a draft of the New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan, which would guide statewide...
December 2, 2024 | NJ State Policy Updates
Public Administration State Hiring and Spending Freezes to Address Budget Deficit – Earlier in October and again last week, Governor Phil Murphy issued notices to all state departments, calling for a pause on discretionary pay raises, limits on new hiring, and...
November 25, 2024 | NJ State Policy Updates
Transportation New York Congestion Pricing Program Launched Despite Pushback from New Jersey – New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the revival of the congestion pricing program, set to begin in January, which will charge drivers $9 to enter Manhattan during...
Recent Comments