Cannabis Appellate Court Affirms NJ Recreational Cannabis Law May Coexist with Federal Law - A New Jersey Appellate Court ruled on May 1 that state laws enabling recreational cannabis sales may coexist with federal law. Residents of Highland Park, NJ, challenged two 2021 ordinances allowing cannabis retail, lounges, and delivery services in the borough, arguing the [...]
Cannabis On Two-Year Anniversary of Legal Cannabis Sales, Lawmakers Push for Home Cultivation - Sen. Vin Gopal introduced in January S1393/A846, which would authorize home cultivation of medical cannabis, and S1985/A3867, which would allow medical users to possess up to ten plants and recreational users to possess up to six. In the two years since commercial [...]
Education Assembly Passes Bill to Keep Afloat Schools Facing Steep Cuts in State Aid - On April 15, the state Assembly passed A4161, a bill which would allow school districts to fill budget gaps created through steep reductions in aid from the state. The bill would enable specific districts to raise their levies by up to [...]
Education Judge Orders Department of Education to Comply with Timeline for Special Education Hearings - U.S. District Court Judge Edward S. Kiel approved a settlement which will assign a federal monitor to ensure the NJ Department of Education complies with federal law regarding special education hearings. Under the law, if a family disagrees with the special [...]
Education Assembly Committee Advances Bills to Support Schools Facing Aid Cuts - The Assembly Education Committee advanced on April 5 two bills which aim to support school districts facing state aid cuts following revised school funding formulas, rising property valuations, and inflation. A4161 would appropriate $71.4 million in grant funds for schools facing significant aid cuts, [...]
Environment State Regulators Commit $3.7 Million to Research Effects of Offshore Wind Development - State regulators from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and the Board of Public Utilities announced on March 25 the commitment of $3.7 million for research on the effects of offshore wind development on marine life. Offshore wind development forms a significant [...]
Economics Legislature Passes Law Codifying Certification Process for LGBTQ-Owned Businesses - S1313/A3330, which would codify an existing certification process for LGBTQ-owned businesses, passed both houses on March 18, despite debate between Republican lawmakers on the Assembly floor. Gov. Murphy issued an executive order in May 2022 establishing a process for businesses to certify that they are [...]
Economics Legislation for Heat-Related Workplace Protections Faces Opposition - Lawmakers introduced in February A3521/S2422, a bill which would immediately require employers to offer protections to workers who face extreme heat, including providing cold water, paid rest breaks with access to shade or climate-controlled spaces, and an emergency response to heat-related employee illnesses, as well as limiting [...]
Education Five Bills to Reduce Teacher Shortage Pass Assembly Committee - On March 4, the Assembly Education Committee passed five bills aimed to address a teacher shortage in the state by targeting teacher recruitment and retainment. The following bills face review in other committees and full legislative bodies before consideration by Gov. Phil Murphy. Bill [...]
Public AdministrationMurphy Announces Draft Budget for Upcoming Fiscal Year - On Feb. 27, Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled a draft of a $55.9 billion budget for the 2025 fiscal year. The proposal now faces review by the full state legislature, which must approve a budget by the start date of the fiscal year, July 1, 2024. Here [...]
