Digital/Technology
NJ Department of Labor Receives 2025 SEED Award for AI Solutions to Improve Benefits Programs – On December 2nd, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) received the 2025 SEED Award from U.S. Digital Response. The NJDOL is one of 10 recipients as part of the “2025 Digital Service Champions Awards.” The award recognizes the NJDOL’s efforts in leveraging the NJ AI Assistant to improve translations and plain-language communication across Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Paid Family & Medical Leave programs (TDI/FLI). AI-supported plain language glossaries and prompts in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole that were co-designed with community organizations such as Lakewood Resource and Referral Center (LRRC), Church World Service Jersey City, and the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund (LA LDEF). Reported outcomes included more UI applications submitted in Spanish and higher follow-through rates.
NJ Office of Homeland Security Launches Civilian Cyber Resilience Corps Open to Volunteers – On December 3rd, New Jersey launched the Civilian Cyber Resilience Corps, a volunteer cybersecurity force overseen by the NJ Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC) and authorized by the Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force. This program will be overseen by the state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) and will involve recruiting experienced cybersecurity and IT professionals as vetted volunteers. It is intended to provide surge capacity for incident response and recovery, vulnerability assessments, target hardening, and training. There will also be broader resilience efforts for local governments, schools, critical infrastructure, and nonprofits. Organizations can request support at no cost and individuals can apply via NJCCIC.
Education
New Jersey School Board Association Provides Updates to Education Bills in Lame Duck Session – On December 2nd, the New Jersey School Board Association (NJSBA) published a rundown of the current legislation being advanced in Senate and House committees during the current lame duck period. This includes the Therapy Dog Pilot Program (A1165/S1253), which establishes a three-year pilot program for therapy dogs in public schools and was passed by the Senate in January and just approved by the Assembly Health Committee; the Anti-Privatization Initiative (S1518 / A919), which adds strict standards for privatizing public services including school contracts and was approved by the Senate Labor Committee; Enrollment Flexibility for Military-Connected Students (S3631), which allows increased flexibility in school district enrollment for military-connected students and was approved by the Senate Military and Veterans’ Committee; Remote Participation for School Board Members in Active Duty (S2001), which allows individuals on active duty/reserve service to participate in certain government meetings like school boards and was approved by the Senate Military and Veterans’ Committee; and Administrative Procedure Act Reform (S4373), which makes changes to the existing Administrative Procedure Act and was approved by the Senate Wagering, Tourism, and Historic Preservation Committee.
Health
Department of Banking and Insurance Adopts Final Regulations to Cap Copays for Certain Prescriptions – On December 2nd, the Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) adopted final rules implementing state law that caps out-of-pocket costs for insulin, epinephrine auto-injectors (EpiPens), and asthma inhalers in state-regulated health insurance markets. The regulations also expand coverage for hearing aids and cochlear implants. Copay caps in fully insured, DOBI-regulated markets (including Get Covered NJ plans): insulin, max $35 per 30-day supply, asthma inhalers, max $50 per 30-day supply, and EpiPens, max $25 per 30-day supply. This applies to individual and small group markets and certain public employee plans. These regulations also require health insurance carriers to cover the purchase of hearing aids or cochlear implants, removes the age limit on hearing aids and $1,000 limit on coverage, and expand coverage of the number of hearing aids every 24 months.
New SNAP Work Requirements Take Effect – On December 1st, the new federal work requirements for receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have now gone into effect for previously exempt groups. The groups now subject to existing work requirement law are military veterans, the unhoused, young adults aging out of foster care, refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants with humanitarian protections. The law also expands the age requirement to people between 18 and 64-years old, and for parents of children aged 14-17. A greater share of the 800,000 New Jerseyans relying on SNAP benefits will be affected by the new regulation. Many adults must now work or volunteer at least 80 hours per month (≈20 hours/week) to receive SNAP. This is expected to trigger decreased spending on the program with recipients already falling out of compliance due to missing paperwork. The Congressional Budget Office projects that the new requirements will result in nearly 2.4 million fewer SNAP recipients nationwide over the next 10 years.
Transportation
Senate Transportation Committee Unanimously Advances E-Bike Regulations Bill – The Senate Transportation Committee panel unanimously vote to advance legislation on December 4 which would expand the definition of motorized bikes. The bill would remove all existing classifications of electric bikes and redefine and expand on the current definition of motorized bikes, thereby requiring people to license, register, and insure their e-bikes in order to use them in the Garden State. This bill came about partly in response to several e-bike and automobile accidents which resulted in the deaths of the bike riders. The bill has already received significant pushback from e-bike and micromobility proponents, who allege the reclassification will make it harder for people to access low-speed e-bikes.
Women, Children, & Families
First Lady Tammy Murphy to Host Nurture NJ Leadership Summit – First Lady Tammy Murphy will host the 8th Annual Nurture NJ Leadership Summit on Dec. 10 in East Brunswick, convening nearly 800 experts dedicated to making NJ “the safest, most equitable state in the nation to deliver and raise a baby.” The summit focuses on building trust, community, and education in maternal and infant health systems. Participants will learn about approaches to foster a more collaborative and responsive approach to maternal health, break down silos, and explore best practices to community engagement to ensure that the voices of mothers, families, and caregivers shape the solutions to the maternal health crisis.