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) signed by Governor Phil Murphy in June 2024. Lawmakers stated that the change would address teacher shortages and reduce repetitive and costly testing requirements which could create financial barriers for some potential educators. Critics argued the revision lowers standards for teachers. However, proponents, including the New Jersey Education Association, contended the Praxis is repetitive and does not additionally elevate standards among the state’s rigorous certification process. Several other states have also recently revised teacher certification standards amid teacher shortages.
Parental Rights Advocates Call for Changes in Public Schools – At a State Board of Education meeting on January 8th, advocates for parental rights, including representatives from Moms for Liberty and NJ Parental Rights, called for several changes in public schools. Their demands included repealing sports and locker room protections for transgender students, requiring schools to notify parents of changes in their child’s gender identity, restricting access to certain library books, and increasing overall parental involvement in school policy. While these proposals have experienced little support in the state, these renewed calls come amid similar comments from President-elect Donald Trump, who will assume office on January 20th.
Housing
Bill Seeks to Strengthen Tenant Protections Amid Rising Homelessness – Tenant and homelessness prevention advocates have expressed support for Bill S290, which was advanced unanimously by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee in December 2024. The bill would extend lifetime eviction protections for senior citizens and disabled tenants when rental housing is converted into condominiums or cooperatives. Under the current law, individuals only receive protection for 40 years. Advocacy organizations, including the Waterfront Project and the New Jersey Coalition to End Homelessness, praised the legislation as a crucial step in protecting vulnerable populations facing housing instability, particularly amid rising homelessness in the state. Homelessness in the state increased from 14.1% to 18.5% between 2022 and 2023, with eviction becoming a leading cause.
Public Administration
Proposal for Geriatric Release in Prisons Slated for Introduction – Criminal justice reform advocates and a state senator have proposed a program allowing inmates aged 60 and older who have served at least 20 years to petition for early release. Judges would approve these releases unless the individual poses a public danger or the release is deemed unjust. Released individuals would also face up to five years of parole supervision. Proponents, including the New Jersey Reentry Project and the Gibbons Fellowship in Public Interest and Constitutional Law, cited low recidivism rates among elderly inmates and emphasized the program’s potential to both reduce incarceration costs and expand eligibility for early release. The proposal shares many elements with Bill S2338 introduced in January 2024, which is still pending any legislative action. As of 2024, around 1,000 state inmates were over 60 years old.