Public Administration
Murphy Signs Bill on Liquor Licensing and Brewery Activity – On Jan. 16, Gov. Murphy signed S4265, a liquor license reform bill which also repeals restrictions on brewery activity strongly opposed by the industry. NJ’s liquor licensing laws cap the number of licenses issued in a municipality at 1 for every 3,000 residents, making licenses scarce and very costly. The Governor proposed significant reforms to this system last year, but resistance from Democrats in the legislature restrained changes to the system in this new legislation. Opponents of more sweeping reform fear that plummeting license values will cause significant financial losses to restaurant owners. Codified as P.L.2023, c.290, the new law limits how long a license may go unused before a municipality may reclaim it, allows for transfers of licenses between municipalities, and creates new licenses at shopping malls. The changes may release as many as 1,356 licenses back into the market. The law also expands allowable activity for breweries, repealing many restrictions which were set to go into effect in the new year. (NJ.com)
Murphy Approves Salary Increases for Public Officials – Gov. Murphy signed on Jan. 16 A5910, codified as P.L.2023, c.349, which will raise salaries for public officials for the first time since 2002. Lawmakers will see a 67% raise from $49,000 to $82,000 in 2026; legislative staff, cabinet members, judges, and the governor will also see pay increases. Sponsors of the new legislation argue it will enable people from lower-paying professions to hold public office. (6ABC; NJ.com)
Transportation
New Legislation Aims to Curb Toll Evasion – Gov. Murphy signed two pieces of legislation on Jan. 16 which aim to reduce toll evasion, which cost NJ Toll authorities $117 million in 2022. S4084, codified as P.L.2023, c.285, raises fines for dealers and users of fraudulent temporary license plates, which are often used to avoid tolls. A5799, codified as P.L.2023, c.339, enables the Department of Transportation (DOT) to call on the Motor Vehicle Commission to suspend the vehicle registrations of violators with $500 or more in unpaid fines – a power previously held only by the Turnpike Authority. This law also creates an avenue to enforce fare evasion from out-of-state drivers: the DOT may negotiate reciprocity agreements with other state toll agencies to suspend registrations of out-of-state violators. (NJ.com)
Education
Students Must Complete FAFSA To Graduate – A new law signed by Gov. Murphy on Jan. 16 will require high school students to complete an application for financial aid for higher education – either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application – in order to graduate. A1181, codified as P.L.2023, c.295, aims to ensure students access any public financial aid opportunities for further education for which they qualify. The law will go into effect for this year’s 11th grade class. (NJ.com)
NJ Expands Eligibility for Free School Meals – On Jan. 16, Gov. Murphy signed the Working Class Families Anti-Hunger Act (A5684, codified as P.L.2023, c.336), which expands eligibility for free meals in schools. The new law makes eligible for free meals students enrolled in schools who participate in the National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast Program and whose households make up to 224% of the federal poverty level. 60,000 families will now be eligible for this program, which aims to combat food insecurity. (NBC Philadelphia)
Health
NJ Joins 32-State Counseling Compact – On Jan. 16, Gov. Murphy signed A5311, codified as P.L.2023, c.324, which enters the state into the Counseling Compact, an agreement with 31 other states which allows professional counselors licensed and residing in one member state to practice in all member states without the need for a new license. The change addresses a shortage of mental healthcare providers in the state. Six other states introduced similar legislation this year. (American Counseling Association)
State Mandates Hospitals to Allow Doulas to Accompany Maternity Patients – Gov. Murphy approved new legislation aimed to resolve disparities in maternal mortality rates and reduce infant and maternal mortality on Jan. 16. S4119, codified as P.L.2023, c.286 and championed by NJ First Lady and candidate for U.S. Senate Tammy Murphy, requires hospitals and birthing centers to develop policies and procedures to allow doulas to accompany maternity patients at their appointments before, during, and after childbirth. The new law requires the notification of the policy to patients as well as the designation of a liaison between staff, doula, and patient. (Audacy)