Public Administration
Governor Murphy Announces Date for Final State of the State Address – Gov. Murphy will deliver his final State of the State Address as the governor of New Jersey on Tuesday, January 13 at 3:00pm in the NJ Statehouse. The address will be broadcast on Gov. Murphy’s official Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages, as well as on the LiveU Matrix. Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill will be sworn in as governor at her inauguration at the NJPAC in Newark on Tuesday, January 20th.
Health
Governor Murphy Announces Sixth Round of Medical Debt Relief for New Jerseyans – On January 2, the Murphy Administration announced a round of medical debt relief totaling $86 million for more than 53,000 New Jersey residents. To date, the state’s partnership with national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt has seen nearly $1.4 billion in medical debt eliminated for over 828,000 residents. The state leveraged approximately $600,000 in American Rescue Plan funds to partner with Undue, which purchased the debt from provider partners. Impacted New Jerseyans should receive Undue-branded letters notifying them of the debt relief starting on December 27, 2025.
Education
Homeless Youth Call for More Support from Schools and Social Services – The New Jersey Monitor published an article on December 23, 2025, highlighting the daunting challenges faced by homeless and housing-insecure youth in New Jersey. This comes after a recent report released from Covenant House and the University of California, Berkley, which found that the pathways into youth homelessness differ from adults experiencing temporary or chronic homelessness. Survey responses from the report indicate that many homeless youth believe that earlier guidance and intervention might have made a difference in addressing their living situations. Advocates point to states such as California, Florida, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington, which have explored policies intended to act as intervention points to prevent young adults from becoming chronically homeless. Public schools across the country have increasingly reported more homeless students since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Transportation
New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway Toll Adjustments Effective in 2026 – Drivers using the Turnpike and Parkway will see 3% increases on tolls for all vehicle classes in 2026, which was approved by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTPA) as part of its annual budget. Additionally, the Atlantic City Expressway has begun overhauling its tolling system starting on January 4, unveiling the state’s first all-electronic toll collection system. The tolls at the bridges and tunnels overseen by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will also increase this year, as the agency approved 3% increases and an additional 25 cents to fund its $45 billion capital plan.
Women, Children, & Families
NJ Senate Advances Legislation to Expand Family Leave and Disability Benefits – On December 23, Senate lawmakers voted 24-12 to approve legislation that would expand family leave and temporary disability benefits to workers at smaller businesses and companies in the Garden State. The bill would allow workers at businesses with as few as 15 employees to take paid family leave. The existing state law permits employees to take up to 12 weeks of paid family leave, provided the employee has worked for their employer for at least 12 months and at least 1,000 hours. The bill would adjust those qualifications to require workers to be with their employer for at least six months and have worked at least 500 hours. It would also explicitly allow employees to use their family leave, temporary disability benefits, and earned sick leave in the order of their choosing.
Cannabis
NJ Lawmakers Advance Bill to Phase Out Sale of Hemp Products – The New Jersey Senate and Assembly voted to approve legislation that would require retailers to end the sale of certain intoxicating hemp products ahead of new federal regulations that will come into effect in November. The regulations would ban hemp products with a total THC concentration of more than 0.4%. The state’s bill, which awaits the governor’s signature, would allow retailers in the state to continue selling products until April 13, 2026. The legislation would also impose a $3.75-per-gallon excise tax on the wholesale sale of intoxicating hemp beverages.