Transportation
Judge Denies New Jersey’s Challenge as Congestion Pricing Takes Effect – On January 3rd, a judge rejected New Jersey’s bid to halt New York’s congestion pricing plan which begins on January 5th. The program will impose an additional $9 toll during peak hours for most vehicles entering lower Manhattan, with rates gradually increasing to $15 by 2031. New Jersey representatives pledged to appeal the decision, arguing the Federal Highway Administration arbitrarily and capriciously approved the plan and that insufficient environmental mitigation commitments were made to New Jersey. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority praised the ruling, contending the plan will reduce traffic, limit air pollution, and enhance city quality.
Economics
Minimum Wage Increase to $15.49 – Beginning January 1st, the state’s hourly minimum wage for most employees increased by 36 cents to $15.49, as part of a law signed by Governor Murphy in 2018. However, some employees, such as seasonal workers, small business employees, and agricultural workers, follow a more gradual schedule of annual increases and will experience a rate below $15.49. Tipped workers also operate under separate guidelines for wage increases. Worker and progressive groups, including New Jersey Policy Perspective, recently called on lawmakers to raise the minimum wage to $20 per hour.
Public Administration
Assembly Panel Advances Bill Requiring Utility Usage Alerts – On December 9th, the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee advanced Bill A4817 by a 7 -to-1 vote, which would mandate electric and gas utilities to notify customers midway through billing cycles about increases in energy use. Utilities would be required to send notices to customers on the 10th and 20th days of each billing cycle if their energy usage exceeds that of the prior cycle or the same month in the previous year. The New Jersey Rate Counsel urged lawmakers to restrict notifications to electronic mediums and require residents to opt into the program to reduce costs. The counsel also expressed concerns that the program may require the installation of new smart meters, potentially burdening residents financially. This bill follows October 2024 hearings addressing resident complaints about spiking summer electricity bills in South Jersey. The Senate approved a different version of the bill in October. Thus, the Senate must amend and re-approve the bill before proceeding to the Governor’s desk.
Assembly Approves Bills to End County Line Ballots and Increase Candidates’ Signature Threshold – On December 19th, Assembly lawmakers voted 70-1 to approve Bill A5116, which would require the use of office-block ballots in state primaries, eliminating the county line system that groups party-backed candidates together. Progressive advocates and groups, including the New Jersey Working Families Party, hailed the measure as a step towards reducing the influence of political insiders. However, they urged lawmakers to approve additional reforms, such as mandating electronic ballot draws and prohibiting all forms of candidate bracketing. This bill follows earlier Assembly hearings on ballot reform and a federal judge’s March 2024 ruling that county-line ballots were unconstitutional in the June Democratic primary.
In a separate vote, the Assembly approved Bill A5117 by a 47-to-27 vote, largely along party lines. The bill would raise signature requirements for candidates to appear on primary, general, municipal, and school election ballots. Supporting lawmakers argued the measure would reduce ballot clutter and simplify voting. However, opponents, including the New Jersey Libertarian Party, criticized the measure as a barrier to independent and minor-party candidates.
New Jersey Primary Election Would be Moved to June 10, 2025 – A bill to reschedule New Jersey’s 2025 primary election to June 10, avoiding a conflict with the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, has passed both legislative chambers and is now on Governor Phil Murphy’s desk. The original primary date of June 3 overlaps with the holiday. The bill received unanimous approval and is expected to be signed into law.
Senate Committee Supported Efforts to Increase Voter Turnout Among Teens – The New Jersey Senate State Government Committee approved a new legislation on December 16, 2024. The bill would require the state to send vote-by-mail applications to residents upon their 18th birthday to encourage higher voter turnout. According to the bill, county clerks would send mail ballots to newly registered voters when they reach the age of majority. To prevent legal issues related to unfunded mandates, the bill would also ensure that the state will reimburse counties for the costs of sending these applications. The law is scheduled to go into effect in 2026.
Health
New Jersey Implements Caps on Insulin, Inhaler, and EpiPen Costs – Starting January 1st, New Jersey health insurance plans are required to exempt insulin, asthma inhalers, and epinephrine injectors from deductibles and limit monthly coinsurance costs to $35, $50, and $25, respectively. These provisions come from Bill S1614 (P.L.2023, c.105), signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy in July 2023. The law also requires state-approved insurance plans to cover diabetes management supplies, such as glucose test strips, and prescribed training programs, with some exceptions. Lawmakers and the Governor’s office lauded the measure as a step toward reducing financial hardships for residents managing chronic conditions.
Bill Requiring Rape Kit Tracking System Heads to Governor’s Desk – On December 19th, the Assembly unanimously approved Bill S715, which would direct the state attorney general to develop an online tracking system for rape kits. This system would allow victims, law enforcement, healthcare facilities, and laboratories to track kits from collection onward. Lawmakers argued the measure aims to address a backlog of untested evidence and improve transparency. New Jersey is one of only a few states which do not track rape kits, and a 2019 report from the state auditor found that New Jersey law enforcement agencies had a backlog of over 2,800 kits. The bill passed the Senate in October 2024 and now awaits Governor Murphy’s signature. The state secured $2 million from the U.S. Department of Justice last year to create the tracking system, as well as an additional $4 million since 2020 to investigate unsolved sexual assault cases.
Bills Addressing Disordered Eating Behaviors Advanced in Assembly – On December 19, 2024, a new bill passed the Assembly, which aims to stop social media platforms from using features, algorithms, or designs that could lead to eating disorders in children, including promoting diet products. Under the bill, companies must conduct quarterly internal audits to evaluate whether their practices contribute to eating disorders in children. They can also hire an independent third party for annual audits. If harmful practices are found, the company must fix their practice within 30 days. Failure to comply could result in a fine of up to $250,000 per violation.
Another bill also passed the Assembly on December 19, 2024, would require New Jersey to examine the causes, prevention, and reduction of disordered eating in the state. The legislation proposes a three-year pilot program for a research grant managed by the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The grant would support research on treatment gaps, the underlying causes of eating disorders, and risk factors for disordered eating in different age groups.