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Public Administration Lawmakers Approve $58.8 Billion Spending Plan for Fiscal Year 2026 – On June 30th, the Assembly voted 52-27 to approve Bill A5800, which appropriates $58.8 billion for the state’s fiscal year 2026 budget, set to begin July 1st. The Senate companion bill was approved by a 26-13 vote, with Governor Phil Murphy signing the plan […]

Economics Unemployment Insurance Tax Rates to Drop for Businesses Starting July – Beginning July 1, unemployment insurance tax rates will decrease from a range of 0.6%-6.4% to 0.5%-5.8%. The change is expected to save businesses across the state about $300 million annually. The reduction reflects the state’s economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic […]

NJSPL Policy Fellow Linda Stamato published a new op-ed discussing the rise in AI usage across the country and the importance of mitigating potential societal risks by taking potential regulations and safety concerns into account.

Newswise shared an article from Rutgers Today discussing the impact of the New Jersey Promising Practices Project, a collaborative effort between the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey State Policy Lab, and the Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies, which sought to identify innovative educational practices in K-12 public schools.

Rutgers Today published an article interviewing Dr. Elizabeth Cooner, Dr. Vandeen Campbell, and Dr. Charles Payne discussing the Promising Practices Project, a collaborative research effort between the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey State Policy Lab, and the Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies. This project examined innovative and effective instructional practices in public […]

Public Administration Response Measures to Electricity Price Surge Under Review – On June 2nd, the Senate voted 25-12 along party lines to approve Bill SJR154, which would require the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to investigate PJM Interconnection’s price-setting auction that resulted in a nearly tenfold price increase compared to the previous year’s auction. Supporting […]

Housing Assembly Passes Bill to Define Standards for Allowable Rent Increases – On May 22nd, the Assembly voted 50-26 to pass Bill A5432, which would codify a judicial test to determine whether a rent increase is “unconscionable”. Under the measure, a judge would assess whether an increase is excessive based on criteria such as the […]

The New Jersey State Policy Lab is excited to announce that the fourth annual summer internship program has begun at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. Six students have been selected to participate in this year’s program, which will encompass ten weeks of researching and exploring public policy topics in and around the […]

Education Federal Mental Health Grant Cuts Threaten NJ School Services – Recent federal cuts of nearly $1 billion nationwide in school-based mental health grants will force New Jersey to prematurely end a statewide initiative focused on expanding access to mental health professionals in schools. The five-year, $15 million program provided services to over 40,000 students […]

Public Administration Murphy Issues Conditional Veto on Pop-Up Party Bill Over First Amendment Concerns – On May 8th, Governor Phil Murphy conditionally vetoed Bill SA4652, which would criminalize inciting public brawls and increase penalties for disorderly conduct. Murphy supports the bill’s intent to prevent public disturbances. However, he returned the bill to the Assembly, citing […]

NJSPL Research Affiliate Anita Franzione published an article with the New Jersey Advocates for Aging Well discussing economic challenges for older adults in the Garden State.

Public Administration Lawmakers Consider Utility Reform Bills Ahead of Summer Rate Hikes – On May 5th, the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee held a hearing on several bills that aim to mitigate upcoming electricity rate increases. The proposed measures, scheduled to take effect in June, include requiring the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to return […]