June 11th
Weekly Newsletter
New Jersey Update
This afternoon, an additional 194 new positive COVID-19 cases were announced, increasing the statewide total to 889,779. The the rate of transmission is 0.8. An additional 4 deaths were announced, increasing the statewide total to 23,639.

As of this morning, a total of 4,514,515 New Jerseyans have been fully vaccinated. 1,800 vaccination sites are now operational across the State. Governor Murphy reiterated the State's goal of vaccinating 4.7 million NJ residents by June 30th.

The Department of Health Commissioner, Judy Persichilli, along with Medical Director, Dr. Ed. Lifshitz, reviewed and announced the Department's research data of COVID-19 breakthrough cases. Read more here.

With the help of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Neighborhood Preservation COVID-19 Relief Grant program, the Harriet Tubman Museum in Cape May was able to secure funding to complete the rehabilitation of its historic building and keep its programs funded. They are preparing for their in-person grand opening scheduled for next week. For more information, click here.

New Jersey State Police Captain, Colonel Pat Callahan, announced a 2.4 magnitude earthquake Wednesday morning just south of Tuckerton. He advised NJ residents to be familiar with the ReadyNJ and have a plan in place for unpredictable occurrences like this.

As announced last Friday, Governor Murphy signed into law fast-tracked legislation that lifts the Public Health Emergency in New Jersey. The legislation allows the Governor to retain some of his emergency orders until January 11, 2022. Over 100 executive orders will expire in less than 30 days, with only around a dozen executive orders remaining in place for the remainder of the recovery effort.

This week, it was announced that the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women will shutdown after abusive incidents in the facility were brought to light. The Murphy Administration also released an investigative report Monday that delved into the January 11th attack by prison guards on inmates.

The Governor emphasized that in-school masking requirements include exceptions for extreme heat. School officials are empowered to make the best decisions for their buildings and communities. The NJ Department of Health will also be issuing updated summer camp guidelines on Wednesday due to changes in the CDC guidance.
Vaccine Distribution Information and Notices from NJ DOH


General Information

EUA Fact Sheet for COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients and Caregivers [Pfizer/BioNTech] [Moderna]

Healthcare Provider Toolkit

Information for Long-Term Care Facilities

Policy, Guidance, and Directives
NJ News Quick Links



Governor's Notices


Department and Agency Notices

Department of Human Services
Legislative Update

The Governor signed the following bills into law this week:
  • A-4680/S-2932 - Concerns subcontracting agreements entered into by four-year public institutions of higher education
  • A-5344/S-3197– Clarifies eligibility for deferred retirement for certain judges in JRS 
  • A-5696/S-3690 – Revises modified basic training program for certain county correctional police officers to be certified as county prosecutor’s detectives or investigators or county or municipal police officers
  • A-5725/S-1246 – Changes dates on which members of municipal and county committees of political party take office and hold annual meetings; transfers certain election responsibilities to county clerks
  • A4004 - Establishes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic Task Force on Racial and Health Disparities.

Assembly Education Committee
A2619 / S3253 (Murphy / Speight / Mukherji / Singleton / Ruiz) - Establishes alternate route to expedite certification of teachers at early college high school programs. Passed with amendments

A2687 / S969 (Mazzeo / Lampitt / Moen / Ruiz / Turner) - Establishes loan redemption program for teachers in certain fields to redeem loan amounts received under New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students Loan Program through employment in certain low performing schools. Passed with substitute

A4594 / S2826 (Quijano / Lampitt / Reynolds-Jackson / Ruiz / Cunningham) - Requires State Board of Education to establish procedures for issuance of limited certificate of eligibility with advanced standing and limited certificate of eligibility for certain teacher candidates. Passed with amendments

A4838 / S2811 (Reynolds-Jackson / Verrelli / Vainieri Huttle / Singleton / Ruiz) - Requires school report card to include information concerning number of mental health professionals and security personnel employed by each school district. Passed with amendments

A5312 / S2834 (Quijano / Lampitt / McKnight / Ruiz / Cunningham) - Mandates training on culturally responsive teaching for all candidates for teaching certification. Passed

A5537 / S3488 (Burzichelli / Dancer / Spearman / Sweeney / Gopal / O'Scanlon) - Modifies certain procedures pertaining to school district regionalization; establishes grant program for cost reimbursement of conducting regionalization feasibility studies; and provides financial incentives for regionalization. Passed with amendments

A5834 (Coughlin) - Extends deadline for completion and filing of annual audit report of school district for 2020-2021 school year; establishes deadline for submission of Audit Summary for 2020-2021 school year. Passed


Assembly Judiciary Committee
A2690 (Armato / Mazzeo / Verrelli) - Establishes special probation drug court eligibility for persons with certain previous criminal convictions. HELD

A5236 (Mukherji / Benson / Murphy) - Establishes criminal offenses and civil penalties concerning inhumane confinement of breeding pigs and calves raised for veal. Passed with amendments

A5176 (Taliaferro / Mukherji) - Establishes regional municipal court pilot program. Passed with amendments

A5517 (Lopez / Vainieri Huttle) - Prohibits court from awarding custody of or limiting visitation with child based solely on parent's disability; provides that disability of parent is relevant only to extent that court finds disability is detrimental to best interest of child. Passed

A5741 / S241 / S491 (Mukherji / Vainieri Huttle / Verrelli / Scutari / Singleton / Cunningham / Brown / Scutari) - Concerns eligibility, procedures, and post-program relief for certain drug or alcohol dependent persons sentenced to special probation, or regular probation which as a condition of such requires substance use disorders treatment. Passed with amendments

A5783 (Mukherji) - Authorizes special motion and hearing for dismissal of "Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation" (SLAPP") Passed


Assembly Labor Committee
A2769 (Downey / Houghtaling / Vainieri Huttle) - Requires State Employment and Training Commission member to specialize in serving transgender communities. Passed

A4562 / S1053 (Quijano / Singleton / Sweeney / Cryan) - Establishes waterfront wage standards. Passed with amendments

A5294 (Speight / Vainieri Huttle / Verrelli) - Provides fast track hiring and advancement employment opportunities by State for persons with significant disabilities. Passed

A5296 (Speight / Vainieri Huttle / McKnight) - Provides for employment by State of certain persons with disabilities. Passed

A5298 (Speight / Vainieri Huttle / McKnight) - Establishes recruitment and referral program for certain individuals and extends certain provisions of law concerning affirmative action in public works contracts to workers with disabilities. Passed


Assembly Special Committee on Infrastructure and Natural Resources
A5796 (Armato / Mejia / Mosquera) - Requires water purveyors and owners of public wastewater collection or treatment systems to consider climate change-related issues in asset management planning. Passed

A5797 (Zwicker / Swain / Carter) - Requires State and county hazard mitigation plans to include climate change-related threat assessments and hazard prevention and mitigation strategies. Passed

A5798 (Taliaferro / Tully / Downey) - Requires DEP to consider potential impacts to natural resources when classifying dams according to hazard potential. Passed

A5799 (Houghtaling / Armato / Spearman) - Requires DEP to prepare report on confined aquifers. Passed

A5826 (Freiman / Benson) - Authorizes NJ Infrastructure Bank to guarantee local government bonds or provide other assistance for certain local redevelopment projects. Passed

Assembly Women and Children
A4746 (Mosquera / Lopez / Chaparro) - Requires that certain provider subsidy payments for child care services be based on enrollment. Passed with amendments

A5008 (Lampitt / Benson / Vainieri Huttle) - Establishes "Stillbirth Resource Center" and programs for the prevention and reduction of incidences of stillbirth; expands list of professionals authorized to provide stillbirth-related care; appropriates $2.5 million. Passed with amendments

A5752 (Mosquera / McKnight / Jimenez) - Requires Commissioner of Corrections to appoint workforce skills training development officer to administer, enhance, and supplement inmate workforce skills training programming. Passed with amendments

A5753 (Chiaravalloti / Chaparro / Mejia) - Requires request for proposal to establish project to evaluate and make recommendations for realignment of correctional facilities and other efficiency measures. Passed

A5754 (Johnson / Spearman / Wimberly) - Requires DOC report certain information annually. Passed with amendments

A5755 (Lopez / Conaway / Taliaferro) - Requires Corrections Ombudsperson review criminal investigations under certain circumstances.

A5756 (McKnight / Speight / Lopez) - Prohibits forfeiture of inmate's commutation credits for minor disciplinary infractions and expands inmate's ability to restore certain forfeited credits. Passed

A5863 (Swain / Zwicker / Mazzeo / Downey / Freiman / Mosquera / Speight / Coughlin) - Establishes child care revitalization fund in Department of Children Families; appropriates $100,000,000. Passed


Assembly Agriculture
A651 (Armato / Mazzeo) - Allows collection of seeds from wild native plants. Passed

A1580 / S83 (Houghtaling / McKeon / Downey / Bateman / Codey) - Establishes "Jersey Native Plants Program." Passed

A1584 (Houghtaling / Johnson / Space) - Requires Department of Agriculture to develop, and plant nurseries to make available to customers, brochure describing benefits of native plants. Passed

A1592 (Houghtaling) - Directs DEP to establish leasing program for State-owned land to be used and managed as pollinator habitat. Passed

A2401 (Wimberly / Lopez / Coughlin) - "Responsible Dog Ownership Act." Passed with amendments

A5117 (Dancer / Houghtaling) - Provides loan redemption for certain veterinarians who work at approved site for five years; annually appropriates $500,000. Passed with amendments

A5409 (Houghtaling) - Directs DEP to establish grant program for local governments to support development of community gardens. Passed

Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness
A5500 (Speight / Reynolds-Jackson / McKnight) - Expands duties of Commission on Human Trafficking to prevent human trafficking in women and children of color. Passed

A5501 (Speight / Reynolds-Jackson / McKnight) - Requires AG to establish Human Trafficking and Underserved Communities Unit. Passed

AJR152 (Vainieri Huttle / McKnight) - Designates month of September of each year as "Emergency Preparedness Month" in New Jersey. Passed with amendments


Assembly Human Services
A1004 (Downey / Houghtaling / Benson) - Increases hourly limit of reimbursable personal care assistant services under NJ WorkAbility Program.

A1579 (Houghtaling / Downey / Timberlake) - Requires DEP to develop beach accessibility guidelines for persons with disabilities.

A4221 (Downey / Vainieri Huttle / Houghtaling) - Requires Office of Information Technology to establish centralized, one-stop website resource guide to assist persons in navigating the State's mental health and substance use disorder service systems.

*A5465 / *S3489 (Benson / Vainieri Huttle / Sweeney / Pou) - Changes effective date of new law concerning certain State contracts for mental health, behavioral health, and addiction services.

A5565 (Downey / Mukherji) - "Behavioral Health Crisis Mobile Response Act"; appropriates $2.5 million.


Assembly State and Local Government
A862 (Chiaravalloti / Karabinchak) - Permits municipalities to refund excess property taxes paid by taxpayer who wins assessment appeal as property tax credit. Passed with amendments

A4687 (Verrelli / Benson) - Provides service credit in PERS for former members of certain transit pension system. Passed with substitute

A5683 (Reynolds-Jackson / Wimberly) - Modifies Garden State Growth Zone tax exemption program. Passed

A5785 (Mazzeo) - Permits prosecutors to enroll in Prosecutors Part of PERS. Passed with amendments

A5825 (Coughlin) - Changes effective date of Garden State Health Plan and provides open enrollment period; exempts certain charter schools from certain healthcare plan requirements. Passed with amendments

A5847 (Mazzeo) - Authorizes local units to refinance general obligation bonds irrespective of present value savings for period of one year. Passed

ACR138 / SCR118 (Tully / Swain / Sweeney) - Recognizes cultural, religious, and interfaith importance of Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as "Living Guru" of Sikhs in promoting peace and declaring Sikhs as distinct ethnic and religious minority. Passed

AJR60 (Schaer / Karabinchak) - Designates October 27th of each year as "Tree of Life Remembrance Day" in New Jersey. Passed


Assembly Military and Veterans
AR258 (Armato / Tucker) - Urges US Congress pass "Major Richard Star Act." Passed

AR259 (Swain / Tully / Tucker) - Urges Congress to pass "Veterans Economic Recovery Act of 2021." Passed

AR260 (Tully / Swain / Tucker) - Urges US Congress pass "Retired Pay Restoration Act." Passed

AR261 (Downey / Houghtaling / Tucker) - Respectfully urges Congress to pass "Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act of 2021." Passed

AR262 (Houghtaling / Downey / Tucker) - Urges passage of federal "Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act." Passed

AR263 (Mazzeo / Tucker / Armato) - Urges US Congress pass "K2 Veterans Care Act of 2021." Passed

AR264 (Tucker / Downey) - Urges US Congress to create permanent and comprehensive framework for healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to toxins during service. Passed

AR265 (Tucker) - Respectfully urges Congress to pass Advancing Uniform Transportation Opportunities for Veterans Act. Passed


Senate Community and Urban Affairs
S245 (Singleton / Bateman) - Requires shared service agreements to include certain provisions. Passed

S929 (Kean) - Requires municipality to provide free beach access to certain veterans. Passed with amendments

S1715 (Lagana) - Requires new flooring for schools and child care centers to be certified mercury free. Passed

S3080 (Singleton) - Provides closing credit for resident first-time homebuyers; appropriates $20 million. Passed with amendments

S3597 / A5310 (Vitale / Lopez) - Increases limit on number of social affairs permits that can be issued for one premises from 25 to 52 for designated premises owned by municipality or for event sponsored by municipality. Passed

S3600 (Sacco) - Restores and revises Urban Enterprise Zone program. Passed with amendments

S3660 (Greenstein) - Requires induction loop listening system installation in certain buildings open to public upon new construction or substantial renovation. Passed

S3703 (Singleton / Rice) - Creates "New Jersey Online Foreclosure Sale Act." Passed with amendments

S3819 / A5590 (Sweeney / Mazzeo / Armato / Greenwald) - Extends period of municipal stabilization and recovery, with certain modifications, under "Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act." Passed with amendments

S3829 (Sweeney) - Requires use of design-bid-build or design-build delivery system for certain local government construction projects. Passed with amendments

S3842 / *A5758 (Singleton / Coughlin / Chiaravalloti / Mazzeo) - Provides funding for clinical program to provide legal services for low-and moderate-income tenants in need of housing assistance; appropriates $2 million. Passed with amendments


Senate Labor
S793 (Cunningham) - Commits $3 million from Supplemental Workforce Fund for Basic Skill to NJ Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development. Passed

S3352 (Weinberg) - Concerns unlawful discrimination and harassment. Passed with substitute

S3580 (Singleton) - Provides certain resources to county prosecutors for enforcement of law regarding failure to pay wages; makes appropriation. Passed

S3772 / **A5690 (Greenstein / Greenwald / Conaway / Benson) - Requires DOLWD to provide link to New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on website and in emails concerning unemployment compensation benefits. Passed

S3778 (Greenstein) - Establishes "New Jersey Small Business Indoor Air Quality Management Support Program." Passed with amendments

S3810 (Sweeney / Addiego / Greenstein) - "Responsible Collective Negotiations Act." Passed with amendments

S3827 (Weinberg) - Provides temporary paid earned sick leave to workers during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Passed with amendments

S3844 (Madden) - Concerns sign fabrication, prevailing wage requirements, and project labor agreements. Passed with amendments


Senate Transportation
S2945 (Bucco) - Exempts persons with disabilities and persons who are homeless from payment of identification card fees. Passed with amendments

S3436 (Diegnan) - Requires certain transportation research to consider needs of individuals with physical, sensory, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. Passed

S3442 (Diegnan / Kean) - Requires DOT and NJT to study and implement transportation mobility and accessibility improvements for persons with autism and developmental disabilities. Passed with amendments

S3560 (Diegnan) - Authorizes MVC to enter into contract with private vendor for marketing and sale of certain license plates. Passed

S3566 (Pou / Diegnan) - Requires MVC to create mobile driver's licenses and identification cards. Passed

S3782 (Greenstein / Turner) - Permits counties to operate airports as county utilities; provides that bonds for county and municipal airport purposes be issued in accordance with provisions of "Local Bond Law." Passed

S3841 (Greenstein) - Requires MVC to operate hotline to assist with online transactions. Passed with amendments

S3849 (Lagana / Diegnan) - Provides for debarment of school bus contractors for certain violations; requires certain information in pupil transportation contract bid. Passed with amendments

S3851 (Lagana / Diegnan) - Creates School Bus Safety Ombudsman position in, but not of, Department of Education. Passed

S3852 (Lagana / Diegnan) - Revises violation and fines for approving or assigning unauthorized individuals as school bus drivers. Passed

S3924 (Gopal) - Authorizes NJ Infrastructure Bank to expend certain sums to make loans for transportation infrastructure projects for FY2022. Passed


Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee
*S52 / *A798 (Singer / Greenstein / Verrelli / Vainieri Huttle / Armato) - Establishes local drug overdose fatality review teams in each county in State. Passed with amendments

S837 (Lagana) - Requires health insurance companies to cover lead screenings for children 16 years of age or younger. Passed

S1049 (Cryan) - Establishes standard medical expense deduction under SNAP for certain senior citizens. Passed with amendments

S2316 (Rice) - Expands role of temporary guardian to include arranging placement of alleged incapacitated person in appropriate, less restrictive environment. Passed

S2632 / A4202 (Gopal / Pou / Houghtaling / Downey / Benson) - Requires Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services to establish and maintain hotline for people with disabilities. Passed with amendments

S3257 (Singleton) - Establishes Task Force for the Development of Universal Child Care. Passed with amendments

S3351 / A4864 (Weinberg / Addiego / Johnson / Vainieri Huttle / Spearman) - Makes FY 2021 supplemental appropriation of $210,000 to DHS for temporary 25 percent increase to certain assisted living facilities in Medicaid. Passed with amendments

S3432 / A1073 (Ruiz / Speight / Pintor Marin / McKnight) - Requires preeclampsia testing for certain pregnant women and women who have given birth. Passed with amendments

S3632 (Codey) - Requires certain health care practitioner referrals to be made in accordance with certain professional standards. Passed with amendments

S3633 (Kean / Diegnan) - Increases income eligibility limits for PAAD program and Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program by $10,000. Passed with amendments

S3798 (Vitale) - Eliminates premiums and waiting periods for certain NJ FamilyCare enrollees; directs DHS to implement additional targeted outreach initiatives to increase enrollment; revises reporting requirements; appropriates $20 million. Passed with amendments

S3799 (Vitale) - Allows costs of medical cannabis to be reimbursed by Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund, PAAD, Senior Gold and VCCO. Passed with amendments

S3800 (Addiego) - Requires certain health insurers, Medicaid, NJ FamilyCare, SHBP, and SEHBP to cover naloxone without imposing prior authorization requirements. Passed with amendments

S3801 / A5597 (Vitale / Conaway / Jimenez / Speight) - Permits school districts to administer student health surveys after prior written notification to parents and legal guardians. Passed

S3802 / A5595 (Gopal / Lagana / Verrelli / Benson / Holley) - Requires Division of Consumer Affairs to publish retail price of certain opioid antidotes. Passed

S3803 (Vitale / Schepisi) - Permits certain paramedics to administer buprenorphine. Passed with amendments

S3814 (Madden) - Requires DCF or court to consider placement of children with relatives or kinship guardians when making placement decision; makes changes to certain standards for initiating petitions to terminate parental rights. Passed with amendments

S3815 (Madden) - Requires feasibility study to examine establishment of regional medical examiner office facility in Southern New Jersey and collaborative development of new medical examiner education initiatives; appropriates $40,000. Passed with amendments
Federal and National Update
Administration and Department Information
The New Jersey Governor's Office
The Governor's Office has been updating their website with the latest information on the COVID-19 response.
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