News Flash

SHBP Municipalities: Please Continue to Reach Out to Governor & Your Legislators

The New Year has come and the 379 municipalities participating in the State Health Benefits system, along with their employees, and ultimately their taxpayers, will still have to fund a 22% increase in health benefits costs, unless an immediate solution i...

Senate Judiciary Committee Hears Testimony on Car Theft Prevention

On December 19, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony from invited guests concerning the increase in motor vehicle thefts in New Jersey over the last two years and consider a package of legislation.   Invited g...

RAISE Grant Funding and Upcoming Webinars Set

The next round of U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program is now open. $1.5 billion in competitive grant funding is available for a broad range of infrastruct...

Call your Member of Congress TODAY for ARPA Flexibility

Congress' last task before the holidays is the FY2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill, and as of Friday, the ARPA Flexibility provisions that the League’s federal partner, the National League of Cities (NLC), has been advocating wa...

Unions and Local Government Management Submit Plan to Address Pending SHPB Increase

The League of Municipalities, the New Jersey Conference of Mayors, the New Jersey Urban Mayors Association, and New Jersey Association of Counties have been working with other interested stakeholders, including the major public sector union representative...

Third-Party Private Construction Inspection Legislation Approved by Assembly Senate to Consider Bill

On Thursday, the Assembly unanimously approved ACS A-573, with the Senate is scheduled to vote on the legislation on Monday.   The bill would expand the use of third-party private construction inspections, allowing muni...

Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee Hears Testimony on Car Theft Prevention

On December 5, the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee heard testimony from New Jersey State Police Major Larry Williams, Deputy Attorney General Joseph Giordano, and Alexander Shalom, Senior Supervising Attorney and Director of Supreme Court Advocac...

Bill Providing Appropriation Cap Relief Before Senate

On Monday the Senate will be considering S-3380, which would exempt gasoline and diesel fuel costs; solid waste and recycling collection and disposal costs, as well as disposal of yard waste; cyber insurance costs; liability insurance costs; work...

Please Consider Adopting Resolution in Support of Municipal Holiday Tree Burning Events

S-861 would permit municipalities to conduct an annual event for the open burning of holiday trees. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) would be tasked with establishing rules, regulations, and standards for the open burning of C...

Governor Supports Legislation to Combat Auto Theft

On Monday, along with Senate President Nick Scutari and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, Governor Murphy announced his support for proposed legislation to combat auto theft in New Jersey. Among the proposals highlighted:

• Establishing a persistent auto thef...

Assembly Advances Legislation to Allow Police to be Present at Certain Polling Places

On Thursday, the Assembly favorably reported S-2912 which permits police officers to be present at senior residential centers or schools that are used as polling places. The legislation also requires school districts to establish election day sec...

SHBP Plan Design Committee Meets & Labor Launches Campaign

On Oct. 26, the State Health Benefits Plan (SHBP) Plan Design Committee (PDC) held its regularly scheduled meeting. Agenda items included a review of 2023 Dental CDT codes and the bi-annual Optum Rx formulary review.   ...

MS4 Tier A Permit Renewal Comment Period Closed, Advocacy Efforts Continue

The comment period for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Draft Tier A Permit renewal closed on September 20. The League in partnership with the New Jersey Conference of Mayors submitted comments focusing on...

Bill Authorizing Special Occasion Events on Preserved Farmland is Conditionally Vetoed

On Thursday, Governor Murphy issued a conditional veto of S-757. The legislation sought to expand authorization of special occasion events at commercial farms and wineries on preserved farmland. The League opposed S-757 as passed by the legislatu...

Duct Cleaning Subject to Prevailing Wage Law

On September 22 Governor Murphy signed into law S-1027/A2208, which makes duct cleaning as public work subject to the prevailing wage law. P.L. 2022, c. 113 took effect immediately.  Contact: Lori Buckelew, Deputy Executive Dire...

Legislation Will Add Local Representation to State Health Benefits Commission

Senators Ruiz and Sarlo have introduced legislation that would expand the State Health Benefits Commission from five members to nine members and add local representation to Commission. S-3033 would add two local government management members, a m...

Governor Signs Law Requiring Municipalities to Create Business Insurance Registry

Last Friday, Governor Murphy signed into law S-1368 requiring all business owners and owners of multifamily rental units to maintain certain levels of liability insurance. In addition, the new law requires that all business owners and owners of m...

County and Municipal Airport Financial Law Changes

On August 5, Governor Murphy signed into law legislation that authorizes a county that acquires, establishes, and operates an airport to maintain, operate, and manage the airport as a public utility. In addition, the new law clarifies that counties and mu...

Governor Signs Law Requiring Municipalities to Create Business Insurance Registry

Friday afternoon, Governor Murphy signed into law S-1368 requiring all business owners and owners of multifamily rental units to maintain certain levels of liability insurance. In addition, the new law requires that all business owners and owners...

Governor Signs Law Expanding Outdoor Dining Timeframe

On Wednesday, Governor Murphy signed S-2364 into law. The new law expands the time period during which certain restaurants, bars, distilleries, and breweries are allowed to utilize tents, canopies, umbrellas, tables, chairs, and other fixture on ...

Assembly Committee Advances Firefighter Cancer Screening Mandate

On Thursday, the Assembly Appropriations Committee favorably reported A-4127, which mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for firefighters who are not enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP). This provides for the approxim...

Acting Governor Scutari Signs Pedicab Alcoholic Beverage Consumption Legislation

The weekend of June 4 while Governor Murphy and Lieutenant Governor Oliver were out of the state on personal business, acting Governor Scutari signed P.L 2022, c.16 allowing for the consumption of alcoholic beverages in pedicabs under the following circum...

Action Needed to Advance ETR Fund Restoration

A-3804/S-330, which would restore distributions to municipalities from the Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Municipal Distribution Program (ETR) over two years and require additional funding to be subtracted from the municipal property tax levy, is the fi...

U.S. Treasury Issues Guidance for Federal Requirements for Single Audits

U.S. Treasury Issues Guidance for Federal Requirements for Single Audits

 U.S. Treasury released the 2022 Compliance Supplement – 2 CFR Part 200 Appendix XI. Among the changes that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issue...

Energy Tax Receipts Tax Relief Fund Restoration Update

Energy Tax Receipts Tax Relief Fund Restoration Update

 Earlier this week, the League of Municipalities and the New Jersey Conference of Mayors sent a joint letter to Assemblyman Verrelli, Chair of the Assembly State and Local Government Committee...

Law Increases Municipal Contributions Allowed for Volunteer First Aid Squads

On Monday, May 9, Governor Murphy signed into law legislation that increases the contribution limits by counties and municipalities to volunteer first aid, ambulances, and rescue squads. P.L. 2022, c. 12 increases the maximum amount that municipa...

Governor Conditionally Vetoes Political Bribery Bill

On Monday, May 9, Governor Phil Murphy conditionally vetoed legislation aimed at addressing a perceived judicial misinterpretation of the law concerning political bribery. A-2472 was introduced after federal and state trial courts both interprete...

Assembly Oversight Committee Held Hearing on Liquor License Reform

On Monday, May 9, the Assembly Oversight, Reform, and Federal Relations Committee heard testimony from key stakeholders of the New Jersey alcoholic beverage industry on the current state of the industry and discussed ways to improve the manufacturing, dis...

Cannabis Use by Off-Duty Law Enforcement

Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin sent a memo to law enforcement chief executives regarding compliance with P.L. 2021, c. 16, the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Act. In the memo, Acting Attorney Gener...

Office of Legislative Services and Department of Treasury Give Testimony on FY2023 Budget

On Monday, April 4, the legislative hearings on Governor Murphy’s proposed $48.9 billion FY2023 budget began. The Assembly Budget committee heard testimony from the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services (OLS) and the New Jersey Department of Treasury....

Court Upholds Governor’s Vaccine Mandate Authority for Certain State Workers

Last week, a State appellate panel affirmed Governor Murphy’s authority under the Disaster Control Act and the Emergency Health Act to impose through Executive Order 283, a COVID-19 vaccination mandate on State corrections officers. The NJ Supre...

Legislation Restoring Energy Tax Receipts Advancing

On Thursday the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee unanimously approved S-330, which increases distribution to municipalities from the Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund over five years to restore municipal aid reductions and requires ...

Governor Signs Parental Notification Legislation

Earlier today, Governor Murphy signed S-5472/S-3565 requiring law enforcement to provide a parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of a person under the age of 18 with a written notification for any violation for underage consumption or poss...

Legislative Preview: Week of March 8

Legislative front:

 Various Assembly and Senate committees will be holding hearings and considering numerous pieces of legislation during the week. The municipal issues before the various committees include: 

• Assembly Oversight, Reform &am...

Governor Delivers FY 2023 Budget Address

Governor Murphy delivered his Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Address. The proposed budget is $48.93 billion, which is a 5.3% increase over FY 2022 state budget. The budget does not include any new taxes or fees.  The overall state aid ...