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August 27, 2021
I. State Issues
II. Federal Issues
III. COVID-19 Weekly Update
Municipal Clerks: Please forward to your Mayor, Governing Body, and Department Heads.
To assist in providing guidance and information we have created a COVID-19 resource page. We will continue to update the page as we get pertinent information and include announcements in our Daily Updates.
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I. State Issues
a. Cannabis FAQs for Municipalities
The Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) has issued some guidance documents following the promulgation and adoption of its initial rules last week.
The documents include a Cannabis FAQ document for municipalities, which also includes the CRC’s fee schedule and a summary of the regulations. This and more information is available on the League's Cannabis Resources page.
The League would like to thank the Commission and staff for providing these documents in a timely fashion.
Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., Associate General Counsel, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x137.
b. Governor Signs Legislation Establishing Garden State C-PACE Program
This week Governor Murphy signed A-2374 into law, which establishes the Garden State Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program. New Jersey joins more than 30 other states having a C-PACE program. The program is meant to facilitate the funding of clean and renewable energy infrastructure at commercial properties throughout the state. It works by allowing property owners wishing to have qualified improvements made to their property to finance these projects through a tax assessment placed on the property.
A-2374 requires the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to establish the C-PACE Program to help facilitate the financing of qualified projects. The new law also allows municipalities with populations in the top third of the state to establish their own C-PACE programs.
The new law took effect immediately, but will not become operable until the EDA publishes rules and other guidance documents, including a model municipal opt-in ordinance.
Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., Associate General Counsel, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x137.
c. Homestead Benefit Program Applications Being Mailed and Senior Freeze Application Deadline
The NJ Division of Taxation has announced that they will begin mailing the 2018 Homestead Benefit applications in mid-September. They advise anyone who requested the application be sent electronically, to be mindful of this date and to check their email’s junk folders.
The Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations Act passed in June calculates the benefit using 2017 property tax assessments, replacing the previous 2006 assessment. This switch is anticipated to increase the average estimated credit or payment to senior and disabled taxpayers by $130 and the average benefit for lower-income homeowners by $145.
The Division is also reminding those eligible for the Senior Freeze that the deadline to file an application is November 1, 2021. The Division began mailing approved 2020 payments on July 15, 2021. Applications and more information on the Senior Freeze program can be found on the Division’s website.
Local officials may wish to share this information with their communities to ensure eligible residents can take advantage of these property tax savings.
Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., Associate General Counsel, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x137. |
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II. Federal Issues
a. Federal Infrastructure Update
This week, the House of Representatives returned from its Summer District Work Period and passed, along a party-line vote, a $3.5 trillion budget plan. The Senate passed the same blueprint before they adjourned until the fall.
There were considerable negotiations among the members of the House majority about whether to consider the budget reconciliation or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) first. Ultimately it was decided to pass the budget reconciliation with a plan from Speaker Nancy Pelosi to consider the IIJA by the end of September.
This legislative blueprint sets spending levels and committees must decide what will be included in the final legislation. Passage of the blueprint sets up consideration of final passage of the budget reconciliation and the IIJA to be considered later in September. House Committees are scheduled to meet beginning next week and over the next 3 weeks. As of this writing, the Senate has not announced committee meetings.
This is an evolving situation and we will continue to provide updates as details change.
As we have previously asked, it is critical that New Jersey municipalities highlight infrastructure needs and successes on social media and tag federal members.
Using the hashtags #RebuildWithUs and #LeadWithInfrastructure, please share pictures, graphics, and descriptions of local infrastructure needs and success stories on your social media accounts. Examples of tweets can be viewed on the League’s Social Media Sample Page.
Contact: Paul Penna, Legislative Analyst, ppenna@njlm.org, 609 695-3481, x110.
b. American Rescue Plan Reporting Reminder
New Jersey municipalities with a population more than 50,000 that received American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds directly from the U.S. Treasury, the Interim Report is due August 31. Municipalities with a population more than 250,000 also has to file a Recovery Plan Recovery Report by August 31.
For more information, including links to the portal and the U.S. Treasury State and Local Fiscal Recovery website, please see the League’s recent blog post, as well as the U.S. Treasury Reporting User Guide Video.
Contact: Paul Penna, Legislative Analyst, ppenna@njlm.org, 609 695-3481, x110. |
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III. COVID-19 Weekly Update
This week Governor Murphy issued Executive Order No. 253, requiring all preschool to Grade 12 personnel of all public, private, and parochial schools be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18, 2021 or undergo regular testing at a minimum of one to two times per week.
The Order also clarifies that those seeking a medical exemption from the school mask requirement outlined in Executive Order No. 251, will be required to produce written documentation from a medical professional to support that exemption. Self-attestations and parental attestations are not sufficient.
Governor Murphy also announced that all state employees including all workers of state agencies, authorities, public colleges and universities will also be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18, 2021, or receive regular testing at a minimum of once to twice each week.
COVID Data for August 26, 2021: - 1,726 new positive cases for a total of 941,896 confirmed cases
- 13 new confirmed deaths for a total of 24,074 confirmed deaths
- The rate of transmission is at 1.17
- 11,403,976 vaccine doses have been administered.
Vaccine Information
This week the FDA announced that the Pfizer vaccine, now marketed as Comirnaty,
received full approval for individuals over the age of 16. The vaccine remains available under the emergency authorization for individuals 12 through 15.
As a reminder, the Department of Health provides access to individuals' COVID vaccination records through NJ Docket, a secure and free smartphone app, which is CDC approved.
Homebound residents who have not yet connected with their local health department, or a home health agency, and who need an in-home vaccination should visit www.covid19.nj.gov/homeboundvax or contact the call center at 855-568-0545.
Contacts:
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