March 25, 2022

 
I.   State Issues
II.  Federal Issues
III. COVID-19 Update
IV. Also of Interest
 
Municipal Clerks: Please forward to your Mayor, Governing Body and Department Heads.
 
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I. State Issues

a. Murphy Administration Releases Detailed Budget Recommendations for FY 2023

On Wednesday, NJLM Executive Director Mike Cerra provided testimony to the Assembly Budget Committee on the proposed FY 2023 State Budget. The prepared comments focused on the long-overdue restoration of the ETR.
 
Also on Wednesday, the Murphy Administration released detailed budget recommendations for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY 2023).The budget recommendation provides a total $1.6 billion in municipal aid to New Jersey’s municipalities. $649.3 million is recommended for Consolidated Municipal Property Tax Relief Aid (CMPTRA). In addition, a portion of the CMPTRA appropriation will support municipal aid provided by the Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Aid appropriation of $788.5 million. The recommendation also includes $111.9 million for the Transitional Aid to Localities program.
 
The League is continuing to advocate for the long-overdue restoration of Energy Tax Receipts, including the swift passage of S-330, which increases distribution to municipalities from the Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund over two years. We also strongly encourage the restoration of funding to the CMPTRA, which has remained flat for over a decade and restore the Open Space in Lieu of Taxes funding to its FY 2022 appropriation of $10 million.
 
Contact: Andrew LaFevre, Legislative Analyst, alafevre@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x116.

b. Assembly Advances Bill Expanding Use of Preserved Farmland

 
Earlier this week the Assembly Agriculture and Food Security Committee advanced an amended version of S-757, and yesterday, the full assembly voted to approve the measure. The Assembly Committee Substitute for S-757 (ACS S-757) allows the owners of preserved farmland to host, by right, a number of special occasion events such as music, food, and other festivals, car shows, and weddings, all without proper municipal review, oversight, or notification. This legislation, as approved by the Assembly, circumvents the objectives of the State’s successful farmland preservation efforts, in which public dollars have been committed to permanently preserve prime agricultural lands throughout the Garden State.
 
The Senate has already approved a version of S-757 that does not go as far as ACS S-757. The Senate would need to concur with the Assembly amendments before the measure is sent to the Governor for his action. The Governor, in the last legislative session, vetoed a measure similar to ACS S-757. 
 
The League opposes ACS S-757 and is engaging with the sponsors in both the Senate and Assembly to address our concerns. We will be sure to keep our members updated on this bill as the legislative process continues.
 
Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., Associate General Counsel, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x137.

c. BPU Now Accepting Second Round of Applications for EV Tourism Grant Program

 
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) announced this week the award of more than S1 million in grants for electric vehicle chargers as part of the New Jersey’s EV Tourism Program. Much of the grant funding was provided to municipal governments to be used to install EV charging stations.
 
Applications for the second round of EV Tourism grant funding is now being accepted. Applications are due by 5 pm, May 16, 2022. For more information please see the BPU’s website.
 
Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., Associate General Counsel, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x137. 

d. CRC Approves 68 Conditional Licenses for Cannabis Cultivators and Manufacturers

 
Yesterday, the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) approved 68 conditional licenses for cannabis cultivation and manufacturing businesses. Conditional licenses are provided to applicants who meet CRC standards for operating but have not yet secured a facility or municipal approval. The issuance of a yearly license is conditioned on the applicant gaining site control and local approval.
 
At the meeting, the CRC was expected by many observers to approve medical cannabis operators, known as alternative treatment centers (ATC), to expand into the recreational market. However, this measure was tabled because of the CRC’s concerns over the ability of the ATCs to begin recreational sales while maintaining access and availability for medical patients.
 
The CRC noted that a total of 675 applications have been received. Since first being accepted on March 15, 230 retail license applications have been received. The majority of the remaining applications are for cultivation licenses. 
 
A special meeting of the CRC has been scheduled for Monday, April 11 at 1 p.m. where it is anticipated that the matter of ATCs beginning recreational sales will be revisited. 

Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., Associate General Counsel, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x137.  

II. Federal Issues

a. U.S. DOT Announces Available Grant Funding with Combined Application Process

 
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced it is combining three major discretionary grant programs into one Multimodal Projects Discretionary Grant (MPDG) opportunity to reduce the burden for state and local applicants and to increase the pipeline of “shovel-worthy” projects that are now possible because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
 
DOT is combining these three programs into single Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to provide a more efficient application process for project sponsors. While they remain separate programs for the purposes of award, the programs share many common characteristics, including a larger project size, multimodal eligibility, and many shared statutory project requirements. Because of these shared characteristics, it is possible for many projects to be eligible and considered for multiple programs using a single application.

• The new Mega program: Focused on large multimodal transportation projects, with 50% of the funding being awarded to projects greater than $500 million in total project cost, and the remaining 50% of the funding being awarded to projects between $100 million and $500 million in total project costs. The Mega program will help large multimodal projects with gaps in their financial plans.
• The INFRA program: At least 15% of the funds are reserved for small projects (less than $100 million) and at least 25% of the funds are reserved for rural projects. The program also includes a leverage pilot, under which $150 million is set-aside to prioritize for projects with greater non-Federal share.
• The new Rural program: Reserved for surface transportation projects in rural areas, with a minimum of 90% of all projects having a minimum $25 million Rural grant award. The Rural program will focus on rural needs, such as improving highway safety and expanding access to rural transit service. Set asides for projects on the Appalachian Development Highway System and projects located in states with above average rural lane departure fatality rates. 

b. Cybersecurity Update

• Use multi-factor authentication on your systems to make it harder for attackers to get onto the system;
• Deploy modern security tools on your computers and devices to continuously look for and mitigate threats;
• Check with your cybersecurity professionals to make sure that your systems are patched and protected against all known vulnerabilities, and change passwords across your networks so that previously stolen credentials are useless to malicious actors;
• Back up your data and ensure you have offline backups beyond the reach of malicious actors;
• Run exercises and drill your emergency plans so that you are prepared to respond quickly to minimize the impact of any attack;
• Encrypt your data so it cannot be used if it is stolen;
• Educate your employees to common tactics that attackers will use over email or through websites, and encourage them to report if their computers or phones have shown unusual behavior, such as unusual crashes or operating very slowly; and
• Encourage your IT and Security leadership to visit the websites of CISA and the FBI where they will find technical information and other useful resources. 

In last week’s League’s Round Up we listed resources for municipalities to review to protect their data and hardware. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Shields-Up Campaign has information that is pertinent to municipalities.
 
We encourage you to review this information with your municipal administrator and IT Director.
 
Contact: Paul Penna, Senior Legislative Analyst, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.

c. Lunch and Learn Briefing with White House Intergovernmental Affairs Office

 
On Wednesday, March 30 at 12:00 p.m., the League is hosting a free Lunch and Learn briefing with Gabe Amos, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. The White House team will outline the Biden Administration’s priorities, including the recently enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the American Rescue Plan and how they impact New Jersey.
 
Please register in advance to participate. Once registered a link to the briefing will be sent to you the morning of March 30.
 
Contact: Paul Penna, Senior Legislative Analyst, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.

III. COVID-19 Weekly Update

 
This week the State Capital Joint Management Commission rescinded the mask requirements for the Statehouse; as a result, all of the COVID-19 protocols at the Statehouse are no longer in effect. In addition, the United States District Court for New Jersey issued Standing Order 2022-01 addressing the wearing of mask and COVID protocols in federal court facilities in New Jersey. 
 
COVID-19 Resources
 
Housing Assistance & Counseling: Foreclosure Prevention & Emergency Rescue Mortgage Assistance Program (from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency) and Free housing counseling: www.njerma.com; 855-647-7700.
 
NJ PCR Tests: For NJ Department of Health and Vault Medical Service free PCR test requests, https://learn.vaulthealth.com/nj/.
 
Federal Rapid Tests: Request up to four free tests per home, www.COVIDTests.gov.
 
Vaccinations for the Homebound: For in-home vaccination information, visit www.covid19.nj.gov/homeboundvax; 855-568-0545.
 
Vaccination Records: NJ Department of Health COVID vaccination records: NJ Docket, a secure and free smartphone app.
 
Mental Health Resources: Department of Children and Families mental health support resources page for youth, for parents, and for educators, www.covid19.nj.gov/youthhelp. 
 
Contacts:

• Mike Cerra, Executive Director, mcerra@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x120.
• Lori Buckelew, Assistant Executive Director, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x112.

IV. Also of Interest

a. Louis Bay 2nd Future Municipal Leadership Scholarship Competition – Due April 1st

 
The deadline to submit your Louis Bay 2^nd Future Municipal Leaders Scholarship Competition winning entry is quickly approaching!
 
Please take some time to review your promotional kit and the suggested deadlines.
 
We look forward to hearing from your municipality and raising interest in future municipal leaders.

Contact: Ciara Bradley, Legislative Administrator, cbradley@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x128.

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