Office of the Governor | This Week In New Jersey: January 17, 2020

Governor Murphy Delivers 2020 State of the State Address

Governor Phil Murphy delivered his second State of the State Address at the State House in Trenton. The Governor highlighted accomplishments from his first two years in office, outlined priorities to address the challenges ahead, and reaffirmed his commitment to making smart investments in the middle class, restoring fiscal responsibility, and changing the culture of Trenton.

“As a new year and a new decade unfold, our job has not changed. Our mission is to lift New Jersey up, and to make it stronger, fairer, and more resilient – so our residents can feel more secure not just in their futures, but also in their children’s,” said Governor Murphy. “We reflect today on the great strides we have made, and we join together to address the challenges that have developed and deepened across a generation, so we can continue building a brighter future.”

In his address, Governor Murphy called on his colleagues to join together and build on the economic and social progress made during the first two years of his Administration, which include record-setting job and wage growth, the nation’s leading efforts to tackle gun violence, and monumental criminal justice reform, among other achievements.

Governor Murphy Announces "Jobs NJ: Developing Talent to Grow Business In The Garden State"

Alongside students, educators, cabinet members, elected officials, and business community leaders, Governor Phil Murphy unveiled his talent-based economic development strategy – “Jobs NJ: Developing Talent to Grow Business in the Garden State” – to expand opportunities for career-seekers to gain skills and for employers to fill their talent needs.
“For New Jersey to succeed in the 21st century economy, we must close the gap between the needs of employers and the skills of prospective employees,” said Governor Murphy. “With our new plan, we are addressing this problem head-on by ensuring our residents have the critical training and education they need for jobs that are available and in-demand, and connecting them to those jobs. Together, we are changing our trajectory and transforming our state into one with a stronger and fairer economic future for generations to come.”

Governor Murphy Signs Legislative Package to Fight New Jersey's Maternal and Infant Health Crisis

Governor Phil Murphy signed a legislative package into law to combat New Jersey’s maternal and infant health crisis and provide health benefits coverage for fertility preservation services. The series of bills aims to improve health outcomes for New Jersey’s mothers and babies and address the racial inequities in maternal and infant health care. The legislation will support the efforts of the Administration’s Nurture NJ campaign, which is led by First Lady Tammy Murphy.

“In New Jersey, we are committed to improving the health and safety of every mother and child,” said Governor Murphy. “By signing today’s bills, we are taking another step forward in our effort to eliminate the racial disparities in maternal and infant care. I am proud to sign these bills into law and commend my colleagues in the Legislature for their commitment to improve health outcomes for New Jersey’s mothers, babies, and families.”

“Our mission is to make New Jersey the safest place in the nation to give birth,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “To achieve this, it is absolutely essential that mothers across all races, ethnicities, social and economic backgrounds are listened to and supported by federal, state and community resources. Today’s legislation provides better care and support for our mothers and babies, and moves us closer to improving health outcomes for all of New Jersey’s families.”

Governor Murphy Signs Legislative Package Protecting the Affordable Care Act in New Jersey

Governor Phil Murphy signed a package of bills to safeguard the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in New Jersey. The bills, which will codify into state law the basic protections for health care consumers that are part of the Affordable Care Act, include protections for no-cost preventative care and contraception, prohibit exclusions for pre-existing conditions, allow children to stay on their parents’ plan until age 26, and incorporate mental health and maternity care as part of essential benefits, among others. The Governor highlighted the importance of these bills during an armchair discussion with Hackensack Meridian Health Chief Executive Officer Bob Garret.

“At a time when the Affordable Care Act is under siege by the Trump Administration and being challenged in the courts, New Jersey has a responsibility to protect and provide access to high-quality, affordable health care for all of our residents,” said Governor Murphy. “I applaud my colleagues in the Legislature for taking the critical steps necessary to ensure that the provisions of the Affordable Health Care Act are codified into state law and for working to make the health of our residents a top priority.”

First Lady Tammy Murphy Hosts Family Festival in Jersey City to Fight New Jersey's Maternal and Infant Health Crisis

First Lady Tammy Murphy hosted 2,100 mothers, fathers, grandparents, and others involved in taking care of a child at her sixth Family Festival in Jersey City. As part of Nurture NJ, her statewide awareness campaign to combat the maternal and infant health crisis in New Jersey, the First Lady developed the Family Festival event series in cities with high rates of maternal and infant mortality. The Family Festivals create a one-stop shop for state, county, and local resources.

“Family Festivals are a wonderful opportunity for caregivers to meet with state, county, and community partners,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “By providing support for our mothers and babies across a range of economic and social factors, we can begin to eliminate the racial inequities in our health care systems. Together, we will reach our goal of making New Jersey the safest place in the nation to give birth.”

Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Establishing Statewide Goals and Incentives for Increased Use of Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure

Governor Phil Murphy today signed comprehensive legislation (S2252) that establishes goals and incentives for the increased use of plug-in electric vehicles and infrastructure in New Jersey. The bill also codifies the Murphy Administration’s goal of 330,000 registered light-duty electric vehicles by 2025 and directs state-owned light-duty vehicles to be electric by 2035. The legislation directs the Department of Environmental Protection and Board of Public Utilities to establish goals for the electrification of medium and heavy-duty vehicles. Additionally, NJ TRANSIT will move toward zero emission bus purchases by 2032. The legislation supports Governor Murphy’s goal of putting New Jersey on a path to a 100 percent clean energy by 2050.

“Increasing the use of electric vehicles is a critical step to secure New Jersey’s clean energy future,” said Governor Murphy. “By establishing aggressive goals and strong incentives for electric vehicles, we are repositioning our economy and state for a clean future. Today, I am proudly signing bipartisan legislation that will transform New Jersey’s transportation sector and modernize our infrastructure to support our goal of reaching 100 percent clean energy by 2050.”