3-09-2023 6:29pm

Update: New Laws in New Jersey, Gov. Murphy Signs 7 Bills into Law - March 13, 2023

Recent Updates from the New Jersey Legislature and Governor Murphy – As of March 13, 2023, Governor Murphy signs 7 new bills into law.

We've been documenting the legislative progress of our senate, assembly, and governor since the inception of Morristown Minute. Since our last update on the office of the Governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy has signed seven new bills into law. Here’s what you need to know.

What’s New…

Today, March 13, 2023, the Governor signed 7 bills into law...

S-297/A-493 (Greenstein, Madden/Murphy, Benson, Calabrese) - Requires public agencies and government contractors to report cybersecurity incidents to New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness

S-428/ACS for A-3039 (Smith, Oroho/Thomson, Calabrese, Freiman) - Extends Right to Farm Act protections to certain shellfish aquaculture activities

S-743/A-189 (Lagana, Johnson/Rooney, McKeon) - Requires publication of certain information related to toll discounts on E-ZPass website

S-2709/A-4524 (Cruz-Perez, Singer/Moen) - Permits appointment of additional alternate deputy registrars

S-3124/A-4792 (Diegnan/Benson, Spearman, Wimberly) - Changes definition of eligible contract for DOT grant program to compensate certain contractors and subcontractors affected by supply chain shortages

AJR-171/SJR-79 (Mosquera, Lampitt, Chaparro/Ruiz, Cunningham) - Permanently designates first full week in April as “Week of the Young Child” in New Jersey

A-256/S-732 (Munoz, DeFuccio, Speight/Madden) - Requires certain health care facilities to adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke via use of smoke evacuation system

In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)…

S3595 – Changes certain deadlines for the primary election. [Mar.9.2023] Approved P.L.2023, c.16.

A978 – Authorizes the issuance of Kappa Alpha Psi license plates. [Mar.6.2023] Approved P.L.2023, c.15.

A2857 – Requires NJT to pay certain persons one-and-a-half times the regular rate for work during commercial vehicle travel restrictions issued by DOT. [Feb. 23.2023] Approved P.L.2023, c.14.

A5086 – Increases minimum monthly benefit under State SNAP Minimum Benefits Program from $50 to $95 and authorizes DHS to increase program benefit amount. [Feb.8.2023] Approved P.L.2023, c.13.

On February 6, 2023, Governor Murphy signed the following bills into law…

A-1775/S-2910 (DeAngelo, Mukherji, Karabinchak/Johnson, Cryan) - Requires DCA to provide certain information on low-income home energy assistance program, annually update program handbook and issue program requests for proposal, and provide quarterly training sessions on administering the program.

A-4065/S-2497 (Kennedy, Danielsen/Johnson, Singer) - Allows use of Internet website addresses in advertisements for purposes of communicating license numbers of burglar alarms, fire alarms, and locksmith businesses and professionals.

Governor Murphy signed two bills into law on February 2, 2023…

S-646/A-823 (O'Scanlon, Johnson/Timberlake, Mejia, Reynolds-Jackson) - Requires NJTA and SJTA to check the E-ZPass database before issuing an E-ZPass violation.

A-3523/S-2305 (Benson, Stanley, Conaway/Gopal, Greenstein) - Requires health insurers to cover colorectal cancer screenings recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force and eliminates cost-sharing requirements for certain colonoscopies.

On January 30 of this year, Governor Murphy signed the following bills into law:

S-147/A-1116 (Diegnan, Corrado/Chaparro, Benson, Mukherji) – Requires DOT to implement a complete streets policy considering persons with certain disabilities.

S-3249/A-4833 (Codey, Smith/Haider, Verrelli, Atkins) – Amends lists of projects eligible to receive loans for environmental infrastructure projects from NJ Infrastructure Bank for FY2023.

S-3250/A-4834 (Greenstein, Smith/Speight, Carter, Conaway) – Amends lists of environmental infrastructure projects approved for long-term funding by DEP; makes various changes to FY2023 environmental infrastructure funding program.

January 10, 2023, Governor Murphy signed the following bills into law:

A-1438/S-2196 (Kennedy, Mukherji, Stanley/Scutari) - Increases the maximum penalty for certain violations concerning asbestos hazard abatement; allocates money from increased penalties to asbestos programs.

A-3444/S-3140 (Freiman, Swain/Zwicker, Gill) - Establishes Organic Farming Board in the Department of Agriculture.

A-4768/S-3162 (Quijano, Atkins/Cryan, Madden) - Revises effective date of severance requirements under “Millville Dallas Airmotive Plant Job Loss Notification Act.”

Morristown Minute will continue to provide basic, objective overviews of the legislative process. Share how you feel about these legislative updates with your neighbors in the comments.