7-21-2023 11:02am

New Laws in New Jersey: Governor Murphy Signs 14 Bills into Law

Chris Connors Editor

The new laws span issues from suicide prevention training in schools to the expansion of the Foreclosure Mediation Assistance Program.

Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey has signed multiple bills into law today, addressing a variety of issues, including education, environmental projects, personal information disclosure, and more.

The new laws require additional school district personnel to undergo suicide prevention training (S-528/A-2815), permit certain school districts to establish a State military impact aid reserve account (S-3089/A-4722), and expand “Daniel’s Law” to prohibit the disclosure of personal information concerning child protective investigators (S-3125/A-4947).

They also increase maximum workers’ compensation fees for evaluating physicians and expand circumstances permitting physician legal fees (S-3309/A-4832). Another law mandates public institutions of higher education to submit annual fiscal monitoring reports, and authorizes the Secretary of Higher Education to appoint a State monitor of certain institutions. This law also requires higher education chief financial officers to complete training, and appropriates $100,000 annually (S3406/A-4970).

Governor Murphy has also approved legislation that allows certain municipal water systems to use lands preserved for recreation and conservation for drinking water wells and related facilities under specific circumstances (S-3444/A-5211). Another law designates the State Office of Emergency Management as the State Agency for Surplus Property (S-3753/A-5299).

Further laws modify the "New Jersey Innovation Evergreen Act" and "Food Desert Relief Act" (S-3783/A-5541), authorize the NJ Infrastructure Bank to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY 2024 (S-3796/A-5559, S-3797/A-5558, S-3873/A-5507), and permit retired teachers and special service staff members to return to employment for up to two years without reenrollment in the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) if employment commences during the 2023-2024 school year (S-3798/A-5422).

The governor also expanded the scope of the Foreclosure Mediation Assistance Program during the State of Emergency, allowing the use of program funds to pay counselors who help disaster victims process applications for assistance (A-4864/S-3795). Lastly, certain General Election deadlines were changed (A-5175/SCS for S-3519 and 3593).