Manufacturing Caucus Announces Priorities

Mike Wallace – VP, Government Affairs

On Friday, October 25 the legislative manufacturing caucus announced their priorities focusing on four key themes: Improving Workforce Development, Supporting Innovation Ecosystem & Infrastructure, Reducing Burdensome over-Regulation, and Lowering the Cost of Doing Business.

NJBIA looks forward to working with the Legislature to advance these priorities supports the priorities as they are keenly aligned to our mission of strengthening and growing the manufacturing industry, which is so essential to New Jersey’s economy.

Improving Workforce Development

1. New Legislation to Create Permanent Source of Funding for NJMEP
   • Dedicate 1.2% (roughly $1.5 million and can grow if fund grows) annually from the New Jersey Workforce Development Partnership Fund total revenues
   • Support NJMEP expansion to better support South Jersey manufacturers and NLMEP’s new Pro-action Education Network (PEN) training program
2. Apprenticeship Bill Package
   • Passed Senate and need to move in Assembly
     • S-3061 (Ruiz/Greenstein)/A-4603 (Lampitt/Mukherji/Benson), S-3062 (Ruiz/Greenstein)/A-2049 (Howarth), S-3063 (Ruiz)/A-4655 (Armato/Huttle/DeAngelo), S-3064 (Ruiz/Singleton)/A-4656 (Armato/Conaway/Swain), S-3065 (Ruiz/Singleton)/A-4657 (Armato/Benson), S-3066 (Ruiz/Singleton)/A-4604 (Lampitt/Mukherji/Benson), S-3068 (Ruiz/Singleton)/A-4829 (Lopez/Jackson/Timberlake), S-3069 (Ruiz/Singleton)/A-4654 (Armato/DeAngelo), S-3070 (Ruiz/Singleton)/A-4667 (Lampitt/Jackson/Benson)
   • New Legislation to add to package to codify Office of Apprenticeships in New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development to support employers utilizing or seeking to utilize apprenticeships
   • More Information can be found at https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/senator-m-teresa-ruiz-leads-new-jersey-national-apprenticeship-week-introduction-inclusive-apprenticeship-bill-package/
3. S-1286 (Bucco/Greenstein)/A-900 (DeCroce/Bucco/Zwicker)
   • Promotes credentialing and workforce development for manufacturing employees and creates positon in Department of State to support manufacturing
4. S-1398 (Van Drew/Greenstein)/A-3941 (DeAngelo/Conaway/Bucco)
   • Requires Secretary of Higher Education to create a manufacturing career pathway

Supporting Innovation Ecosystem & Infrastructure Improvements

1. S-1921 (Singleton/Sweeney/A-1930 (Mukherji/Chaparro/Chiaravalloti/Huttle/Schaer)
   • Creates Edison Innovation Science and Technology Fund in EDA to promote research and development
   • Passed Senate Committee
2. S-2614 (Lagana/Kean)/A-2080 (Huttle/Zwicker/Benson/Sumter/McKnight)
   • Creates NJ STEM Entrepreneur Fellowship Program in New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development
   • Passed Assembly Committee
3. S-461 (Singer/Greenstein)
   • Creates EDA program designating institutions of higher education as qualified manufacturing resource centers

Reducing Burdensome Over-Regulation

1. S-2356 (Bucco/Greenstein)/A1392 (Bucco/Pintor Marin/Houghtaling)
   • Requires surveys and reporting from New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development on why businesses downsize or leave the State
   • Passed Senate Committees and passed Senate in prior sessions
2.  S-4125 (Oroho/Sarlo/Greenstein)
   • Creates Government Efficiency and Regulatory Review (GEARR) Commission
   • Manufacturing Caucus should also support the legislative effort on this front recently announced by Senate President Sweeney.

Lowering the Cost of Doing Business

1. Prioritize Support for Manufacturers in Upcoming Tax Incentive Re-Authorization
   • Support manufacturers in rural and suburban areas with struggling economies
   • Lower employee thresholds for tax incentives because of capital intensive aspect of manufacturing
   • Increase support for capital purchases over just jobs
2.  Minimum Wage Relief
   • S-3607 (Gopal/Corrado)/A-5226 (Freiman/Mazzeo/Downey)
     • Suspension of minimum wage increases in struggling economy
   • S-3608 (Gopal/Corrado)/A-5228 (Freiman/Mazzeo/Swain)
     • Creates task force to study impact of minimum wage increase on business community
3.  Support Path to Progress Reforms to Make New Jersey More Affordable