Gov. Phil Murphy took action on several bills this week which NJBIA had taken a position on, including his signing into law an NJBIA-bill that extends on-site worker flexibility for NJEDA tax incentives.
Here are some other bills signed into law this week by the governor, followed by NJBIA’s position on them, as well as bills still on his desk.
Signed Into Law
A-4425 – Ramirez (D32) • Spearman (D5) • Atkins (D20) • Gopal (D11) • Mukherji (D32) – Authorizes NJ Infrastructure Bank to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2025.
A-4478 – Calabrese (D36) • Karabinchak (D18) • Wimberly (D35) • Burzichelli (D3) – Authorizes NJ Infrastructure Bank to expend certain sums to make loans for transportation infrastructure projects for FY2025; makes appropriation.
NJBIA supported both bills that allow the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to support infrastructure investments.
A-4587 – Stanley (D18) • Cryan (D20) • Pou (D35) – Increases hours required for individual to obtain licensure as teacher in cosmetology and hairstyling or as massage and bodywork therapist.
NJBIA supported this legislation to align state training requirements with federal financial aid eligibility to ensure students have access to financial aid.
S-2344 – Ruiz (D29) • Cruz-Perez (D5) • Haider (D37) • Speight (D29) • Murphy (D7) – Limits availability of Child Care Facilities Improvement Program grants funded through Child Care Revitalization Act to licensed childcare centers.
NJBIA supported this legislation to streamline federal funding for facilities grants to licensed childcare providers.
NJBIA Position on Bills Remaining on Governor’s Desk:
A-4360 – Karabinchak (D18) • Greenwald (D6) • Verrelli (D15) • Scutari (D22) • Sarlo (D36) – “New Jersey Design Professional Self-Certification Act”; requires DCA to establish design professional self-certification program.
NJBIA supports this bill, which was the product of collaboration between the Governor’s Office, the legislature and business community, because it will expedite certain building construction in the state.
A-2288 – Lopez (D19) • Wimberly (D35) • Stanley (D18) • Ruiz (D29) • Turner (D15) – Establishes Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery in DOE.
NJBIA supports this legislation to strengthen reading and literacy outcomes for students.
S-2188 – Ruiz (D29) • Greenstein (D14) • Speight (D29) • Karabinchak (D18) • Verrelli (D15) – Requires DEP, DOH, owners or operators of certain public community water systems, and owners or operators of certain buildings or facilities to take certain actions to prevent and control cases of Legionnaires’ disease.
NJBIA opposes this bill because state and federal regulations already impose adequate requirements on water systems and the concerns addressed in the bill are more appropriately undertaken by the property owner.
S-2644 – Ruiz (D29) • Gopal (D11) • Morales (D34) • Lampitt (D6) • Quijano (D20) • Pintor Marin (D29) – Requires DOE to establish working group on student literacy; mandates universal literacy screenings for kindergarten through grade three students; requires professional development for certain school district employees.
NJBIA supports this legislation to strengthen reading and literacy outcomes for students.
S-2822 – Lagana (D38) • Verrelli (D15) • Karabinchak (D18) – Revises workers’ compensation law to increase contingency attorney fee cap in contingency case from 20 percent to 25 percent.
NJBIA opposes this legislation because this attorneys’ fee increase will significantly raise workers’ compensation cost for employers, including small businesses, and even chip away at awards for injured workers.
S-2875 – Pou (D35) • Freiman (D16) • Drulis (D16) • Speight (D29) – Makes certain changes to calculation of minimum loss ratio requirements for health benefits plans in individual and small employer markets.
NJBIA supports this legislation to align New Jersey’s MLR rules with federal laws and reduce volatile rate changes, benefitting small businesses.
If you have any questions regarding any NJBIA positions on a bill, please contact Christopher Emigholz at cemigholz@njbia.org or by phone at 609-751-2957.
