ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. renewed his request to Gov. Phil Murphy, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin to reenact the 2-percent cap on interest-arbitration increases for police and fire employees Tuesday, Aug. 14. The measure was first introduced in 2011 and renewed in 2014, before it was […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Former Gov. Brendan Byrne, a West Orange native, died Thursday, Jan. 4, at the age of 93. The Democrat was a two-term governor of New Jersey, from 1974 to 1982. While in office, Byrne enacted the state’s first income tax, legalized casino gambling and led to the development of the Meadowlands […]
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — This election season in Essex County was quite eventful, with a combined 55 elections and four public questions. There were a whopping 159 candidates listed on the various county ballots. All results remain unofficial until certified by Essex County Clerk Christopher J. Durkin. The biggest election was of course that for […]
TRENTON, NJ — Things have been busy in Trenton recently. Gov. Chris Christie has taken action in many instances of pending legislation. In the past two months, according to the governor’s office, Christie has signed many bills into law, including: S-169/A-4329 to allow certain emergency squad volunteers holding municipal elected office to vote on emergency […]
TRENTON, NJ — Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Shavonda Sumter, Mila Jasey, Dan Benson, Elizabeth Maher Muoio and Joann Downey to combat student loan debt in New Jersey was signed into law on Monday, Aug. 7. “The only concern a college student should have after graduating is choosing which job will lead them closer to […]
TRENTON, NJ — On July 21, two bills designed to protect the rights of transgender persons became law. Legislation sponsored by state senators M. Teresa Ruiz and Joseph Vitale requiring the commissioner of education to develop guidelines for school districts to protect transgender students was signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie. “We must ensure […]
TRENTON, NJ — Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats John McKeon, Mila Jasey and Valerie Vainieri Huttle to ensure stiff penalties for anyone who commits vehicular homicide while driving drunk is now law. The new law, A-3686, known as “Ralph and David’s Law,” establishes a new crime of “strict liability vehicular homicide” for killing a […]
TRENTON, NJ — Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats John McKeon, John Burzichelli, Troy Singleton and Marlene Caride to help protect sensitive taxpayer information is now law. The new law, A-4994, requires certain state and local government agency employees with access to federal tax information to undergo criminal history background checks. The measure enables New Jersey […]
TRENTON, NJ — Legislation sponsored by state senators Richard J. Codey and Joseph F. Vitale raising the minimum age to buy tobacco products and electronic smoking devices from 19 to 21 years of age in New Jersey was signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie on July 21. “The governor and I have finally found […]
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Local residents were fuming as Gov. Chris Christie announced May 23 that the Morris & Essex Midtown Direct trains to Penn Station will be diverted to Hoboken for approximately eight weeks this summer while Penn Station is upgraded to repair tracks and switches, which have been deteriorating for many years. In […]