Health
State Signs Contract with Nonprofit to Erase Medical Debt – New Jersey has signed a contract with the nonprofit organization Undue Medical Debt to facilitate the erasure of $100,000 in medical debt held by over 50,000 state residents. The state will provide $10.5 million in federal pandemic aid to purchase debt at a steep discount, which the organization will then cancel. To qualify, a resident must make four times the federal poverty level or lower or owe at least 5% of their annual income. This initiative follows the recent passage of the Louisa Carman Medical Debt Relief Act, which enacts various protections for medical debt holders.
Public Administration
AG Releases New Guidance to Prevent Police Killings in Barricade Situations – Following the July 28 police killing of 25-year-old Victoria Lee in Fort Lee, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin issued a directive on Aug. 22 with the aim to reduce police killings in emergency responses to barricaded people. The directive orders police officers responding to barricade situations to bring a mental health professional, wait before forcing their way inside, bring less lethal weapons with them (such as a taser), and immediately inform a supervisor. The implementation of these new policies is subject to staffing and resource availability.
Public outcry against the 2023 police killings of two men experiencing mental health crises – Najee Seabrooks in Paterson and Andrew Washington in Jersey City – has prompted the expansion of ARRIVE Together, a program that pairs mental health professionals with police. This is in addition to the January passage of legislation establishing a community crisis response team pilot program. Washington’s family has recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city, Hudson county, and a local hospital. New Jersey police have shot and killed five people this year.
New Law Increases Pay for County Prosecutors and Appellate Judges – On Aug. 22, Senate Nicholas Scutari (acting as NJ’s chief executive while the governor and lieutenant governor attend the Democratic National Convention) signed into law S2470/A3930, codified as P.L.2024, c.56. The legislation raises the salaries of county prosecutors to $204,167 and of appellate judges to $218,546, retroactive to the beginning of 2024. The law also allows judges to collect judicial pensions while receiving their full salaries and provides for annual cost-of-living adjustments indexed to the Consumer Price Index. The legislation aims to attract and retain qualified professionals to these positions and will cost the state an estimated $135,900 in the current fiscal year.
Gov. Murphy Slow to Act on Horse Racing Subsidies – Gov. Murphy has been slow to sign legislation extending annual horse racing subsidies through the 2029 fiscal year. Both state legislative bodies passed A2610/S3203 in June, and the governor approved a 2025 fiscal year budget allocating $20 million in state aid for the horseracing industry. Proponents of the subsidy argue the industry supports 3,700 jobs statewide and brings in $75 million in revenue for the state annually. Gov. Murphy has not yet signed the bill into law, prompting concern he will pocket-veto the measure. He did not act on approved legislation to extend the subsidies at the end of the last legislative session.
Transportation
NJ Transit Announces Free December Transit for Students Purchasing Monthly Passes – NJ Transit has announced a new discount for college student commuters. Students who purchase monthly passes in September, October, and November 2024 will receive a December 2024 pass for free. The monthly student pass already offers students attending one of over 70 higher education institutions in New Jersey, New York City, and Philadelphia a 25% discount on monthly transit passes. Part-time students are now also eligible for the student pass.
Transit Agencies Continue to Investigate Sources of Rail Delays – Following a summer of consistent train delays, NJ Transit and Amtrak released an update on Aug. 29, reporting the agencies are still working to identify the root causes of disrupted service. Alongside the Federal Railroad Administration, the agencies are analyzing data from equipment inspections to consider solutions, such as expanding work crews’ nighttime schedules to expedite repairs. The joint report follows the agencies’ pledge to Gov. Murphy in June to coordinate their work and offer updates to the public. Commuters will enjoy a week of free rides on NJ Transit from Aug. 26 through Sept. 2 as a ‘thank-you’ for their patience with rail delays this summer.