Education
Court Rules Students with Disabilities Entitled to Education after Earning GED – In an August 7 decision, the NJ Supreme Court ruled that students with disabilities are entitled to a free education in schools even after earning a diploma through the General Education Development (GED) test. The ruling overturned an earlier decision in the case of the Board of Education of the Township of Sparta v. M.N., which found that a student could not reenroll in high school after earning a degree through the GED. The Supreme Court ruled that because a GED is not a regular diploma, students with disabilities who earn a GED should still be able to enroll in school under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Advocates say this ruling will enable students with disabilities to access resources to support the transition to higher education, work, and other postsecondary paths.
Public Administration
State to Receive $16 Million for Flood Control Projects in Three Cities – The federal government has granted three NJ projects funding to mitigate flood damage. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will provide a total of $16 million for projects in Newark, Paterson, and Perth Amboy to advance ‘green’ infrastructure such as rain gardens and porous pavement as well as improved ‘gray’ infrastructure – concrete tanks, pipes, and drains. The grants support efforts to improve climate resilience in the state’s most developed and overburdened communities.
Appellate Court Rules State Cannot Shield OPRA Dispute Records from Disclosure – In an August 12 decision, a NJ appellate panel ruled that the Government Records Council cannot shield documents submitted as part of disputes under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) from disclosure. A 2022 rule under N.J.A.C. 5:105-1.6(a)(1) requires that the Council not release documents submitted to it as part of OPRA disputes until a decision is reached, which takes nearly two years on average. The presiding judges found that this rule had no legislative basis. Further, they found that the rule allowed the Council to replace the mandatory seven-day response period for record requests with its own much longer timeline. The Council had argued that it needed to protect its proceedings from undue influence and protect the disclosure of personal information. Judges found that there are sufficient protections to prevent the sharing of personal information within OPRA already.
Residents Start to Receive Senior Freeze Property Tax Relief Checks – Starting July 15, the state issued checks disbursing property tax relief for senior residents and residents with disabilities. The relief aims to ‘freeze’ annual growth in property tax rates through reimbursement. The state expanded eligibility for the program in 2023: homeowners making up to $163,000 annually may qualify. People eligible for the relief may submit an online application until October 31, 2024, for reimbursements on 2023 tax filings.
Transportation
Murphy’s Fare Holiday Prompts Excitement and Calls for Transit Improvements – Following a summer of significant service disruptions and delays, NJ Transit will offer a week of free travel on NJ Transit trains, buses, and rails from August 26 through September 2. Facing a significant budget shortfall, the agency instituted 15% fare hikes in July and found funding through a recently enacted corporate business tax surcharge. The fare holiday will cost NJ Transit $19 million; the agency has not announced how it will make up for this lost revenue. Though riders responded favorably to Gov. Murphy’s announcement of the weeklong fare holiday, many continue to call for greater improvements to the state’s transit infrastructure, as well as increased transparency and accountability from the transit agencies operating along the northeast corridor. In response to transit delays this summer, U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer has introduced federal legislation to codify a ‘Rail Passenger Bill of Rights.’