Governor Murphy Announces Support for Allowing Formerly Incarcerated Persons to Serve on Juries

Governor Phil Murphy spoke at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice's 25th Anniversary Gala to discuss his Administration’s continued commitment to empowering communities of color across New Jersey. In his remarks, Governor Murphy highlighted his Administration’s progress in uplifting individuals who have previously been involved in the criminal justice system and publicly endorsed the legislative effort to restore the right to serve on juries to formerly incarcerated persons. The bill is currently sponsored by Senator Raj Mukherji and Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, and other prime sponsors last session or this session include Senator Brian Stack, Senator Angela McKnight, and Assemblymembers Shanique Speight and Reginald Atkins.

Currently, approximately 500,000 New Jersey residents are barred from jury service for life, with this population disproportionately coming from communities of color. A number of other states, including Maine, Indiana, North Dakota, and Washington, restore the right to serve on a jury after an individual has completed their term of incarceration.

“Today, I am proud to publicly announce my support for legislation that will restore the right to serve on juries to more than a half million formerly incarcerated individuals in New Jersey,” said Governor Murphy. “Our Administration believes in second chances, and restoring these individuals’ right to perform a fundamental civic duty is not just about ending an injustice that continues to plague our formerly incarcerated neighbors; it is also about defending the integrity of our democracy, our criminal justice system, and the rule of law. I thank the legislative sponsors of the bill for their leadership and look forward to working with them in this effort.”

“As we further our national lead in criminal justice reform, I stand by Governor Murphy in support of restoring formerly incarcerated individuals’ right to serve on a jury,” said Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way. “Having proudly led our state to restore voting rights for residents on probation or parole, I am confident that this additional measure will strengthen our democracy, bring a broader perspective to juries across our state, and better reflect our communities.”

During the Murphy Administration, New Jersey has solidified its standing as one of the nation’s most progressive criminal justice systems and has implemented several initiatives to support formerly incarcerated individuals through the reintegration process.

Governor Murphy Cuts the Ribbon at HAX Flagship U.S. HQ in Newark

Governor Phil Murphy, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) joined company leaders to cut the ribbon on HAX, LLC’s newly constructed United States flagship headquarters located at 707 Broad Street in Newark. HAX, a startup development program for pre-seed hard tech companies, with offices across the world, supports startups and entrepreneurs through investment capital, mentorship, and collaboration.

“One of the key priorities of my administration has been to expand our innovation economy by providing critical resources to entrepreneurs who want to bring their world-class ideas to New Jersey,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “HAX’s investment in Newark and New Jersey is a testament to the diverse talent pool the Garden State has to offer. From HAX to the Princeton AI Hub, to the Helix and Edge Works, New Jersey’s innovation story is evolving and our investment in the field will lead to long-term, sustainable economic growth.”

HAX, which is operated by Princeton-based venture capital firm SOSV, provides support for emerging companies, including a $250,000 initial investment in each participating company, 180 days of hands-on collaboration, and a global community for early-stage founders building hard tech startups. The 35,000-square-foot space on Broad Street boasts tools and workspaces such as chemical, mechanical, and electrical engineering labs, 3D printing, manual metal fabrication, Computer Numerical Control machining, and laser cutting. Since May of 2022, 32 HAX-supported startups have been operating out of the company’s temporary space in Newark.

“I’ve long disputed the idea that cities lack an appropriate workforce. What we lack is appropriate investment,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “HAX’s investment in Newark goes beyond being appropriate because it recognizes that innovation, creativity, collaboration and diligence are inscribed in our history and embedded in our DNA. With the opening of HAX, Newark accelerates its momentum as an emergent global hub for manufacturing and technological breakthroughs. I thank HAX and our advocates at Invest Newark and Newark Alliance for this critical partnership and extend my gratitude to Governor Murphy, our supportive legislators and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.”

In 2021, SOSV issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) regarding its intent to establish HAX’s U.S. headquarters. After submitting a response to the RFP and showing potential locations to SOSV leadership, the NJEDA was awarded the RFP. New Jersey was one of several states across the East Coast and Mid-West to submit a response. The two entities signed a Letter of Intent, with both the NJEDA and SOSV investing $25 million to establish HAX, LLC. As its contribution, SOSV committed to taking 100 companies through the HAX program over the next five years and investing $25 million in these startups. Companies participating in the HAX program are expected to generate at least 2,500 new, high-paying jobs in the area and attract millions in new capital.

Governor Murphy Signs Bipartisan Legislation Codifying State Certification Program for LQBTQ+-Owned Businesses

Governor Phil Murphy signed bipartisan legislation codifying the program he established through Executive Order No. 295 (2022) that directed the New Jersey Department of the Treasury to establish a certification for LGBTQ+-Owned Businesses. Business certifications support underrepresented groups in gaining access to certain contracting opportunities and government programs.

Signed by the Governor in May of 2022 alongside the Pride Chamber of Commerce, Executive Order No. 295 underscored that LGBTQ+ businesses are a crucial part of the state’s economic health and growth and are encouraged to conduct business in New Jersey. Through this legislation, the program will continue beyond the Murphy Administration, benefitting generations to come.

“New Jersey is proud to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community year-round, but it is particularly special to sign this law into effect just a few weeks ahead of PRIDE month,” said Governor Murphy. “LGBTQ+ business owners are critical to the Garden State and our economy, and I am honored to support endeavors that uplift underrepresented communities and embrace authenticity. By codifying this certification program in statute, we ensure that the opportunity to proudly identify as an LGBTQ+-owned business will last for many years to come.”

As of this week, the Department of the Treasury has certified 141 LBGTQ+ businesses across New Jersey.

“Dozens of businesses have become certified as an LGBTQ-owned enterprise since the launch of the program one year ago,” said State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio. “Treasury is proud to play a role in elevating LGBTQ-owned businesses, as well as small, minority, women, and veteran-owned enterprises that help make up the backbone of our economy. I’d like to thank the dedicated staff of our Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services for their hard work behind the scenes to launch this program and help New Jersey businesses grow and thrive.”

Certification programs are also in place for small, minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and disabled-veteran-owned businesses. Enshrining this program aligns with Governor Murphy’s longstanding efforts to boost local economies, promote equal opportunity, and provide supports and protections to New Jersey’s vast LGBTQ+ community.

New Jersey to Get Over $123 Million for Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $123.1 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help New Jersey identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. This announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, takes another major step to advance this work and environmental justice, and bolsters the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. 

Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative as lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, which would secure clean drinking water for countless families.  

“The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.” 

“Every New Jerseyan deserves safe drinking water when they turn on their tap and this major injection of funding will further bolster the work to achieve that goal,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “For too long, the urgent need to improve our drinking water systems has far outweighed the available funding. This crucial Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is helping close that gap.” 

“The public health threat posed by our aging water infrastructure is a challenge across both our state and the nation. In order to prevent toxic exposures for this generation and beyond, we have committed to replacing every lead service line in New Jersey by 2031,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the support of the U.S. EPA and our congressional delegation, the substantial federal resources pouring into New Jersey will put us a great deal closer to this goal.”  

“This investment in replacing New Jersey’s lead service lines will help ensure we deliver safe, clean drinking water while also creating jobs. In a nation as wealthy as ours, every child should be guaranteed the right to safe drinking water,” said U.S. Senator Cory Booker. “I’m proud to have voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make investments like this that will pay dividends in our health, well-being, and prosperity for generations to come."

New Research Finds Hudson Tunnel Project Will Generate 95,000 Jobs, $19.6 Billion in Economic Activity

A new report released by Regional Plan Association (RPA) finds that the Hudson Tunnel Project (HTP) will generate $19.6 billion in economic activity and create approximately 95,000 jobs during its construction – an increase of 20,000 jobs over previous estimates.

The report utilizes research done on behalf of the Gateway Development Commission (GDC) that found the three early works components of the Hudson Tunnel Project currently underway, which represent roughly $1 billion in awarded contracts, will yield 7,500 jobs and generate $625 million of labor income. The new estimates of the project’s overall impact were obtained by extrapolating this analysis over the $16 billion in total construction spend for the Hudson Tunnel Project. 

“The $1 billion in construction contracts we’ve awarded so far are already creating thousands of jobs and pumping millions of dollars into the economy, and that’s only the beginning,” said GDC CEO Kris Kolluri. “Now this report shows the overall impact of the project will be even greater than we thought, and that the Hudson Tunnel Project is a big win for the region and the nation.”

“The Hudson Tunnel Project is the most pressing infrastructure project of our time, and it will bring enormous benefits to our region and nation,” said Tom Wright, President and CEO of RPA. “This new report emphasizes the broad economic benefits of the project, which are already being generated by $1 billion in early work contracts. RPA’s research has found that the economic ties of the region are strong, and that a reliable, 21st-century transportation system is essential to maintaining this connection. The Hudson Tunnel Project will set the stage for long-term economic growth by connecting more residents to jobs in the region and expanding the size of the workforce that employers can draw from.”

Active construction of the HTP is underway on both sides of the Hudson River, at the Tonnelle Avenue Bridge and Utility Relocation Project in New Jersey and the Hudson Yards Concrete Casing Section 3 (HYCC-3) Project in New York. When construction of the Hudson River Ground Stabilization (HRGS) Project begins in July, more than $1 billion worth of construction activity will be in the ground.