Governor Murphy Directs the Lowering of U.S. And New Jersey Flags in Honor of Justice Alan B. Handler

Former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Alan Handler passed away on Thursday, May 23. Governor Murphy signed Executive Order No. 359, ordering U.S. and New Jersey flags to fly at half-staff on Friday, May 31 in Justice Handler's honor. Soon after his passing, Governor Murphy issued the following statement:

"Tammy and I are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Alan Handler at the age of 92. Justice Handler was a giant in New Jersey law. During his tenure as a Justice from 1977 to 1999, Justice Handler was regarded as one of the Court's intellectual leaders who helped drive the Wilentz Court to national prominence. One of the most notable of his nearly 500 opinions was his majority opinion in Abbott v. Burke, which launched a sea change in the distribution of school funding that continues to this day. Apart from his brilliance, Justice Handler was beloved by his colleagues for his sense of humor, curiosity, and tenacity.

"Yet even before Justice Handler's time on the Court, his contributions to public life in New Jersey were enormous. Born in Newark, he graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. After starting his career in private practice, he joined the Office of the Attorney General, rising to the position of First Assistant Attorney General before being appointed to the Superior Court in 1968. Justice Handler was promoted to the Appellate Division in 1973, where he left a lasting legacy that included being one of the judges who ruled that girls must be allowed to play Little League baseball. Justice Handler resigned from the bench in 1976 to serve as Governor Byrne's chief counsel, before his ascension to the New Jersey Supreme Court a year later.

"Justice Handler was essential in transforming New Jersey's judiciary into the envy of the nation.  His service made our state a fairer and more just place for all of our residents. We extend our deepest condolences to his daughters Nancy, Carolyn, and Julia, his stepchildren Kara and Sean, and his many nieces and nephews, and we will forever be grateful for his extraordinary life."

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Governor Murphy Announces Opening of Union County Veterans Services Office, Finalizing Push to Establish Office in All 21 Counties

With the grand opening of the Union County Veterans Service Office, Governor Phil Murphy announced that all New Jersey veterans and their families now have in-county access to a dedicated Veterans Service Office (VSO), which provide life-changing services through the state and federal government. This opening marks the fulfillment of the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2024 promise to expand the state’s VSOs into all 21 counties. The announcement was followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMAVA).

“New Jerseyans who have answered the call to serve deserve our utmost respect and support. By expanding the footprint of our Veterans Service Offices to every New Jersey county, we are ensuring veterans and their families have easy access to the state and federal benefits they have earned,” said Governor Murphy. “Effective from May 31st, New Jersey heroes from Sussex to Cape May Counties can visit their local Veterans Service Office to receive critical access to a wide range of services. It is an honor to make these resources and supports more readily accessible for our veterans.”

“New Jersey is investing more, doing more, and achieving more in the area of state-delivered veterans benefits, programs, and services,” said Maj. Gen. Lisa J. Hou, D.O., Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and The Adjutant General of New Jersey. “The opening of the State of New Jersey Union County Veterans Service Office completes Governor Murphy’s initiative to establish a point of entry for service members, Veterans, and their families in each of the Garden State’s 21 counties. Expanding access is the cornerstone of our efforts to connect those who have worn the uniform with the benefits that they have earned through their service to the United States.”

Establishing new Veterans Service Offices in Camden, Cape May, Middlesex, Passaic, Salem, Union, and Warren Counties was a priority in the Fiscal Year 2024 State Budget supported by an $825,000 investment. Additional funds have been proposed in the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget for this initiative.

With the expansion to Union County, all 21 New Jersey counties are now equipped with an office dedicated to delivering important employment, education, counseling, housing, social, and medical services, providing critical support to veterans and their families.

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Murphy Administration Announces Developments in Offshore Wind Industry

Governor Phil Murphy and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) announced the acceleration of the State’s offshore wind solicitation schedule, expediting the projected opening of the fifth offshore wind solicitation from Q3 2026 to Q2 2025. By advancing New Jersey’s solicitation schedule, the Murphy Administration builds upon the momentum of the state’s growing offshore wind industry, bringing additional economic benefits and jobs for the Garden State.

“Offshore wind development remains a once-in-a-generation opportunity that will result in significant economic and environmental benefits throughout the Garden State,” said Governor Murphy. “At this pivotal inflection point for the industry both in New Jersey and across the nation, it’s critical that we remain committed to delivering on the promise of thousands of family-sustaining, union jobs and cleaner air for generations to come.”

“New Jersey’s economic and environmental future depends on the bold action we take today to secure billions of dollars in economic benefits and a significant reduction in emissions from the electric sector,” said NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. “By accelerating New Jersey’s offshore wind development schedule, we underscore our commitment to realizing the industry’s full potential for the benefit of all New Jerseyans.”

The NJBPU recently announced the opening of the state’s fourth solicitation for 1.2 to 4 gigawatts of offshore wind generation capacity. The application window will remain open until 5:00 p.m. ET on July 10, 2024.

The NJBPU also announced that it will pause on moving forward with the Second State Agreement Approach (SAA) for coordinated offshore wind transmission planning with regional grid operator, PJM Interconnection (PJM). The decision to pause follows the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) release of Order 1920 which addresses long term regional transmission planning and PJM’s ongoing interconnection queue reform process, each of which impacts planning and costs. Pausing at this time affords Board staff the opportunity to fully evaluate the implications of the new FERC rule and participate in PJM’s process to ensure the best outcome to meet New Jersey’s transmission needs at the least cost to ratepayers.

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Human Services Releases Age-Friendly Blueprint, Announces Grant Program to Help Communities Implement Strategies to Make NJ More Age-Friendly

With New Jersey’s older adult population steadily growing, Human Services released the NJ Age-Friendly Blueprint, which provides strategies and best practices to improve New Jersey’s communities for older adults and enable people to remain in their homes and communities as they age.

The Department also announced the dedication of $5.5 million to launch an Age-Friendly Community Grant Program to help communities advance Age-Friendly practices, prioritizing those in the Blueprint. The grant program is expected to launch later this year.

 “The NJ Age-Friendly Blueprint and grant program reaffirms our commitment to supporting New Jerseyans at every stage of life,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “These important strategies and best practices will help us ensure that New Jersey’s communities are age-friendly, accessible, and inclusive. In New Jersey, we will continue to work to help enhance the quality of life for every resident, regardless of age.”

Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman made the announcement at the Brookdale Senior Apartments in Teaneck during an event to commemorate Older Americans Month. She was joined by Teaneck Mayor Michael Pagan, Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suarez, Department of Health Deputy Commissioner Jeff Brown, Age-Friendly Teaneck Executive Director Elizabeth Davis, and AARP New Jersey State Director Chris Widelo.

“New Jersey, like the rest of the country, is at the threshold of an enormous demographic shift. The growth in our older adult population is an opportunity to make our communities more inclusive and integrated – it is not a problem to solve, but a chance to rethink how we want to live, work, and engage in our communities throughout the lifespan,” said Commissioner Adelman. “The Blueprint coupled with the grant program will enable communities to make strategic changes that will have a lasting impact, and make it easier for residents to remain independent, stay in their homes and participate in the community as they grow older.”

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EPA Announces More Than $12 Million in Rebates for Clean School Buses Across New Jersey

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selections to receive rebates under the 2023 Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, including rebates to benefits kids in New Jersey. Eleven school districts in New Jersey will benefit from a total of over $12 million in rebates that will provide almost 70 clean school buses. The program will help New Jersey accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles and to replace older, diesel school buses, which have been linked to asthma and other conditions that harm the health of students and surrounding communities. 

“President Biden believes every child deserves the opportunity to lead a healthy life and breathe clean air, and his Investing in America agenda is designed to deliver just that,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “With today’s latest round of funding, we are transforming the nation’s school bus fleet to better protect our most precious cargo—our kids—saving school districts money, improving air quality, and bolstering American manufacturing all at the same time.” 

“Protecting our kids by delivering more funding for clean school buses in New Jersey is not only protective of public health, but also another leap forward in the fight against climate change by reducing harmful diesel emissions," said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "Every child, should be able to open their school bus window and take a deep breath of fresh air, whether on the bus or at the bus stop.”? 

The school districts slated to benefit in NJ are: 

• Beverly City School District has been selected to receive $345,000 in rebate funding to purchase one clean school bus.  
• Brick Township Public School District has been selected to receive $5,180,000 in rebate funding to purchase 25 clean school buses. 
• Burlington County Special Services School District has been selected to receive $1,615,000 in rebate funding to purchase 10 clean school buses. 
• Clifton Public School District has been selected to receive $640,000 in rebate funding to purchase three clean school buses.  
• Denville Township K-8 School District has been selected to receive $400,000 rebate funding to purchase two clean school buses.  
• Haddonfield School District has been selected to receive $745,000 in rebate funding to purchase four clean school buses. 
• Jackson Township School District has been selected to receive $1,000,000 in rebate funding to purchase five clean school buses.  
• Readington Township School District has been selected to receive $200,000 in rebate funding to purchase one clean school bus.  
• South Hunterdon Regional School District has been selected to receive $800,000 in rebate funding to purchase four clean school buses. 
• Summit Public School District has been selected to receive $800,000 in rebate funding to purchase four clean school buses. 
• Toms River Regional School District has been selected to receive $600,000 in rebate funding to purchase 10 clean school buses.  

“New Jersey is thankful to the Biden Administration for these historic investments that will allow our schools to transition to zero-emissions school buses,” said NJ Governor Phil Murphy. “As the most densely populated state in the country, it is critical that we work to ensure our young learners are breathing clean air. This exciting opportunity to replace older, polluting buses will create cleaner and healthier environments for our students, further solidifying the strength of New Jersey’s nation-leading public schools.”

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