Governor Murphy, Amtrak, and NJ TRANSIT Highlight Recent Service, Infrastructure, and Reliability Improvements

Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT joined Governor Phil Murphy to share the positive progress on their joint inspection, maintenance, and improvement program for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) infrastructure and NJ TRANSIT’s trains, which has increased the service reliability for customers on the NEC over the last several months. This meeting followed the June 27th convening led by Governor Murphy to determine a joint action plan designed to address several major service disruptions that occurred throughout the summer. After issuing a report in August, which included details of joint efforts and progress to date, Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT released a new progress report and discussed the recently-awarded grants for nearly $300 million in federal funding to modernize critical rail infrastructure in New Jersey.

“This summer, I brought Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT together to address unacceptably long, disruptive rail delays on NJ TRANSIT that were a consistent problem in the spring and early summer,” said Governor Murphy. “With today’s meeting, we are proud to announce that Amtrak has now completed its inspection of all 240 miles of catenary overhead wire systems between Trenton and New York City. And while the fundamental challenge facing our mass transit system continues to be aging infrastructure, we believe that these completed repairs, and the infrastructure investments to come, will make sure New Jerseyans have an easier time getting where they need to go when they need to get there.”

“Our partnership with NJ TRANSIT and joint commitment to Governor Murphy to ensure that  our collective customers have safe and reliable train service is achieving results,” said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. “Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT will continue to conduct inspections, make short-term repairs and seek more funding to fully modernize all aspects of our infrastructure over the long term, including our electric traction system, catenary, signals, switches and more.”

“While we are pleased with the progress that has improved reliability for tens of thousands of NJ TRANSIT rail customers, our joint efforts will continue,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “It’s essential that we sustain the same level of attention we have demonstrated over the past five months. In addition to the work we are doing to add fiberglass protectors on our pantographs to protect them from impact damage on the NEC catenary, NJ TRANSIT will continue to support Amtrak’s efforts to accelerate the work to upgrade the most vulnerable infrastructure along the NEC.”

The execution of the joint action plan followed several major service disruptions in May and June, together with a variety of smaller incidents that reduced service reliability on the NEC between Trenton and New York City. Following June’s public meeting with Governor Murphy, Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT outlined immediate actions, investigations, inspections and repairs that both companies undertook together to address these issues. These comprehensive actions taken since June have greatly contributed to a noticeable decline in similar occurrences over the past several months and service quality has returned to typical levels.

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Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Ensuring Pregnant Patients Receive Personalized Postpartum Care Plan

Governor Phil Murphy signed S912/A3887 into law, requiring health care professionals to ensure all patients have the opportunity to develop a comprehensive, personalized postpartum care plan consistent with their unique and anticipated needs. The bipartisan legislation requires health care professionals to offer pregnant patients a postpartum planning session as early as the first trimester of pregnancy. It also requires health care facilities providing maternity care services to ensure that postpartum care information is provided to all patients receiving maternity care services prior to being discharged at the end of a pregnancy, including for patients who have experienced a stillbirth or pregnancy loss.

The New Jersey Maternal Mortality Review Committee has found that most pregnancy-related deaths occur in the postpartum period. This law will help address preventable factors like care continuity and patient knowledge about risk indicators. This builds on existing efforts through Nurture NJ to enhance postpartum care, such as continuous NJ FamilyCare coverage for 365 days postpartum and the continued expansion of Family Connects NJ, New Jersey’s universal nurse home visitation program.

“New Jersey has made significant progress over the last seven years in our work to reduce maternal and infant mortality, and our efforts have shown how increased care continuity and access to information can improve outcomes for families across our state,” said Governor Murphy. “Today’s action will ensure our health professionals are empowering pregnant patients and new families with information and resources to stay healthy, identify postpartum risks, and reach care after the end of a pregnancy.”

"There is no playbook one mysteriously inherits after delivering a baby and certainly not one that eases the physical challenges moms need to overcome while taking care of a newborn. As a society, we must uplift our families and ensure they have the care and support they need," said First Lady Tammy Murphy. "Through Nurture NJ, we are continuing to build a network of services to ensure that every family has all the resources to do just that: live and thrive. Today's bill signing not only targets the health of our moms postpartum but also prioritizes the best health for every family across New Jersey."

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NJEDA Board Approves $10 Million Small Business Liquor License Grant Program

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board approved the creation of the Small Business Liquor License Grant Program. The new program, funded at $10 million, will provide up to $100,000 in grant funding to reimburse eligible small businesses that have purchased an inactive plenary retail consumption liquor license within the past 12 months, supporting the reactivation of over 1,300 inactive licenses.

 “The Small Business Liquor License Grant program is an important step in removing financial barriers for our small businesses and will give them the opportunity to grow and transform their business with a liquor license,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “I was proud to sign legislation earlier this year to overhaul New Jersey’s outdated liquor license laws. This is another step toward eliminating obstacles and helping small businesses thrive.”

“Under Governor Murphy’s leadership, the NJEDA has prioritized the support of small businesses through the Main Street Recovery Finance Program, ensuring that entrepreneurs across the state have the tools and funding they need to thrive,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “The Small Business Liquor License Grant will relieve the negative financial burdens of obtaining a liquor license, unlocking economic opportunity for restaurant owners and contributing to the post-pandemic vitality of New Jersey’s main streets.”

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New Jersey Office of the Public Defender and Partners for Justice Team Up to Advance Collaborative, Holistic Defense Model in New Jersey

The New Jersey Office of the Public Defender (NJOPD) and the national nonprofit, Partners for Justice (PFJ), announced a new partnership aimed at enhancing collaborative, holistic representation for individuals involved in the criminal legal system, with an initial focus on New Jersey’s Atlantic, Monmouth, and Hudson counties. Both organizations are deeply committed to team defense and to addressing the root causes of legal involvement to achieve better futures for all New Jerseyans.

“This new partnership between the Office of the Public Defender and Partners for Justice will help bridge gaps between legal and personal needs for individuals involved in our criminal defense system,” said Governor Phil Murphy. "From obtaining mental health counseling or substance use treatment to securing ID cards or work permits, these comprehensive services will help set clients up for success as they rebuild their lives.”

"Public defense is about more than what happens in the courtroom; it is about public safety,” said Public Defender Jennifer Sellitti. “By better integrating trained advocates into our teams, we can further ensure those we serve not only receive exceptional legal representation but also the support they need to navigate challenges both inside and outside the courtroom.”

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NJEDA Board Approves $17M in Local Property Acquisition Grants to Support 12 Revitalization Projects across New Jersey

This week, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board approved over $17 million in funding for the Local Property Acquisition Grant Program. The funding will support 12 real estate development projects throughout New Jersey.

“Since taking office, Governor Murphy has been dedicated to boosting the economic prospects of New Jersey’s communities, creating jobs for local residents, and generating vital tax revenue for municipalities,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “The projects supported through the Local Property Acquisition Grant Program will help advance local economic development initiatives throughout the state by transforming unused real estate into vibrant commercial spaces and community hubs.”

First approved in 2023, the Local Property Acquisition Grant Program is a competitive grant program that will provide funding to municipalities, municipal entities, counties, county entities, and/or not-for-profit local economic and community development entities for the acquisition of a vacant site, building, facility, or collection of properties. Through this funding, awardees may develop or redevelop sites with the intention of supporting local or regional economic development priorities.

Program funding will support either acquisitions for strategic public use projects, including public plazas, parks, and walkways, or acquisitions for future development projects, including commercial or mixed-use developments and research or laboratory spaces.

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