News Flash

June 20 Voting Session for State Senate & General Assembly

Both houses of the State Legislature are expected to meet tomorrow and approve the State budget bill and send it to Governor Murphy for his consideration. In addition, each House will consider dozens of other bills, many of interest to local governments. ...

Assembly Committee Releases Affordable Housing Bill

Yesterday, A-4414, a bill which the League opposes, was reported out of the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee with a committee substitute. The League understands the need for affordable housing, and appreciates legislative efforts to co...

Assembly Committee Releases Affordable Housing Bill

Yesterday, A-4414, a bill which the League opposes, was reported out of the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee with a committee substitute. The League understands the need for affordable housing, and appreciates legislative efforts to co...

OPMA and OPRA Bills Advance

Yesterday, by a vote of 6 yes and 5 abstentions, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee amended and released S-106, which amends the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), and S-107, which amends the Open Public Records Act ( OPRA). We are currently rev...

League Supports Taxpayer Equity Liability Standards Bill

On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Assembly Budget Committee approved S-3739 and A-5392 respectively. This legislation will establish liability standards in sexual abuse lawsuits filed against public entities and public employees.  ...

Legislature Introduces FY 2020 Budget Bills

Yesterday in Trenton, the State Senate and the General Assembly introduced and advanced identical bills that would authorize State appropriations for the 2020 Fiscal Year that begins on July 1. S-2020/A-5600 would appropriate $38.7 billion. The bill assum...

Committee Releases First “Path to Progress” Bills

On Thursday the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism, and Historic Preservation Committee released the following Path to Progress bills:

•    S-3760 would require municipalities, counties, school districts, and local author...

Telecom Tax Bill Advances

The Assembly Appropriations Committee has released A-5450, which will clarify telecommunications industry corporate tax responsibilities and shield local taxpayers from the costs of endless tax court litigation. The bill now awaits a floor vote in the Gen...

National Flood Insurance Program Extension Enacted

Upon his return to the Country last Friday, President Trump signed H.R. 2157 into law. In addition to providing vital aid to jurisdictions devastated by an unprecedented series of natural disasters, that bill–The Additional Supplemental Appropri...

IRS Final Regulations Effectively End NJ’s SALT Cap Workaround

On Tuesday, the IRS issued final regulations regarding the deductibility of charitable contributions when the contributor receives in exchange a state or local tax credit. These final regulations come about after New Jersey and many other states took effo...

Committee Amends First Responders' Workers' Comp Rewrite

On Thursday in Trenton, the Assembly Appropriations Committee amended and released S-716/A-1741, companion bills that make it much easier for any public safety worker– volunteer or professional–to receive a workers’ compensat...

Census Deadline, Resource

Read on...

Cannabis Update

On Monday, the General Assembly is expected to concur with Senate amendments to A10/S10, which expands access to medical marijuana. This legislation establishes the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) to oversee the regulation of medical cannabis in the ...

Tax Incentive Debate Looms over State Budget

On Wednesday, Governor Murphy outlined his proposal for a revamping of State economic development initiatives offered through the Economic Development Agency (EDA). As you are likely aware, the incentives advanced in the Economic Opportunity Act of 2013 h...

National Flood Insurance Extension Correction and Update

Last week, we were incorrect in stating that the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) would lapse, due to Congressional inaction on the Disaster Relief legislation. In fact, a two-week extension had been enacted. That very short-term lifeline will be s...

Reserve Your Hotel for League Conference

Preparations for the 104^th Annual League Conference November 19-21 are underway and the hotel reservations system will be open for attendees and exhibitors on June 1 at the League Conference Web page. There you will also see a preliminary schedule of conf...

Senate Acts on Medical Marijuana

Yesterday, the State Senate amended and then passed S-10, which expands access to medical marijuana by a vote of 33-4. This legislation establishes the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) to oversee the regulation of medical cannabis in the state, includ...

Path to Progress’ Pension Hybrid Plan

As noted in the Path to Progress Report, “the State’s combined pension and retiree health benefit liabilities of $151.5 billion are four times the size of the State’s annual budget; and more than three times the size of the S...

Bill to Clarify Tax Responsibilities Introduced

The League fully supports recently introduced legislation, which will clarify telecommunications industry business tax responsibilities, and shield local taxpayers from the costs of endless tax court litigation. The companion bills are A-5450 and S-3827, ...

National Flood Insurance Program Extension Delayed

Provisions that would grant the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) a four-month extension were included in a FEMA Disaster Relief bill that cleared the U.S. Senate late last week. It was believed that the bill, which the President has said he will si...

ABC Issues Renewed Special Ruling Limiting Brewery Activities

The Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) issued a “Special Ruling” this week, defining activities permitted under the State’s limited brewery licenses. This ruling is meant to clarify and replace a similar Special Rul...

Expansion of Medical Marijuana Passes

On Thursday, the General Assembly passed A-10, which expands access to medical marijuana by a vote of 65-5-6.  This legislation establishes the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) to oversee the regulation of medical cannabis in the state, inclu...

Municipal Liability Bill Corrections Bill Approved

Earlier this week the Assembly Judiciary Committee reported A-5392 out of committee, readying the bill for second reading in the Assembly. The intent of A-5392 is to establish liability standards for public entities, identical to the standards applied to ...

Reminder: Interest Arbitration Permanent Extension Effort Still Underway

The temporary 2% cap on police and fire arbitration contract awards was an effective tool to control increasing salary costs and provided a solution to assist local governments in keeping property taxes down and costs under control. As predicted, the fail...

House Makes Progress on Infrastructure

On Thursday, in Washington, the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies approved by voice vote its fiscal year 2020 bill. In total, the legislation provides $137.1 bill...

Recreational Marijuana Stalls

On Wednesday, Senate President Steve Sweeney announced that he would not post legislation again to legalize adult use marijuana for a floor vote. If you recall, the bills were posted on March 25 but did not garner enough votes for passage. Instead, the in...

Legislation Introduced to Implement Path to Progress Recommendations

Yesterday Senate President Sweeney and Senator Oroho held a press conference announcing a 27-bill package to implement some of the recommendations of the Path to Progress Report. While we are currently reviewing the bills presented in the package, we woul...

Property Tax Relief Restoration Bill Advances

On Monday, in Trenton, the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee advanced S-51. The legislation has been a long-time League priority. It would, beginning next year, require the State to begin a phased-in restitution of the $331 million, wh...

PILOT Sharing Bill Advances

On Monday, the Senate State Government Committee also advanced S-59, which requires municipalities to share certain payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) with counties and school districts, and informs counties and school districts of urban renewal applicatio...

Gov. Signs Sexual Abuse Suit Extension Bill

On Monday, Governor Murphy signed into law S-477, which extended the statute of limitations in civil actions for sexual abuse claims. The law creates a two-year window for parties to bring lawsuits based on sexual abuse that would be time-barred, even wit...

Accelerated DOT Municipal Aid Grant Cycle & Resource Center Announced

On Thursday, Governor Murphy announced an accelerated NJDOT Municipal Aid grant cycle and the creation of a Local Aid Resource Center. Starting with SFY20, NJDOT will be modifying the application scheduled accepting grant applications beginning this May 1...

Governor Signs League-Supported ‘Vicious Dog’ Standards Bill

On Tuesday, Governor Phil Murphy signed S-1923 into law (P.L. 2019, Chapter 82). The League supported this carefully crafted bill, which refines the criteria, to be used by a municipal court, to determine whether a dog is vicious or pote...

House Adds NFIP Extension to Disaster Assistance Bill

On April 9, a new $17.2 billion disaster aid package was introduced in the House of Representatives. That bill, H.R. 2157, is scheduled for consideration this week. However, the Senate is still debating how much additional assistance Puerto Rico should re...

League Supports Transportation Alternatives Bill

The NJ League and the National League of Cities (NLC) support the Transportation Alternatives Enhancements Act (S. 1098) introduced by Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Roger Wicker (R-MS). This bipartisan bill improves on the highly successful Transportatio...

High-Level Bipartisan Meeting Yields Some Hope for Infrastructure

On Tuesday, at the White House, President Donald Trump met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to discuss the need for action on a comprehensive infrastructure bill. The lawmakers emerged with a conceptual agreement on...

HUD and White House release Opportunity Zone Plan

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council (WHORC) have released an implementation plan outlining how local leaders can maximize benefits when participating in the Opportunity Zone...

Legislative Hearings on Governor’s FY 2020 Budget Proposal

To date, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Assembly Budget Committee have held seven hearings, each, on the Governor’s proposed FY 2020 Budget. To date, in none of those 14 hearings has the topic of municipal property tax re...

NJ Prepares for 2020 Census

We are now within 12 months of 2020 Census Day – April 1, 2020. The U.S Census Bureau has been staffing up for the count that will determine New Jersey’s representation in Congress, Congressional and State Legislative District boundari...

Tax Assessors Prohibited from Acting as Appraisal Experts

While municipal tax assessors are already prohibited through regulations from appearing as expert witnesses before county boards of taxation (see, N.J.A.C. 18:12A-1.9(l)), this prohibition had never before been applied to the tax court. 

Last week...

Cannabis Vote in May?

We cannot tell you if or when the legislation to legalize recreational, adult use of marijuana may be scheduled again. On March 25, the State Legislature did not act on A4497/S2703, which would legalize adult use of recreational cannabis. The measure did ...

State Budget Makers Focus on Revenue Forecasts

Early this week, the Assembly Budget Committee and the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee began a series of hearings on Governor Murphy’s proposed spending plan for the 2020 Fiscal Year. The process started with a focus on revenues, proj...

DCA's Main Street NJ Kicks Off with Regional Workshops

Earlier this week, Lt. Governor Oliver announced the restoration of the Main Street New Jersey Program (MSNJ) as a key, updated component of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ municipal planning and downtown revitalization portfolio...

Surviving Spouse Tax Exemption Ruling Reversed

Earlier this week the Appellate Division issued a published opinion dealing with the applicability of the disabled veterans’ property tax exemption to certain surviving spouses of qualified disabled veterans. Simply put, in Rosanna Pruent-Steven...

League Statement on Cannabis Legislation

Today the State Legislature did not act on A4497/S2703, which would legalize adult use of recreational cannabis. League President Colleen Mahr, Mayor of the Borough of Fanwood offered the following comments:

“While the League did not take a posit...

Final Vote on Marijuana Legalization Set for Monday, March 25

On Monday, the Assembly Appropriations Committee and the Senate Judiciary each amended and approved legislation that will legalize the adult use of recreational marijuana. The committees also approved legislation to expand the State’s medical ma...

Governor's Proposed SFY 2020 Budget

Yesterday in Trenton, Governor Murphy presented his second budget proposal to the Legislature and the people of New Jersey. From our perspective, municipal property tax relief funding is of paramount importance.

We thank the Governor for an appropriate inc...

NLC Launches Opportunity Zone Resources

The opportunity zone program, authored by N.J. U.S. Senator Cory Booker, was created under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to provide local and national investors with a tax incentive for investments made in economically distressed areas of the country.

Und...

Max Cap on Volunteer Fire Co. Municipal Appropriations Increases

P.L. 2015, c. 95 included a statutory adjustment, every two years, to the maximum appropriation a municipality may make to their volunteer fire company. For CY2019/ SFY2020 there is a 2.5% adjustment which brings the maximum annual contribution to $154,51...

Goods & Services Prompt Payment Law Guidance

Beginning February 1 all goods and services contracts awarded, regardless of dollar amount, will be subject to goods and services prompt payment law, P.L. 2018, c. 127. Unless otherwise specified in a contract, the payment for goods and services will be d...

Gov. Murphy's State of the State

Tuesday, January 15, in Trenton, Governor Murphy delivered his first State of the State message to the Legislature and the people of New Jersey. His central message was focused on progress made and prospect to create more opportunities for economic improv...

Bonding and Grants for Addressing Lead Hazards

League President Colleen Mahr, Mayor of Fanwood commented on the addressing of Lead Hazards saying, “Recent reports of the need to upgrade water infrastructure to address lead are unfortunately not unique. The League has, for years, worked to he...

116th Congress Convenes

As the partial shutdown of the Federal government grinds on, a new Congressional session begins. While Senators (and former Mayors) Bob Menendez and Cory Booker will continue to represent our State in the Upper House, a number of new Jersey voices will jo...

Gov. Signs Electronic Procurement Legislation

Yesterday, Governor Murphy signed into law as P.L. 2018, c. 156 legislation supported by the League, the New Jersey Association of Counties and the New Jersey School Boards Association. The legislation, passed as A-3112, authorizes local units of...

Governor Outlines Strategy for Economic Development

On Oct. 1, 2018, Governor Murphy presented his outline to grow the New Jersey economy. In a speech in Nutley, the Governor presented a vision focused on investments in the state’s education system and workforce development programs so t...

Jake's Law for Inclusive Playgrounds Signed

Last week, Governor Murphy signed into law A-2187, otherwise known as “Jake’s Law.” The law incentives counties to build inclusive playgrounds for children and adults with disabilities by prioritizing Green Acres fund applica...