State of Emergency for NJ on Tuesday — Here’s What it Means

Gov. Phil Murphy said a state of emergency will go into effect at midnight for all 21 counties, ahead of the latest winter storm expected to hit New Jersey.

The governor on Tuesday morning closed all state offices ordering all non-essential personnel to not report to work. Essential personnel should report to work on their regular schedule, according to the governor's order.

MVC facilities, including agencies, driver testing sites, and inspection stations will also be closed.

A state of emergency in NJ does not mean drivers have to stay off the roads. According to the state Office of Emergency Management, travel may be restricted to certain areas but a complete travel ban is rarely implemented.

It also does not mean businesses, schools or even State Offices are automatically closed.

The declaration authorizes the governor to speed up assistance from state agencies to where it is needed and allows the NJ director of Emergency Management to makes "resources available for rescue, evacuation, shelter and essential commodities activate and coordinate the preparation, response and recovery efforts for the storm with all county and municipal emergency operations and governmental agencies," according to the state OEM.