Greg McGuckin

While it’s not directly funded in the spending plan, the new state budget in a roundabout way provides the money Gov. Phil Murphy was seeking to make $500 pandemic recovery payments to unauthorized immigrants.

A pilot program spending $15 million a year for three years on electric school buses survives criticism and is passed by the Assembly.

Assemblywoman Angela McKnight, D-Hudson, said the need for the measures became apparent after the riot at the Capitol in January when Congress was certifying the election results.

Legislation sponsored by Ocean County State Senator Jim Holzapfel (R-10) would give towns the opportunity to offer free or discounted beach access to veterans, their spouses, and children.

Among the concerns for Asm. Greg McGuckin with this bill is that eliminating qualified immunity for police "would be disastrous" for departments across the state as well as taxpayers.

Legislators in Ocean County are crafting companion bills to prevent the government or any businesses from asking you for your COVID vaccine information to gain entry into a number of places.

Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds Jackson, D-Mercer, said police could respond to calls for help or even do a walk-through, just not be sitting inside polling locations the whole day.

The decision by Gov. Murphy to vaccinate prison inmates and correctional facility workers in Phase 1A, starting with the South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, is drawing opposition from many including at the Jersey Shore.

A bill up for a vote in the State Senate Thursday is drawing strong opposition and concern from a number of Republican lawmakers at the Jersey Shore and beyond.

Under the GOP lawmakers' proposal, business owners could go to court and seek to prove they lost income or whole businesses due to ordered shutdowns.