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- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy introduced a number of new measures throughout his state of the state address on Tuesday.
- The proposed measures embody permitting teenagers to vote in faculty board elections, lowering medical debt, increasing affordable housing and launching a man-made intelligence “moonshot.”
- The annual speech marks the start of the legislative yr and precedes the governor’s funds address.
New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday introduced a collection of latest measures he needs the newly expanded Democrat-led Legislature to undertake, together with permitting 16-year-olds to vote in faculty board elections, lowering medical debt, increasing affordable housing and launching a man-made intelligence “moonshot.”
Murphy delivered his sixth state of the state address earlier than a joint legislative session in the ornate Assembly chamber the place Democrats picked up six seats in the November election. Murphy additionally reiterated calls he is made since his reelection in 2021 to additional ease property taxes and develop free pre-Ok, among the many measures that he says make the state “stronger and fairer.”
“From day 1, the vision has been to grow New Jersey from the bottom up and the middle out,” Murphy stated.
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The annual speech kicks off the legislative yr and will probably be adopted in a number of weeks by the governor’s funds address, the place he’ll specify how he needs lawmakers to allot the state’s earnings for the yr.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy speaks to reporters after signing a invoice in Paulsboro, N.J., Thursday, July 6, 2023. Murphy on Tuesday introduced a collection of latest measures he needs the newly expanded Democrat-led Legislature to undertake, together with permitting 16-year-olds to vote in faculty board elections. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry, File)
The two-term governor concentrated closely on his and fellow Democrats’ efforts to assist rein in property taxes, among the many highest in the nation, all a part of an effort that Murphy stated makes the state “the best place anywhere to raise a family.”
Republicans, who’re in the minority in the Legislature, stated they might work with the governor to make the state extra affordable, however balked at a lot of his particular proposals. Taxes are nonetheless too excessive, they stated, regardless of the governor’s concentrate on affordability.
“Our tax burden is still the highest in the nation, and the tax hurdles we put in front of the businesses are still the highest in the nation,” stated Republican Sen. Declan O’Scanlon.
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Murphy’s latest proposals embody a name for letting 16- and 17-year-olds vote in faculty board elections. A handful of cities and cities across the nation, together with California, Maryland and Vermont have comparable allowances, in response to the National Youth Rights Association.
“Encouraging our young neighbors to engage with democracy is really about encouraging them to become lifelong voters,” he stated.
In an emotional highpoint, Murphy’s voice quavered as he stated he would identify a package deal of payments to cut back medical debt after Louisa Carman, a 25-year-old member of his employees who was killed in a automobile accident on New Year’s Day.
“In the wealthiest nation in the world, nobody should have to worry about being able to afford critical health care services or a lifesaving medical procedure,” he stated.
The state has lengthy struggled with learn how to implement affordable housing necessities, at present being managed by means of the courts. He referred to as on legislators to ship him a invoice to make it simpler to construct such housing, although it’s unclear precisely what that measure would appear to be.
He additionally referred to as on the state’s “top minds” to pioneer synthetic intelligence expertise, and laid out a sort of welcome mat for companies engaged on AI.
“Our state government will be a catalyst for bringing together innovators and leaders to invest in research and development,” he stated.
A left-leaning former monetary govt, Murphy got here into workplace contrasting himself together with his predecessor, Republican Chris Christie, who’s in the midst of his second run for the GOP nomination for president.
Murphy has steered the state in a special route: Where Christie clashed with labor leaders, Murphy on Tuesday hailed the state’s expanded unionized workforce. Christie vetoed funding for abortion companies, which Murphy has restored — and the record goes on.
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Murphy has signed gun management payments into regulation, and touted them in his speech Tuesday, highlighting the state’s file drop in gun deaths. He’s signed into regulation tax hikes on the rich, overseen the institution of a leisure marijuana business, and signed a invoice to enact a $15 an hour minimal wage, which took impact this yr.
While Murphy delivered on plenty of marketing campaign guarantees, thanks in giant half to Democrats who management the Legislature, a 2023 vow to rewrite the state’s Prohibition-era liquor license system stays unfulfilled.
Murphy additionally didn’t point out the state’s involvement in taking up the Paterson police division or give an replace on a promise to shut the state’s girls’s jail, which the governor stated final yr was partially underway.
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