July 2, 2025

State Issues

Legislation Introduced to Change State Health Benefits Program

A bill (A-5903) to make various changes to the State Health Benefits Plan (SHBP) offerings and the governance of the SHBP was introduced on June 27.

Contact: Lori Buckelew, Deputy Executive Director, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x112.

Governor Signs SFY26 Budget Into Law

Governor Murphy signs SFY26 Budget into law.

Contact: Erin Knoedler, Legislative Analyst, eknoedler@njlm.org, x116.

Governor Signs Public Notices on Municipal Websites Bill

Both the Senate and Assembly passed legislation (S-4654/A-5788), which provides a permanent solution to the requirement of publishing public notices online on Monday. As part of the budget signing, Governor Murphy signed the legislation into law.

Contact: Lori Buckelew, Deputy Executive Director, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x112.

Bill Requiring Land Use Plan Element in Master Plan Passes Senate

S-4451, which modifies requirements for land use plan element and housing plan element of municipal master plan passed the Senate on Monday.

Contact: Paul Penna, Director of Government Affairs, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.

Warehouse Near Historic District Legislation Held

S-4048 was favorably reported from the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on Thursday, which limits development in specifically designed historic districts. This bill was scheduled for a vote in the full Senate but was not considered. The League opposes this legislation as it usurps municipal authority.

Contact: Paul Penna, Director of Government Affairs, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.

Recap of Monday’s Senate & Assembly Voting Session

Both the Senate and Assembly held voting sessions yesterday and adopted the SFY2026 budget, along with dozens of other pieces of legislation. Below are the bills of municipal interest that we previewed on Friday.

Contacts: Lori Buckelew, Deputy Executive Director, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x112, Paul Penna, Director of Government Affairs, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110, and Erin Knoedler, Legislative Analyst, eknoedler@njlm.org, x116.

SHBP Plan Design Committee Meeting

The State Health Benefits Commission Plan Design Committee held its regularly scheduled meeting.

Contact: Erin Knoedler, Legislative Analyst, eknoedler@njlm.org, x116.

Federal Issues

Senate Amends and Passes the “One Big Beautiful Bill”

On Tuesday, the Senate amended and passed H.R. 1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” by a 51-50 margin, with Vice President J.D. Vance breaking the tie. The bill returns to the House for a vote on the modified legislation.

Conact: Paul Penna, Director of Government Affairs, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.

Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program

The HUD Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program provides municipalities with an opportunity to apply for funding to address lead poisoning issues.

Contact: Ciara Bradley, Research Associate, cbradley@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x128.

Conference Connections

Hotel Booking System & Conference Registration Now Open

Registration and housing for the 2025 Annual Conference are now open!

Register now for the best rate. Early Bird pricing is $60 for government or nonprofit and $120 for non-government registrants, ending August 31.

Discounted hotel rates will be available at numerous properties around the city. Book early for your preferred hotel—room blocks will sell out!

The Annual League Conference is a unique opportunity to network with officials and municipal professionals from across the state, discover new products and services in the exhibit hall, select from over 100 educational sessions, and earn CEUs – all in 3 days!

For more information, visit the Conference website.

Also of Interest

League and Rutgers Partners on Municipal Survey

Rutgers University’s School of Public Affairs and Administration (Rutgers-SPAA) is proud to partner with the New Jersey League of Municipalities (NJLM) on an important initiative to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing our municipalities and needs your voice. As New Jersey’s communities are evolving, and local governments are navigating complex economic, demographic, and structural changes, Rutgers-SPAA is conducting a survey to document management and policy challenges facing municipal governments in New Jersey; to identify best practices and offer practical recommendations to municipal leaders; and to share analytical results on the wellbeing of municipal governments with important stakeholders. To ensure state and local leaders have the insights needed to support effective governance, Rutgers-SPAA is conducting a statewide survey of municipalities.

Your Participation Matters:

• Your responses will inform policies and resources to strengthen NJ’s municipalities.

• The survey takes just 25 minutes (or less), but its impact will last far longer.

• Your voice ensures your community’s needs are represented.

Confidentiality: This project is funded and administered by Rutgers-SPAA. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential; only the research team from Rutgers-SPAA will have access to individual results. Any published findings will report aggregate data only; no identifying information about your municipality will ever be shared. We strongly encourage you to participate in this collaborative effort. By working together, we can shape solutions that address the real-world challenges facing local governments across our state. Thank you for your time and leadership!

Please respond to the survey, which will take approximately 25 minutes, here.

If you have questions about this research, please contact Kaifeng Yang, Rutgers -School of Public Affairs, at kaifeng.yang@rutgers.edu.

NJ DEP Recycling Awards Nominations Open

NJ Department of Environmental Protection is accepting nominations for its annual award for leaders in recycling and sustainability.

Registration Open for Governor’s Conference on Housing

Registration is now open for the Governor’s Conference on Housing & Economic Development at Harrah’s in Atlantic City on September 16 and 17.

Contact: Paul Penna, Director of Government Affairs, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.

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