NJ SEED

Update on Executive & Legislative Activity

Executive Actions:

April 7th
Governor Murphy Announced Clarification of Gathering Limit for Certain Indoor Sports Activities and Removal of Restrictions on Self-Service Food at Retail Businesses under an Administrative Order.

April 5th
 Governor Murphy Announced All Individuals Ages 16 and Older Will be Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccination on April 19.

Activity Scheduled in NJ Legislature during week of April 12 to 16:

The Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee and the Assembly Appropriations Committee will continue to meet separately this week to take testimony from the executive departments on the governor’s proposed budget.

NJ MVC Makes Changes As 10 Sites Now Closed Due To COVID

April 6, 2021 | patch.com

Although the sites are closed, the Motor Vehicle Commission revealed that it’s making changes to deal with a long backlog in New Jersey.

The MVC revealed late Monday that a vast majority of the agency’s business – 75 percent – has now been moved to the Internet at NJMVC.gov and that 40 percent more transactions are being processed each week since before the pandemic.

NJ SEED:  The pandemic has caused many innovative and creative ways for both the public and private sectors to carry on activities. Some of the innovations will likely continue long after COVID-19 has departed. It may someday be gone but not forgotten.

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With Billions in Extra Cash, Moody’s Upgrades NJ Outlook

April 12, 2021 |njbiz.com

With New Jersey awash in billions of dollars in extra cash and defying the expectation of an economic meltdown from the pandemic, Moody’s Investors Services said over the weekend that it was raising the state’s economic outlook.

NJ SEED: Too often reports from the rating agencies have been about downgrades of NJ’s status. This time because the state treasury is “awash” in money, largely due to nearly $8 billion in federal COVID relief and an additional $4 billion in borrowed money, Moody has improved the state’s fiscal status to “stable”.

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Business Report: Unemployment Claims, Spending Priorities, Congestion Pricing Plan

April 9, 2021 | njspotlight.com

The number of New Jersey workers filing new unemployment claims has risen for two weeks in a row. The State Labor Department says it received nearly 20,000 new claims in the most recent week. Nationally, jobless claims also rose. Over the past five weeks, 246,000 residents hit the one-year mark on collecting unemployment. That requires a federally mandated review. The Labor department says New Jersey is the only state to have automated that process, enabling a quick review and continuation of benefits for those impacted.

NJ SEED: Not surprising that unemployment claims continue to rise as some businesses report difficulty in getting workers to return to the workplace when unemployment and additional federally funded benefits are, for some, “enough to live on”. Also, concern about spikes in COVID cases slows easing restrictions on business operations. 

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Gas Prices down in NJ, Around Nation as Inventories Go Up

April 10, 2021 | pix11.com

AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gas in New Jersey on Friday (4/9) was $2.90, down two cents from a week ago.

NJ SEED: A few pennies drop in gas prices at the pump is welcome but may soon disappear as summer approaches and demand increases. 

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