2025 Election Guide
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Governor Murphy Signs Legislation to Expand Access to Early Childhood Education
Governor Phil Murphy signed three bills to bolster early childhood education in New Jersey, building on a multi-year, administration-wide effort to expand access to free, high-quality preschool and full-day kindergarten programs. Together, these bills will help ensure children in New Jersey can enjoy a strong foundation upon which to build their educational careers.
Since the beginning of his Administration, Governor Murphy has made it a priority to set New Jersey firmly on course to universal, free preschool in all school districts. Over the past seven years, funding for public preschool has increased by nearly $600 million, with New Jersey currently spending $1.2 billion to stand up and sustain programs in communities across the state. Since year one of the Administration, 229 districts have been added to State-funded preschool programs; meaning now, over half of New Jersey’s elementary-serving school districts offer free, high-quality preschool, whether through strong mixed-delivery partnerships with childcare providers or in elementary schools.
“With today’s bill signing, we are moving forward in making free, universal preschool and free, full-day kindergarten a reality in every corner of our state. We know that access to high-quality early education programs is critical for our children and that it can set the tone for the rest of their academic careers. It is in these settings that our children begin to foster literacy skills and engage in social and emotional development, both of which can positively impact their lives,” said Governor Murphy. “Expanding access to high-quality early childhood education has been the cornerstone of my Administration’s approach to setting our children on a path to lifelong success. We have already seen remarkable success in bringing State-funded preschool to hundreds of New Jersey communities, and today’s action will ensure this trajectory continues so that New Jersey remains the best place in the nation to raise a family.”
"Today's bill signing cements New Jersey's national leadership in providing exceptional preschool education," said Department of Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer. "By prioritizing access for low-income students, fostering collaboration with community partners, and ensuring all students have access to full-day kindergarten, these bills codify the Administration’s longstanding efforts to expand preschool access and strengthen our state's commitment to early childhood education. This step marks an important milestone in advancing New Jersey’s dedication to families and the long-term success of our youngest learners."
“Quality childcare is a critical tool for working families,” said Department of Children and Families Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer. “These new laws prioritize the interests of children and their families by securing the state’s vital child care provider network, while expanding access and options for pre-K services now, and into the future.”
New Jersey Partners with U.S. Veterans Affairs to Improve Access to Health Care for Veterans Traveling Through the State
The Murphy Administration announced New Jersey’s transportation agencies are partnering with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on an initiative to connect Veterans with telehealth and mental health resources. Governor Phil Murphy made the announcement Sunday on the Welcome Home Veterans Radio Show hosted by Joe Griffies on WIBG.
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA), South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA), and NJ TRANSIT are posting flyers this month to help connect Veterans to VA resources. The posters share information about veteran’s telehealth options, the closest VA location, and the Veterans Crisis Line – empowering Veterans in crisis or others concerned about one to access free and confidential support from caring and trained responders 24/7, 365 days a year.
This campaign will connect Veterans with VA resources and maintain their continuity of care within the VA health care system based upon the “Anywhere-to-Anywhere” Telehealth Practice Authority using VA Video Connect. The VA has previously launched this initiative in other heavily traveled states such as Pennsylvania and Nevada.
The VA worked with the Turnpike Authority to provide critical information at its 21 service areas located along the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway that offer food, fuel, restrooms, and a variety of services and amenities. The VA also worked with the SJTA to include the information at the Farley Service Plaza on the Atlantic City Expressway and with NJ TRANSIT to provide the posters at their facilities.
“Helping veterans access health care services and benefits is a simple, yet effective way that we can make it easier to find support, whether a veteran is local to New Jersey or traveling through our state,” said Governor Murphy. “We bear a responsibility to make sure that each and every veteran knows that help is never far away.”
Murphy Administration Celebrates Report on NJHMFA’s Down Payment Assistance and First-Generation Homebuyer Program
According to a New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) report submitted to the Governor and the Legislature in accordance with P.L.2023, c.78, the NJHMFA Down Payment Assistance (DPA) and First-Generation Homebuyer Program has helped over 7,400 lower-income individuals in the Garden State achieve the dream of homeownership in the last two years. Nearly half of those homebuyers were the first homeowners in their families.
The report, which was issued before the June 29, 2025 statutory deadline, highlighted the program’s outstanding accomplishments in homeownership creation. The DPA and First-Generation Homebuyer Program fills a previously unmet need in New Jersey’s highly competitive housing market by providing below-market mortgages and down payment assistance to working families who otherwise could not purchase homes. Approximately 85% of the program’s borrowers earned below the state’s median income.
As noted in the report, the program lowers housing costs over the life of the mortgage with DPA recipients saving an average of $142 per month and first-generation homebuyers saving an average of $188 per month compared to buyers using other mortgage products. Over the course of a 30-year mortgage, families who use the program will save an average of more than $51,000 and $67,000, respectively. The two years of program assistance examined in the report are expected to result in a total of nearly $270 million in reduced payments over the life of NJHMFA’s $74 million mortgage investment, a 3.6-to-1 return. Beyond that, the program’s impact can be observed in equity generated for program participant homebuyers. Since 2017, the DPA and First-Generation Supplements have already resulted in more than $2 billion in equity generated for families who have purchased homes through the program. This reflects an immediate, substantive increase in household stability, access to credit, and wealth.
New Jersey’s FY2026 budget continues to build on this excellent track record with a renewed $40 million investment. These funds will ensure that thousands of additional families have the opportunity to buy their first home.
“Our Administration has prioritized expanding affordability and reducing obstacles to ensure more New Jerseyans can become homeowners and achieve the American Dream,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “We are proud to see this program making an impact on thousands of residents and helping New Jersey families put down roots across the Garden State.”
Record 424 Municipalities Adopt Fair Housing Plans
According to an analysis by Fair Share Housing Center, 424 New Jersey municipalities have adopted and filed Housing Element and Fair Share Plans (HEFSPs) — which detail how they will meet their legally-mandated affordable housing responsibilities — following the state’s June 30 deadline.
Under a new, streamlined procedure established by landmark legislation (A4/S50) last year, 452 towns adopted resolutions to participate in the state’s “Fourth Round” affordable housing planning process — representing approximately a 25% increase in municipalities participating in the process compared to the Third Round that began in 2015. Ninety-four percent of those municipalities have now adopted fair share plans on time.
Signed by Gov. Murphy in March 2024, A4/S50 was sponsored by Senate President Nicholas Scutari, Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz, State Senator Troy Singleton, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, and State Assemblymembers Yvonne Lopez, Benjie Wimberly, and Verlina Reynolds-Jackson.
“When I signed A4/S50, I did so to honor the promise of the Mount Laurel Doctrine and ensure that more hardworking families have access to a quality, affordable place to call home,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “It is promising to see that 94 percent of the 452 municipalities that committed to this legislation have adopted fair share plans on time. I am grateful to the Fair Share Housing Center for their continued analysis and advocacy, helping to keep New Jersey on track to meet our affordable housing goals.”
NJDOT’s FY25 Capital Program Delivers More Than $1 Billion in Contracts for the 7th Consecutive Year Demonstrating Murphy Administration’s Commitment to Infrastructure
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) delivered a Capital Program in State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2025 of more than $1 billion for the 7th consecutive year and the largest amount of consultant selections in a single year, demonstrating the Murphy Administration’s commitment to infrastructure investment.
During the recently concluded fiscal year, NJDOT awarded 111 construction contracts at a total value of $1.109 Billion dollars, the fourth highest amount awarded in a single year. The State fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30.
“The New Jersey Department of Transportation has delivered another billion-dollar-plus capital program in SFY 2025, with a wide array of safety, operational improvement and state-of-good-repair projects that benefit all road users,’’ NJDOT Commissioner Fran O’Connor said. “I thank both Governor Murphy and our partners in the Federal Highway Administration for providing the resources that have enabled NJDOT to deliver capital programs that have averaged in excess of $1 billion over the seven completed annual budgets the Governor has signed into law.”