NJ Gov. Phil Murphy Vetoes 6 Bills, Signs 19 Into Law

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy drew criticism this week after signing 19 bills and vetoing six, including one that would require students to carry school identification cards issued by the district while at any school-sponsored, off-campus activity.

The heaviest criticism toward Murphy came with his veto of a bill that would transfer county college employees and retirees from membership in the School Employees Health Benefits Plan to membership in the State Health Benefits Plan.

Murphy conditionally vetoed the ID card bill, sending it back for revisions, while applauding the general concept.

"No investment is more important than educating our children," he said. "As a father of four, I applaud the sponsors for prioritizing a supportive and, above all, safe environment in which to provide a first-class education."

Murphy has said he was advised by the attorney general, however, that the "broad and mandatory" nature of the provisions of this bill could be subject to a successful "unfunded mandate challenge."

He said the legislation does not authorize resources to offset the additional direct expenditures for affected school districts.

Murphy said he vetoed the county college bill because it "does not seek to find savings within the contours of collective bargaining," among other reasons.

"While the savings sought by the bill are laudable, I have always believed that fairness demands that all parties involved have a voice in cost-saving decisions, which occurs during the normal collective bargaining process," he said.

Murphy also said "much of the savings sought by this bill is already captured by the actions we have taken together."

Senate President Steve Sweeney said the legislation would produce substantial cost savings in health care expenses by transferring county college employees and retirees from membership in the School Employees Health Benefits Plan to membership in the State Health Benefits Plan:

"The governor's veto will cost the county colleges and their employees millions of dollars in future healthcare savings," he said. "Once again, the governor has chosen to stand with the New Jersey Education Association's union leaders and against the interests of the taxpayers of New Jersey, the county colleges, their hardworking professors and staff, and the students who will be forced to pay higher tuition."

Murphy announced that he has conditionally vetoed the following bills:

1. A4342 (Tully, Swain, Benson, Jones/Lagana) – Requires public school student to carry identification card at school-sponsored, off-campus activities and requires principal to keep list of students on school buses used for school-sponsored activities in case of emergencies. Copy of Statement on A4342
2. S393 (Madden, Singleton/DeAngelo, Murphy, Verrelli) – Establishes Talent Network Program in DOLWD. Copy of Statement on S393
3. S1697 (Sarlo, Oroho/DeAngelo, Lagana, Space) – Exempts fuel used for operation of certain school buses from petroleum products gross receipts tax and motor fuel tax; clarifies tax treatment of certain dyed fuel thereunder; clarifies determination of taxable estates of certain decedents. Copy of Statement on S1697
4. S2531 (Beach/Jones) – Allows county governing body in certain counties to abolish offices of superintendent and deputy superintendent of elections and transfer functions to county board of elections. Copy of Statement on S2531

Murphy also announced that he has absolute vetoed the following bills:

1. S2455 (Sweeney, Oroho/Murphy, McKnight, Mosquera) – Transfers county college employees and retirees from membership in SEHBP to membership in SHBP. Copy of Statement on S2455
2. S3074 (Lagana/Pintor Marin, Greenwald) - Provides for procurement by State of pharmacy benefits manager, automated reverse auction services, and claims adjudication services. Copy of Statement on S3074

Murphy signed the following bills into law:

1. A360 (Chiaravalloti, Danielsen, Mukherji/Pou, Cruz-Perez) – Prohibits consumer reporting agencies from charging certain fees related to security freezes on consumer reports.
2. A1039 (Houghtaling, Dancer, Andrzejczak, Space, Taliaferro/Gopal, Oroho) – Directs the Division of Travel and Tourism to publish on its website information of farm-to-table restaurants.
3. A2182 (DeAngelo, Wimberly, Quijano/Scutari, Singleton) – Establishes an apprenticeship requirement to qualify for an electrical contractor's license.
4. A3112 (Benson, Mukherji, Karabinchak/Beach, Oroho) – Authorizes local units of government subject to "Local Public Contracts Law" and "Public School Contracts Law" to use electronic procurement technologies.
5. A3731 (Tully, Swain, Wimberly/Lagana) – Establishes "County Code Pilot Program" for certain counties.
6. A4102 (Johnson, DeAngelo/Weinberg) – Allows cigar bars and lounges to renew lapsed exemption from ban on indoor smoking under certain circumstances.
7. S724 (Greenstein, Diegnan/Pinkin, Giblin, Jasey) – Allows pharmacy interns and pharmacy externs to administer certain vaccines under direct supervision of pharmacist and requires reporting of certain vaccine administrations.
8. S869 (Sweeney, Cunningham, Oroho/Jimenez, Lagana, Vainieri Huttle, Benson) – Permits establishment by county and four-year institutions of higher education of three plus one degree programs for receipt of baccalaureate degree after spending three years at county college and one year at senior institution.
9. S870 (Sweeney, Cunningham/Jasey, Schaer, Calabrese) – Establishes Dual Enrollment Study Commission.
10. S1869 (Scutari/Caputo, Holley) – Prohibits sale of certain alarm business signs and decals.
11. S1958 (Gopal, Scutari/Mukherji, Lopez, DeAngelo) – Establishes permit to allow seasonal retail consumption license holders to sell alcoholic beverages during certain off-season dates.
12. S2397 (Gopal/Schaer, Karabinchak, Pinkin) – Requires institutions of higher education to provide alternative arrangements to students unable to complete certain assignments by regular due date or register for courses because of day of religious observance.
13. S2839 (Gopal, Oroho, Greenstein/Houghtaling, Zwicker, DeAngelo) – Makes General Fund supplemental appropriation of $250,000 to New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. Copy of Statement on S2839
14. S2845 (Vitale/Spearman, Mejia, Lopez) – Amends Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations act to revise increase in Work First New Jersey benefits.
15. SJR18 (Pou, Greenstein/Murphy) – Establishes "Commission to Review Constructive Sentences of Life Imprisonment on Juvenile Offenders."
16. A4339 (Swain, Tully, Benson, Jones/Diegnan, Lagana) requires school bus operations in the State to comply with federal regulations concerning safety, noise emissions, insurance, and drug testing, among other areas.
17. A4345 (Tully, Swain, Benson, Jones/Diegnan, Holzapfel) requires all permanent and substitute school bus drivers and aides to undergo safety education programs twice every year.
18. S2848 (Diegnan, Lagana/Tully, Swain, Benson, Jones) requires holders of a bus driver license to submit a medical report by a certified medical examiner. It also requires bus drivers over age 70 to submit proof of physical fitness every year, and those over age 75 to submit this proof every six months.
19. S2850 (Lagana, Diegnan/Swain, Jones, Tully, Benson) requires that when the Department of Education notifies a board of education or a school bus contractor that a school bus driver has had their bus driver license suspended or revoked, the board of education or school bus contractor must verify to DOE that the driver in question no longer operates a bus for them.

Murphy signed the following bills into law: