Murphy Signs 2 Bills Into Law To Fix Roads, Boost NJ's Economy

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed two bills into law that could help fund highway infrastructure projects – at least 8 – and continue his commitment "to strengthen the Garden State’s innovation economy and better connect industry and academia."

Murphy this week signed bipartisan legislation to boost public-private partnership agreements for highway infrastructure projects and other building construction in the state. The bill, S-865, provides for financial oversight and approval of these agreements by the state treasurer.

Murphy also this week signed Assembly Bill 3652, re-establishing the former New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology as the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology.

As for the building roadway projects bill, Murphy said he's "proud to enact bipartisan legislation that gives our communities greater opportunities to benefit from commonsense public-private partnerships for essential construction and capital projects."

“Democrats and Republicans alike recognize the tremendous benefits that can arise when public officials and private sector partners work together," he said. "By doing so, we give state, county, and local officials the much-needed flexibility they need to improve their communities while creating good-paying new jobs – in most cases good, union jobs - while leveraging private capital to invest in public infrastructure.”

Murphy signed the bill on Tuesday at The College of New Jersey’s Campus Town development, a project built collaboratively with private-sector partners. Similar developments have occurred at Montclair State University as well as Stockton University’s Atlantic City Gateway project.

Under S-865, government bodies, including school districts, municipalities, counties and state entities, may enter into a public-private partnership agreement with a private organization, which would assume the financial and administrative responsibility for the development, construction, reconstruction, repair, alteration, improvement, extension, operation, and maintenance of a government-related project that is financed in whole by the private sector organization.

The legislation allows for a small number – 8 – of statewide roadway or highway projects that require not only private investment, but also public support at least $100 million. For local projects this limit is significantly lower – $10 million.

Sponsors of S-865 include Senate President Steve Sweeney, Senator Steven V. Oroho, Speaker Craig Coughlin and Assemblymen Louis D. Greenwald, Jon M. Bramnick and Joseph A. Lagana.

The governor signed the science commission legislation at the Biotechnology Development Center in North Brunswick on Wednesday and also unveiled the comprehensive scientific database "Research with NJ."

“For eight years, New Jersey’s reputation as a hub for technology and innovation languished,” said Murphy. “Today, I’m pleased to sign legislation that re-establishes the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology to spur long-term planning, research and entrepreneurship in the Garden State. When coupled with the Research with NJ database, we now have two new tools to help jumpstart the state’s innovation economy.”

The former New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology was originally created in 1985 and became non-operational in 2010. The newly revitalized Commission will be established in the Department of the Treasury.

Assembly Bill 3652 requires the commission to appoint an Innovation Council from its membership. The council will be charged with determining how to stimulate technology transfer between public and private research institutions of higher education and industry, including the transfer of information available from federal agencies.

“Now more than ever we need to support and promote science and technology in New Jersey with an emphasis on ‘innovation’,” said Senator Paul Sarlo, the chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. “We have great research universities, a strong high-tech sector, and businesses that can effectively capitalize on innovative research and development. A commission devoted to this effort will help to facilitate the work and bring new ideas to market. We want to be on the cutting edge with new technologies that offer new opportunities.”

Governor Murphy photo