Gov. Murphy Signs NJ Coronavirus Legislation, 8 Bills Into Law – Freehold, NJ Patch
NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation on Monday that addresses the NJ coronavirus outbreak, providing benefits to those who contract COVID-19 while on the job.
Under the law (A-3999/S-2380), essential employees whose jobs require interaction with the public during the public health emergency will be eligible for benefits normally given to workers who suffer an injury or illness on the job if they contract COVID-19.
The workmen’s compensation benefit will be provided unless a “preponderance of evidence” indicates an essential worker was not exposed to COVID-19 on the job, lawmakers said.
Otherwise, it will be presumed that the infection was work-related in order to ensure eligibility for these benefits.
Murphy also signed legislation to promote electric vehicle use and address sex assaults in prisons.
The governor also vetoed a bill that would have extended a state loan program to include certain small producers and retailers of alcoholic beverages.
Here are the bills signed into law:
Work-related benefits to essential employees who Contract COVID-19
The bill, sponsored by Assembly Democrats Thomas Giblin, John Burzichelli, Carol Murphy and Joann Downey, noted that many of these workers provide essential services related to public health and safety.
“When they first entered the workforce, none of these essential workers could have imagined the kind of danger and extreme challenges this pandemic would one day present them with,” said Giblin, D-Essex, Passaic. “Yet these dedicated workers have heroically stepped up and put their health on the line in order to help their fellow community members get through this unprecedented crisis.”
The New Jersey Business and Industry Association, however, took issue with the legislation.
President and CEO Michele Siekerka complained that the legislation allows a presumption that certain essential employees contract COVID-19 on the job and then shifts the response costs onto New Jersey’s workers compensation system.
“Over the course of this pandemic, we have heard Governor Murphy express sympathy and empathy for New Jersey businesses struggling to survive. Today, we are disappointed to say that those words ring hollow,” Siekerka said.
“Like the lawmakers who voted to put this misguided bill on his desk, Governor Murphy made a conscious choice to place additional burdens of a worldwide pandemic on the backs of struggling New Jersey employers who have made great sacrifices.”
Siekerka said there is federal CARES Act money specifically meant to cover the costs of essential workers who truly do contract COVID-19 on the job. Instead, that money was left on the table and employers are forced to pick up those costs, he said.
“More disappointingly, Governor Murphy had the opportunity to conditionally veto this bill to limit the time frame of its application to the stay-at-home order, when an essential employee had far fewer movements between work and home.
Commission to study sex assault in prisons
Murphy signed a measure (AJR-167) to create a commission to study sexual assault, misconduct and harassment by staff against incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities.
The new law is sponsored by Assembly Democrats Valerie Vainieri Huttle, D-Bergen; Cleopatra Tucker, D-Essex; and Carol Murphy, D-Burlington.
The April report released by the US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the United States Attorney’s Office District of New Jersey revealed more than 70 documented investigations into potential staff misconduct, lawmakers said.
It concluded that there are long-standing, systemic problems involving sexual abuse by staff members that both the facility and the state Department of Corrections have failed to remedy, lawmakers said.
The measure signed into law creates a 17-member commission comprised of state leaders and members of the public to examine issues affecting the safety and rights of incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities.
College athletes earning endorsement compensation
A new law sponsored by Assembly Democrats Lisa Swain, Chris Tully and Benjie Wimberly, all D-Bergen, Passaic, allows college athletes to earn compensation for use of their name, image or likeness.
The new law (A-2106), known as the “New Jersey Fair Play Act,” received final legislative approval in July, passing the full Assembly 56-16-2, and full Senate 30-9.
“Athletes are the faces of the industry. They are the ones out there on the field, putting in the work that will attract spectators and create opportunities for businesses to profit,” said Swain. “It’s only fair that they have the right to earn compensation for their work.”
Under the new law, a four-year institution of higher education is prohibited from upholding any rule, requirement, standard or other limitation that prevents college athletes from earning compensation from their name, image or likeness. Earning such compensation will not affect the student’s scholarship eligibility.
Electric vehicle charging stations
A bill (A-1993), sponsored by Assembly Democrats Nancy Pinkin, Dan Benson, and Jim Kennedy, that would improve residential access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure was signed into law on Monday.
“Taking steps to mitigate the impact of today’s climate crisis is critical if we are to protect public health and our environment,” said Pinkin, D-Middlesex. “With transportation accounting for nearly half our state’s emissions, it is essential that we continue to break down barriers to EV adoption. By providing for more convenient access to charging infrastructure, we can facilitate the adoption of greener technologies.”
The new law will specifically require that developers offer and inform prospective homeowners of the option to install in-home EV charging as part of new construction in certain residential developments of 25 or more units.
Here is the list of bills signed into law:
- S-349/A-1993 (Smith, Greenstein/Pinkin, Benson, Kennedy) – Requires developers to offer electric vehicle charging stations as option in certain new home construction
- S-806/A-895 (Cunningham, Pou/Giblin, Timberlake, Jasey) – Provides that New Jersey Better Educational Savings Trust (NJBEST) Program scholarship may be awarded in any semester of attendance or enrollment at institution of higher education in State
- S-960/A-3628 (Rice/Lopez) – Requires parent to provide completed financial aid application to Higher Education Student Assistance Authority if parent’s dependent applies to State for student financial aid. Copy of Statement
- S-971/A-2106 (Lagana, Cunningham, Weinberg/Swain, Tully, Wimberly) – “New Jersey Fair Play Act”; allows collegiate student-athletes to earn compensation for use of name, image, or likeness
- S-2380/A-3999 (Sweeney, Scutari, Singer, Greenstein/Giblin, Burzichelli, Murphy, Downey) – Concerns employment benefits and coronavirus disease 2019 infections contracted by essential employees
- S-2573/A-4378 (Ruiz, Codey/Karabinchak, Jasey, Lampitt) – Establishes position of State School Nurse Consultant in DOE to facilitate best practices in school nursing by advancing comprehensive school health services
- SJR-79/AJR-167 (Greenstein, Gill/Vainieri Huttle, Tucker, Murphy) – Creates commission to study sexual assault, misconduct, and harassment by staff against inmates in State correctional facilities
- A-2669/S-1198 (Mukherji/Pou, Oroho) – Concerning motor vehicle ancillary production products and service contracts
- S2303/A4140 (Bucco, Singleton/Freiman, Lopez, Zwicker) Concerns subcontracting agreements entered into by public school districts and county colleges.