All Posts

TRENTON – The Senate has passed legislation sponsored by Senators Joe Vitale and Joe Cryan that would establish a new cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs in New Jersey, separating veterans' services from the state's military operations.   The bill, S-4376, would reorganize the existing Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMAVA) by transferring all veteran-specific programs into a newly created Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). Programs focusing solely o

TRENTON –  A package of legislation sponsored by Senators Joe Vitale, Joe Cryan, and Angela McKnight to strengthen protections, oversight, and accountability of providers serving individuals with disabilities and young adults in regulated care settings has passed both houses of the legislature and now heads to the Governor's desk. The three bills, S-3750, S-3751, and S-3754, work together to close longstanding gaps in oversight, improve abuse prevention, and ensure stronger s

Trenton  - The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today advanced legislation designed to expedite the investigation of rape cases by requiring a more timely submission and analysis process for rape kits in New Jersey. The bill would also codify into statute a process to ensure that all rape kits are tested. The measure is sponsored by Senator Joe Cryan (D-Union) and Senator Troy Singleton (D-Burlington). The bill, S-3089, would require municipal, state, and county law

TRENTON – The Senate passed legislation sponsored by Senators Andrew Zwicker and Joe Cryan, which would expand social service supports at county colleges across New Jersey.    The bill, S-4010, would require the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, in collaboration with each county college, to address gaps in meeting the basic needs of low-income students. The council, in cooperation with the Department of Human Services, would provide students with information on available

TRENTON –  The Senate passed legislation sponsored by Senators Vin Gopal and Joseph Cryan to enact the "Pet Insurance Act." The bill will bring a long-awaited regulatory framework for pet insurance in New Jersey that counters the increasing costs, now having a more significant impact on pet owners, while improving transparency and consumer protections.  "Without proper regulation, pet owners are left vulnerable and uninformed," said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). "For too long,

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Cryan and Senator Joe Vitale to expand the definition of child abuse and neglect to include individuals up to age 21 in certain regulated care settings was approved by the Senate today.  The bill, S-3751, would revise the statutory definition of a “child” to include any person under 21 years of age who has been abused, neglected, or exploited by a teacher, employee, contractor, or volunteer of an institution responsible for that

TRENTON – The Senate passed two pieces of legislation sponsored by Senators Andrew Zwicker, Troy Singleton, and Joe Cryan, which would expand workforce development programs and provide resources for New Jersey students.    The first bill, S-4012, sponsored by Senators Zwicker and Singleton, would establish the “New Economy Opportunity Skills System Pilot Program” to strengthen the strategic alignment and collaboration between the operations of local workforce development boar

TRENTON –  The Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee advanced legislation sponsored by Senators Andrew Zwicker and Joe Cryan, which would expand social service supports at county colleges across New Jersey.   The bill, S-4010, would require the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, in collaboration with each county college, to address gaps in meeting the basic needs of low-income students. The council, in cooperation with the Department of Human Services, would provide st

TRENTON – The Senate Higher Education Committee will receive testimony from guests on the education of the nursing workforce in New Jersey and on the health care education partnership between Rowan University and Fairleigh Dickinson University, according to Senator Joe Cryan, the committee’s chair. “At a time when the Trump Administration is undermining support for nurses, we want to find ways here in New Jersey to help new generations of nurses get the education and training

TRENTON – Following approval by the General Assembly, legislation sponsored by Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz and Senator Joe Cryan that prohibits the Department of Children and Families (DCF) from using a child’s property or benefits to offset the cost of their state care has been sent to the Governor’s desk.   “Removing provisions that require children to pay for their own foster care — a public service that federal law mandates the government pay for — will pave the

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Cryan that updates New Jersey’s statewide college credit-transfer system and establishes a New Jersey Transfer Ombudsperson advanced today from the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. The bill, S-3178, would strengthen and modernize the Statewide Transfer Agreement that governs how academic credits move between New Jersey’s public colleges and universities. Under the legislation, the New Jersey Presidents’ Council, in con

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Cryan to minimize the educational disruption of relocating students in military families was approved by the Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee today.  The bill, S-3631, would provide more flexibility in school enrollment for military-connected students who relocate with their families when they are assigned to different military facilities.  “The students from military families shouldn’t have to endure a damaging imp

TRENTON – The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Cryan, which would prohibit the Division of the State Lottery from selling tickets directly to consumers online without the involvement of a retailer.  In September 2022, a rule was published by the State Lottery Commission allowing the Division of State Lottery to directly sell tickets to consumers in New Jersey through its internet website

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Cryan and Joe Vitale to expand the definition of child abuse and neglect to include individuals up to age 21 in certain regulated care settings advanced today from the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.   The bill, S-3751, would revise the statutory definition of a “child” to include any person under 21 years of age who has been abused, neglected, or exploited by a teacher, employee, contractor, or volunteer of an instit

TRENTON –  Governor Murphy has signed into law legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Vitale and Senator Joe Cryan establishing a new cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs in New Jersey, separating veterans’ services from the state’s military operations.  “New Jersey’s veterans deserve nothing less than a government fully committed to their well-being because of all that they sacrificed serving our nation,” said Senator Vitale (D-Middlesex County). Veterans need to know

TRENTON – New Jersey’s public colleges and universities will be prohibited from partnering with sports betting operations under terms of legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Cryan and Senator John McKeon that was signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy today.   The law, S-2155, bans contractual agreements between sports betting companies and New Jersey institutions of higher education, including their athletic departments and booster clubs, that would otherwise allow for adve

TRENTON – An independent advocate responsible for looking out for the needs of veterans and empowered to take actions to protect their...

TRENTON – The Senate has passed legislation sponsored by Senators Joe Vitale and Joe Cryan that would establish a new cabinet-level...

On February 10, 2025, the New Jersey Senate Commerce Committee heard compelling testimony from former NBA player, New Jersey native, and...

TRENTON –  The Senate Higher Education Committee today approved a bill, S-3771, sponsored by Senator Joe Cryan and Senator Angela...