Gov. Phil Murphy Reflects on New Jersey s Growth and Economic Success in Final State of the State Address

In his final State of the State Address, Gov. Phil Murphy highlighted significant achievements and laid out his vision for New Jersey’s future.

Notably, he celebrated the state’s growing population, which rose by 1.2% in 2023, reaching 9.5 million residents, making New Jersey the fastest-growing state in the Northeast.

The state also saw record highs in job numbers and employers, with 4.4 million jobs and over 284,000 employers reported.

Murphy pointed to a key victory during his tenure: the increase in New Jersey’s minimum wage, which nearly doubled to $15.49 per hour.

He argued that this wage increase has not hindered the economy but instead helped make it one of the strongest in the region.

He urged lawmakers to pass legislation aimed at improving education and family policies, including making abortion free, codifying clean energy standards, and banning cell phones in K-12 schools to reduce distractions and cyberbullying.

Additionally, Murphy called for the expansion of universal pre-K and full-day kindergarten, as well as extending paid parental leave for state workers. He expressed hope that paid parental leave could become a standard for all sectors across the state.

In response, Republicans proposed extending parental leave to 24 weeks for all workers, not just those in the public sector.

Murphy also emphasized plans to digitize driver’s licenses and state IDs, allowing residents to store them on their phones.

Despite this being his final year in office, Murphy stressed that he would continue working on these priorities without resting.

 

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