| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Presented by AARP | Good Tuesday morning! On Monday, Gov. Murphy signed the “Temporary Workers’ Bill of Rights,” legislation that provides some new protections to an often-overlooked group of workers. It took a long time to get there. The bill had many starts and stops, and a conditional veto, and it passed the Senate with the bare-minimum number of votes it needed a bit over 13 months after it was introduced. It's relatively modest, with a requirement that temp workers be paid like regular workers and a prohibition on fees for transporting workers to job sites. I can’t help but compare this bill’s struggles to the massive corporate tax incentive legislation the Senate and Assembly has occasionally passed, then taken pains to update to loosen requirements when circumstances change. Those have generally passed overwhelmingly, and with seemingly little effort. While the temp industry has concerns about burdensome regulations, it seems some aren’t following a very basic requirement that already exists. Sophie Nieto-Munoz last week pointed out that 17 staffing agencies that are members of the 200-plus member coalition that fought this bill did not register with the state, as is required. The New Jersey Staffing alliance calls them “bad actors,” but led bill sponsor Joe Cryan to raise an obvious question: If a significant number of companies aren’t complying with such a simple requirement, what other rule are they flouting? DAYS SINCE I DECIDED TO STOP COUNTING THE NUMBER OF DAYS MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE’S NONPROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 1 TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “This is George Norcross’ Dr. Oz moment. Scraping the district for a B-list celebrity in the hopes that name recognition will carry the day.” — Working Families’ Sue Altman on South Jersey Democrats considering running former Philadelphia Eagles star Ron “Jaws” Jaworski for state Senate. WHERE’S MURPHY? Nothing public. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Sherwood Goodenough, Kosi Remy | | | | A message from AARP: Many family caregivers in New Jersey struggle to keep their older loved ones at home – and out of costly, taxpayer-funded nursing homes – often sacrificing their jobs and tapping into their savings to make it work. Now increases in the cost of gas, food, and housing are making it even more difficult. We need to give family caregivers financial relief. Tell your state lawmakers to pass the Caregiver’s Assistance Act (A1802/S2021) now. We need it. | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | LABOR — Murphy signs Temporary Workers Bill of Rights after numerous delays, by POLITICO’s Caroline Petrow-Cohen: Gov. Phil Murphy signed the “Temporary Workers Bill of Rights” bill into law Monday, mandating better wages and expanding protections for temporary workers in the state. The bill passed the Senate in a 21-16 vote on Feb. 2. The measure increases job protections for an estimated 127,000 temporary workers employed by 100 licensed agencies in New Jersey and takes aim at unlicensed agencies operating outside the oversight of regulators. “Our temporary workers, regardless of their race or status, are key contributors to the workforce in our state,” Murphy said in a statement. “Signing the Temporary Workers Bill of Rights establishes necessary guidelines for temporary help service firms and third-party clients to ensure that these workers are afforded basic protections and treated with the dignity they deserve.” OFF THE WATERFRONT — Waterfront Commission keeps making tough calls while living on knife’s edge, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: The Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, a bi-state agency that polices dock workers, has been hamstrung for several years by uncertainty, litigation and vacancy. But even though it’s living on a knife’s edge as the U.S. Supreme Court gets ready to decide its fate, the agency has been making tough political decisions in recent weeks. Even more surprising is that one of the two people making those decisions is a commissioner from New Jersey who just a year ago was working in Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration as it was trying to shut down the agency … Murphy nominated Jennifer Davenport — a former prosecutor who is now an executive at PSEG, the state’s largest utility — to represent New Jersey. Around this time last year, Davenport was in the state Attorney General’s Office as it was working to dismantle the commission. Now that she’s joined the commission, she has joined with New York’s commissioner, Paul Weinstein, to make some politically tough and controversial calls, even as nearly everyone in New Jersey’s political class just wants to see the commission go away. KINDA STRONG AND SOMEWHAT FAIR — “What happened to Phil Murphy's progressive ambition? His second term is moderate, so far,” by The Record’s Katie Sobko: “Gov. Phil Murphy has seen a slow start to his 2023. He lost his title as 'America’s Greenest Governor' last month and delivered a State of the State that left his progressive base underwhelmed. His speech featured talk of building the ‘next New Jersey,’ but he didn't define what that is and was light on ways he planned to make that happen. Some governors have used their second term to take on ambitious, bold and sometimes controversial and costly ideas. Richard Hughes started the state sales tax. Brendan Byrne created NJ Transit. Chris Christie reformed New Jersey's bail system. This far into his second term, Murphy's biggest policy goals have been a three-year property tax rebate program and a commitment to selling more liquor licenses.” | | | | JOIN POLITICO ON 2/9 TO HEAR FROM AMERICA’S GOVERNORS: In a divided Congress, more legislative and policy enforcement will shift to the states, meaning governors will take a leading role in setting the agenda for the nation. Join POLITICO on Thursday, Feb. 9 at World Wide Technology's D.C. Innovation Center for The Fifty: America's Governors, presented by Cisco, where we will examine where innovations are taking shape and new regulatory red lines, the future of reproductive health, and how climate change is being addressed across a series of one-on-one interviews. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
WILL LIKELY FUTURE ASSEMBLYMAN AL BARLAS VOTE TO BAN AI BIAS? — “Could AI bias cost you a job? NJ lawmaker wants more scrutiny of hiring software,” by The Record’s Daniel Munoz: “There's a good chance an employer has used artificial intelligence to determine if you’re the right fit for their job. Nearly one in four organizations said they either use or plan to adopt AI and other computerized processes for hiring and recruitment, according to a survey … But skeptics worry about a dark side: that AI systems trained on past hiring decisions will simply automate racial and cultural biases that have previously shut out women, minorities, people with disabilities or other groups. In response, some lawmakers in New Jersey want more scrutiny of how employers use AI in their hiring decisions. ‘This isn’t banning the use of this software, it’s just making sure that we are checking and auditing and putting some boundaries in place to ensure equity processes,’ said one of the bill’s main sponsors, state Assemblywoman Sadaf Jaffer, D-Mercer. Under the proposed bill, A-4909, employers could only use hiring software that has been subjected to a ‘bias audit’ that looks for any patterns of discrimination”
USE OF FORCE — “Paterson officer charged with assault in June 2022 non-fatal shooting,” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “A city police officer who shot a fleeing suspect in the back during a foot chase last June has been charged with aggravated assault and official misconduct, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced Monday afternoon. During the 13-second chase in Paterson’s 1st Ward, the officer, Jerry Moravek, repeatedly yelled to the suspect, 28-year-old Khalif Cooper, to drop his gun, according to Moravek’s body camera video, which was released last summer. As the two of them ran down the street, Moravek fired two shots, one of which struck Cooper in the lower back, a wound that was not fatal, authorities said.” MAN KNOWN FOR STIFFING PEOPLE ALLEGEDLY STIFFS PARTY — “Rizzo testifies,” by InsiderNJ’s Fred Snowflack: “Rizzo testified in state Superior Court, Morristown, on Monday that the problem was with county Republicans. They are outliers, he said. All this drama is part of an ongoing legal battle between Rizzo and the Morris County Republican Committee. The committee says Rizzo “rented” a campaign table at said convention for $1,500, but refused to pay. The committee sued and despite the small amount of money involved, relatively speaking, a settlement has been elusive. The latest hearing in the case was Monday and there will be more to come. This is a dispute about money, but as Rizzo’s testimony suggested, his real point seems to be that county Republicans unjustly denied him the nomination. The deck, he said, was stacked against him from the start.” —Atlantic City casinos will not allow concealed carry —“Mastrangelo wants LD-26 Senate seat” —“N.J. flags to fly at half-staff in honor of slain Sayreville councilwoman” —“Ethical questions raised as Murphy extends reach at Port Authority with new nominations” —“Legislative retirements up over recent years with weeks left until filing deadline” | | | | A message from AARP:   | | | | | BIDEN TIME | |
LOW — “George santos raised money for dogs. It’s unclear where it all went,” by The New York Times’ Michael Gold and Grace Ashford: “Money had come in from raffles and sales of gift baskets; a few pets had found new homes. All in all, the adoption charity event at a Pet Oasis store on Staten Island had been a success. But then the charity’s leader made an odd request: He insisted that the store owner give him the proceeds in a check made out to his name, Anthony Devolder. The owner refused and made the check payable to the charity, Friends of Pets United. Days later, when he looked at his bank records, he noticed that the check had been altered: The charity’s name had been blotted out. ‘When it cashed, it was crossed out, and it had Anthony Devolder written on it,’ the owner, Daniel Avissato, said. Anthony Devolder is now better known as Representative George Santos.”
| | LOCAL | |
SILENCEVILLE — “It's been 5 days since an NJ councilmember was shot, and police are nearly silent,” by Gothamist’s Louis C. Hochman: “It’s been nearly five days since a Sayreville, New Jersey councilwoman was shot and killed in front of her home, but authorities leading the case have not provided any details since the morning after her death … The prosecutor’s office said Friday it wasn’t planning a press conference “because the investigation is still active and ongoing we are declining to comment on all matters at this time,” and that it didn’t have any updates to offer. It hasn’t yet returned requests for comment this weekend and Monday morning. There’s no universal playbook for how and whether to engage the public during a high-profile case, Robert Bianchi, a former Morris County prosecutor and current defense attorney, said. He said statewide media training for prosecutors would go a long way. Yet in at least some high-profile cases, politicians and law enforcement make themselves far more available, sharing at least some details.”
—“Sayreville councilwoman killed in shooting recalled as devoted pastor of N.J. church” —“Husband of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour posts Facebook tribute from Nigeria” CAMDEN IGNORING — “Most employers fail to meet city deadline to disclose workforce detail,” by TAPIntoCamden’s Neill Borowski: “Just a half-dozen employers filed their reports by Wednesday's deadline under a new city law requiring businesses, nonprofits and government institutions to disclose twice a year how many Camden residents are in their workforce. The ordinance, adopted by City Council last year after a petition campaign by community activists, requires any ‘public or private individual, partnership, association, corporation, company, school, university, hospital, governmental entity (or) joint operating venture’ with 25 or more employees to file details on its workforce with the city … Update: The city on January 31, with just a handful of disclosure forms submitted, issued a one-month "grace period," allowing employers to file by March 3. The city's webpage for employers has yet to be updated with the extension information.” HE’LL HAVE TO WORK HARD FOR GILMORE’S ENDORSEMENT — “Sadeghi enters race to replace Vicari In Ocean County,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Frank Sadeghi, a real estate developer and GOP fundraiser, has entered the race for a rare open Ocean County Commissioner seat. The incumbent, Joseph Vicari, announced that he would not seek re-election after nearly 42 years in county government.’“I’ve decided to run for County Commissioner so that I can give back to an area that has given so much to me and my family,’ Sadeghi said … Two Republicans had filed letters of intent with the Ocean County Republican organization to take on Vicari: Berkeley Township Committeeman James Byrne and former Brick Councilman Michael Thulen, Sr” FLASHBACK — “When George Gilmore's public work dried up, an ally gave his wife a job with engineering firm” | | | | DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO MOBILE APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS– DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID. | | | | |
FOR TAXPAYERS, A GOLDEN FLEECE — “Wayne's mayor tried for a 'golden parachute.' Did it play out as he planned?” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “Listed far down on the agenda for the Jan. 4 Wayne Township reorganization meeting — below the routine appointments for the library trustee board and the rent leveling board — was an ambiguous proposal to "amend and supplement" the township's administrative code. Specifically, ‘Article IX (Mayor),’ according to the agenda. But close inspection of the item revealed that there was nothing ordinary about the proposal. The proposed ordinance could have been easily renamed ‘Plan for a Golden Parachute for the Long-Serving Mayor.’ The proposal, championed by longtime Mayor Christopher P. Vergano, a Republican, called for converting his part-time position to full time, replete with the health care benefits enjoyed by other township officials and an eye-popping jump in annual pay from $18,750 to $140,000 — a 650% hike … But then the panel's lone Democrat, Francine Ritter, raised her hand and pumped the brakes on the idea. Ritter offered what seemed like a quaint notion of letting the public decide in a non-binding referendum this November … Eventually, Vergano, through the township attorney, asked to have the ordinance withdrawn, effectively killing one of the brassiest attempted power plays — or salary grabs? — in recent New Jersey memory.”
MULTIPLE REPORTERS PROUD OF USING ‘COOKIE CRUMBLES’ IN ARTICLES, HEADLINES — “What's next at Nabisco site in Fair Lawn? Owner files new plans as cookie factory crumbles,” by The Record’s Daniel Munoz: “While construction crews work to demolish the former Nabisco cookie factory along Route 208, the property's new owners have submitted plans for a replacement that may not evoke quite the same sweet memories. Greek Development filed a proposal with the borough planning board last week to build a sprawling warehouse on the site that had churned out Oreos, animal crackers and other treats for six decades. Workers began tearing down the plant last week, though its famous tower still has not been touched.” — “PBA treasurer - a recently-retired cop - charged with stealing funds from union,” by NJ Advance Media’s Chris Sheldon: “The treasurer of the New Jersey Policeman’s Benevolent Association – Ocean County Conference, a recently-retired police officer, was recently charged with stealing from the union, officials said. Jason Hildebrant, 44, of Forked River, was charged with theft by failure to make required disposition, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office announced Monday. Officials alleged Hildebrant withdrew funds from the PBA’s bank account by utilizing an ATM and counter withdrawals between October 2018 and December 2022” —“Finding Red Bank homes: Would Airbnb short-term rental crackdown help?” —“[Mount Olive] Student will get payments until she’s 60 in $750K bullying case settlement” —“Police asking residents for video footage after Sayreville councilmember shot and killed” —“'Guilt and shame': A domestic violence killing rattles Paterson's Bangladeshi community” —“Sacco announces 4 running mates in North Bergen, including Vainieri and Rodriguez” —R.I.P.: “Patricia C. Wolfington, former Hainesport mayor, nurse, and real estate agent, has died at 88” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
—“N.J. university president and provost discriminated against Black dean, lawsuit alleges”
—“Citing Bruce Springsteen ticket prices, fanzine Backstreets is calling it quits” —Calavia-Robertson: “600 credit score and a system stacked against her are keeping this N.J. mom in a moldy apartment” | | | | A message from AARP: Every day, thousands of people in New Jersey care for their spouses, aging parents, or other loved ones – helping them live at home instead of costly nursing homes. This saves New Jersey – and taxpayers – money since nursing home care is mostly paid for by the state, through Medicaid; yet, family caregivers pay out of their own pockets. The average family caregiver spends 26% of their income on caregiving activities, assisting with everything from bathing and dressing to medical appointments and transportation – often while juggling a job too. With inflation making everything more expensive, too many families are struggling to make it all work. That’s why we need state legislators to make family caregiving more affordable in New Jersey. The Caregiver’s Assistance Act (A1802/S2021) would provide a modest tax credit for families who take on caregiving expenses. It’s crucial financial relief that family caregivers have earned. Tell state lawmakers, support (A1802/S2021). | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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