In an election like no other, New Jerseyans made their voices heard

Two-thirds of New Jerseyans voted to legalize the substance on Nov. 3, marking the biggest percentage win on a legalization ballot initiative in history. Meanwhile, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, 94 residents are arrested daily for low-level cannabis-related offenses--a 40 percent jump from 2013 when 66 residents were arrested for it each day.

Before the current streak, the state's daily counts had not reached beyond the number since May.

Jeff Brown, who runs the state’s existing medical marijuana program, will head the new agency while Dianna Houenou, a senior advisor within the governor’s office and long-time advocate of racial justice with an extensive resume in criminal justice reform, will serve as chair of the five-member group.

The agency said it would keep the state’s crest rating at A-, as the Murphy administration goes to market with between $4.2 billion and $4.5 billion in bonds.

Lawmakers still have to vote on a bill to formally legalize cannabis, outline how the market will be regulated and tested, how many permits and licenses will be given out, the types that will be distributed, and who will get them.

New Jersey logged more than 2,000 new cases for the second day in a row, marking a third day of highs since the first wave hit the state in the spring that have all occurred in the past week.

With cases of and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 surging to levels not seen since May, Gov. Phil Murphy has been repeatedly pressed on whether he will order new state shutdowns.

The legislation marks a rare instance in Trenton that found the business community, state Legislature and the Murphy administration in agreement. “While it is of course concerning for our competitiveness that New Jersey’s corporate business tax rate is set to become the highest in the nation on Jan. 1, the technical adjustments made with this law will provide some important benefits ... " NJBIA Vice President of Government Affairs Christopher Emigholz said in a statement.

The Nov. 4 announcement marks the second time since the outbreak's first wave that the state logged more than 2,000 cases while total hospitalizations reached 1,213—a peak not seen since the start of June.

Garden State voters gave the go-ahead for recreational marijuana, approving ballot question 1 during Wednesday's general election, but Attorney General Gurbir Grewal says that doesn't mean you can light up without consequences just yet.

Starting in May 2022, businesses like restaurants, convenience stores, food trucks, movie theaters and grocery stores occupying at least 2,500 square feet are prohibited from providing the packaging to customers under the new law, which environmentalists say will be the most far-reaching move of its kind in the nation.