Established under legislation signed by the governor last November, the group is charged with developing policies to address the social and economic needs of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in New Jersey.

In addition to activating price-gouging laws, the order coordinates relief efforts and enables state agencies to take emergency measures necessary to protect families from issues arising from the shortage.

The new initiative would distribute $900 million in relief to nearly 1.8 million homeowners and renters across the state.

According to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, since Gov. Phil Murphy took office in 2018, the state has recorded increases of up to 92% in new Registered Apprenticeship programs.

“This funding represents my administration’s continued commitment to supporting New Jersey families by strengthening the services they rely upon,” Gov. Phil Murphy said. “Summer youth camps serve as an essential child care option for working parents by providing a safe and enriching environment for children while school is out of session. Supporting these providers and making these services more affordable will benefit many families in the coming months.”

The last few weeks featured presentations and testimony from some of the most consequential state departments and some of the New Jersey’s most prominent policymakers, including Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli, acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin and more.

Things got a little tense as Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, also commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, was questioned by Sen. Michael Testa, R-1st District, regarding details for certain grants. After explaining the department often just administers such endowments, Testa pressed further, moving to affordable housing and asking why the spending proposal is light on information.

The appointment, announced Thursday during Gov. Phil Murphy's Keynote Address at the Business Network for Offshore Wind’s International Partnering Forum in Atlantic City, establishes the project from the sector leader and partner PSEG as the first tenant of the New Jersey Wind Port.

The state Treasury's Division of Investment announced the Emerging Managers initiative, along with proposing its first investment of up to $250 million.

Guided by the theme of “Investment in Our Planet,” the new blue and green carbon initiative will provide $15 million to projects across the Garden State with the goal of creating, restoring and enhancing salt marshes, sea grass beds, forests and urban parks to help in the fight against climate change.

A group of state and local officials celebrated the groundbreaking for the $45 million project, which will overhaul the stop that pre-COVID served an average of 874 weekday customer trips.

The addition of 17,800 jobs continues a trend of 16 consecutive months of gains. However, the state still has a higher unemployment rate than the nation’s.