Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order Establishing the New Jersey-India Commission

Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order No. 354 establishing the New Jersey-India Commission. The commission will be charged with advancing bilateral trade and investment and encouraging economic development in both New Jersey and India. As India is the most populous country in the world with one of the fastest-growing economies, the commission aims to promote cultural and educational exchanges between New Jersey and India and to promote sustainable long-term economic growth.

“I am honored to establish the New Jersey-India Commission to strengthen the cultural and economic ties between New Jersey and India for generations to come,” said Governor Murphy. “Following my visit to India in 2019, we have been committed to strengthening our relationship, building on the overlapping economic strengths that New Jersey and India have long shared. We take immense pride in the contributions of our vast Indian immigrant population and, through this commission, we can ensure that we seize a new century of opportunities to grow together and pioneer new possibilities.”

“I am delighted to join Governor Murphy to establish the New Jersey-India Commission,” said Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State Tahesha Way. “As Secretary of State, I am thrilled to welcome the commission to my department and look forward to overseeing its work building on the deep-rooted economic, cultural, and societal ties between New Jersey and India. New Jersey’s Indian population enriches our state, and through this commission we are creating further opportunities for collaboration.”

India is New Jersey’s second-largest foreign direct investor and the majority of New Jersey’s immigrant population hails from India. In September of 2019, Governor Murphy and Choose New Jersey led an economic mission trip to India, fostering economic relations and securing over 1,200 new jobs by expanding the presence of three Indian companies within New Jersey. Over the past two decades, India has invested $2 billion dollars into New Jersey, helping to create nearly 6,000 jobs in key sectors like life sciences and technology.

"Our partnership with New Jersey is unique in several ways," said Consul General of India Binaya Srikanta Pradhan. "It is a potential story of dynamic convergence and confluence of India’s economic resilience, presence of a highly successful Indian-American community and America’s spirit of innovation, fostering a landscape ripe with opportunities across sectors. Governor Murphy’s initiative to establish the New Jersey-India Commission would add strength to already existing high level of economic engagement in terms of over $10 billion trade with New Jersey or several two-way investments. This would also give a boost to the strong people-to-people connect that exists between India and New Jersey including in areas of education and knowledge partnership. We also look forward to Governor Murphy’s visit to India in the near future to take forward our partnership to new heights."

First Lady Tammy Murphy, Acting Health Commissioner Baston Unveil NJ Report Card on Hospital Maternity Care

First Lady Tammy Murphy and New Jersey Department of Health Acting Commissioner Kaitlan Baston released the New Jersey Report Card of Hospital Maternity Care. The report card is the first of its kind in the nation and outlines key metrics on maternal health care derived from 2021 and 2022 hospital deliveries reported to the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) through general acute care hospital discharges and electronic birth records. The report card comes in a new redesigned format allowing viewers easy access to additional metrics and improved interactive features, and was designed with the needs of expecting moms front of mind.  

“The NJ Report Card on Hospital Maternity Care allows us to evaluate our progress, identify best practices, and plan our next steps as we work to make New Jersey the safest, most equitable state in the nation to deliver a baby,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “Most importantly however, the new report card has additional interactive features and critical statistics that empower moms and families with important information to guide their decisions. We still have a long way to go to remedy our disparities, but our first-in-the-nation report card moves us in the right direction to ensure accountability, transparency and the best possible care for our moms and babies.”

“These metrics clearly demonstrate the continued work needed to ensure safe and equitable maternal outcomes for all birthing people in New Jersey,” said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Kaitlan Baston. “We will continue to redouble our efforts, working with Nurture NJ and the New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority, of which I am a member, to strive for safer and healthier deliveries.”

While the newly release report card provides additional features, a user-friendly format, and additional important data, New Jersey has issued its first-in-the-nation Report Cards annually since 2019 to inform families about quality improvement efforts. The metrics include interactive data on hospital-specific and statewide births including complication rates and severe maternal morbidity. This information is designed to be user-friendly to help birthing people make informed decisions about the care and outcomes at hospitals across New Jersey. To add to this consumer-focused purpose, new metrics have been added for each of the state’s birthing hospitals: recognition as a Baby-Friendly hospital; availability of lactation consultants; 24/7 availability of neonatologists and/or perinatologists; availability of special care nurseries and/or neonatal intensive care units; and nurse-to-patient ratio in postpartum units.

Treasury Encourages Eligible Taxpayers to Take Advantage of NJ's Earned Income Tax Credit, One of the Most Generous in the Nation

As the 2023 tax filing season kicks off, the New Jersey Department of the Treasury is reminding taxpayers to find out if they are eligible for the State’s Earned Income Tax Credit, which was expanded in recent years to provide several hundred to several thousand dollars in relief to qualifying residents.

An estimated 204,000 New Jerseyans - about one in five tax filers - are eligible for the program but do not apply. As residents prepare to file their taxes, Treasury encourages taxpayers to check the Division of Taxation’s NJEITC webpage to determine if they are eligible and take advantage of the program.

“New Jersey’s Earned Income Tax Credit is among the most generous in the country; the average credit is about $826, on top of the federal credit,” said State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio. “Though this credit puts money directly back in the pockets of many families, some taxpayers are unaware of the program and how to apply for it. We want to encourage New Jerseyans to learn more about the NJEITC through the helpful resources available from our Division of Taxation, and urge those who are eligible to take advantage of this valuable program.”

The Murphy Administration increased the NJEITC credit amount three times in recent years as part of its commitment to making the Garden State more affordable. The Administration also lowered the minimum age eligibility for NJEITC from 21 to 18, and expanded eligibility to those 65 and older without dependents. 

For Tax Year 2023, eligible New Jersey taxpayers could receive a refundable credit of up to $2,972 with three or more qualifying dependents or $240 without dependents. The credit amount is determined by a taxpayer’s New Jersey Gross Income.

New Jersey State Teacher of the Year is a Finalist for 2024 National Teacher of the Year

Acting Education Commissioner Christopher Huber applauded New Jersey’s 2024 State Teacher of the Year, Joseph Nappi of Monmouth Regional High School, for being selected as one of the four finalists for National Teacher of the Year.

There have only been two other years since New Jersey entered the National Teacher of the Year program in 1969 that the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), which oversees the National Teacher of the Year program, has named a New Jersey teacher as a national finalist.

One of the four finalists will be named the 2024 National Teacher of the Year this spring and will spend the following year traveling the nation to present to educators and advocate on behalf of teachers and students. Additional information can be found on CCSSO’s National Teacher of the Year webpage and their bio of Joe. Joe teaches U.S. History to sophomores and a Holocaust, Genocide and Modern Humanity course to seniors. His lessons and his blog, “Ten Concrete Tips for Teaching About the Holocaust,” have been published by PBS. In addition, he co-founded a charity that raised over $75,000 from staff donations to help students overcome financial difficulties affecting their classroom success.