Leaving a domestic violence situation can be both difficult and dangerous. Today, the Assembly Judiciary Committee advanced several bills aimed at easing domestic violence victims’ path to safety. The legislation would address the unjust penalties and sentencing imposed for crimes committed under duress, reinforce domestic violence restraining orders, and expand training of coercive control for judges and law enforcement officers. The bills advanced following moving testimony from women who lived through abuse and prevailed, but who still contend with the lasting aftermath. 

 Assemblyman Anthony Verrelli’s bill to prohibit the use of non-compete clauses, with certain exceptions, and no-poach agreements cleared the Assembly Labor Committee today. Bill A5708 seeks to strengthen workers’ rights and encourage fair competition in the labor market.

“Workers deserve the ability to pursue new opportunities without being shackled by outdated and restrictive agreements,” said Assemblyman Verrelli (D-Hunterdon, Mercer), Chair of the Assembly Labor Committee. “By prohibiting non-compete clauses and no-poach agreements, we are standing up for workers’ rights, promoting a healthier labor market, and creating a level playing field for businesses across our state.”

Under the bill, no employer – whether public, private, or nonprofit – would be allowed to require, demand, or accept a non-compete agreement for any employee or other individual who provides services for, or on behalf of, the employer. Additionally, every contract restraining an individual from engaging in lawful professions, trades, or businesses after employment termination would to that extent be void.

The bill would include exceptions to ensure that legitimate business interests, such as trade secrets, are protected without restricting worker mobility. Similarly, non-compete agreements established during the sale of a business entity, its operating assets, or ownership interests are allowed. Existing non-compete agreements with senior executives would also remain valid if they meet specific requirements.

The bill would also explicitly ban no-poach agreements where employers agree not to hire each other’s employees or former employees.

A5708 would note that there must be no retaliation against workers who exercise their rights under this bill.

Assemblyman Verrelli, who has been a proud union member for 35 years, noted that legislation stems from a landmark finding from the Federal Trade Commission that non-compete clauses trap workers and hold back the economy.

Circulate NJ Chair David Greek issued the following statement today regarding the election of Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill as the next governor of New Jersey:

“On behalf of Circulate NJ, we congratulate Congresswoman Sherrill on being elected the next governor of New Jersey. As the driving force behind the state’s economy, we look forward to working with the governor-elect. We hope she will continue to keep an open mind regarding the numerous benefits that the transportation, logistics and distribution industry brings to New Jersey. Working together, we can ensure job growth and economic development flourish in the Garden State for years to come.”

New Jersey Assembly Democrats flipped at least three seats tonight, securing a supermajority as voters resoundingly elected Democrats up and down the ticket. The DLCC identified New Jersey as a priority early in 2025 by investing six figures and spotlighting 12 of the most competitive races that were among the biggest successes of the night.

Tonight’s Assembly wins come as Mikie Sherrill clinched the gubernatorial win, ensuring unified Democratic power can protect New Jersey from MAGA extremism and fight for working families. 

Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams issued the following statement:

“Tonight, voters delivered a stunning victory by electing a supermajority in the New Jersey Assembly, sending a clear message to MAGA extremists whose policies have substantially driven the cost of living up. The DLCC is proud to stand with the state Democrats in New Jersey who are focused on lowering costs and protecting economic opportunities for their communities. These victories set the stage for the 2026 midterms when Democrats have the opportunity for historic success in state legislatures across the country.” 

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the campaign arm of Democratic state legislatures and leads the national strategy for building power and winning new majorities. Over the last three decades, we have strategized cycle over cycle to win majorities and lead the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level, winning nearly a dozen new chamber majorities over the last decade. Our work has ensured that nearly half of Americans are represented by at least one Democratic majority in their statehouse. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class and advancing opportunity, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.

 The Murphy Administration has awarded nearly $8 million in Water Quality Restoration grants to local municipalities, nonprofit groups and academic institutions to fund projects that will enhance water quality in surface waters across the state, Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette announced today.

The grants provided through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will help reduce the impacts of nonpoint source pollution, address harmful algal blooms, develop watershed-based planning efforts, address emerging contaminants and improve climate resilience.“Enhancing the ecological health of our lakes, rivers, streams and coastal waters has long been a priority of the Murphy Administration,” Commissioner LaTourette said. “The Department of Environmental Protection is pleased to award these grants that will help our partners advance a variety of strategies to improve the health of these waterways and enhance the quality of life in our communities.”With this round of funding, the Murphy Administration has awarded more than $33 million in Water Quality Restoration grants to improve the health of waterways in all corners of the state.Funded through the federal Clean Water Act, these grants support activities such as stormwater management, riparian buffer restoration, and erosion control. In New Jersey, this grant program is administered by the DEP’s Watershed and Land Management Program.“We are grateful to NJDEP for this funding which will advance watershed scale planning to improve water quality and make collaboration between upstream and downstream communities possible,” said Jim Waltman, Executive Director of the Pennington-based Watershed Institute, which is receiving a $205,138 grant to develop plans to improve the health of the Assunpink Creek watershed. “This approach will save municipalities money and prioritize projects that will build resiliency to water pollution and flooding.”“We appreciate the NJDEP’s support of our collaboration with the Rutgers Water Science Center, the Ocean County Soil Conservation District, and Ocean County to renovate several priority, publicly owned stormwater basins in northern Ocean County,” said Stan Hales, Director of the Toms River-based Barnegat Bay Partnership, which is receiving a  $334,132 grant to retrofit stormwater basins in the Toms River and Metedeconk River watersheds. “This effort directly builds upon our development of the Toms River Watershed Protection and Restoration Plan and our partners’ commitments to protect and restore water quality and wildlife habitats of the Barnegat Bay watershed.”2025 Award RecipientsDevelopment of Watershed Based PlansRowan University $356,035

Rowan University in Glassboro will develop a targeted Watershed Based Plan for the lower Great Egg Harbor River watershed that focuses on reducing nonpoint source pollution. The restoration strategy plan will emphasize green infrastructure and low impact development systems to improve performance without major construction, enhancing cost-effectiveness and minimizing disturbances. The project will be guided by a watershed advisory committee.Montgomery Township  $288,300Montgomery Township will produce a comprehensive Watershed Based Plan for a portion of the Raritan River watershed that will focus on reducing non-point source pollution to improve water quality and minimize flooding. Led by One Water Consulting LLC, the project will generate pollutant load estimates, mapping visualizations, and detailed plans supported by technical and financial analyses.The Watershed Institute  $205,138The Pennington-based Watershed Institute will create a Watershed Based Plan to improve water quality in the Assunpink Creek watershed. The plan will evaluate causes of this pollution and solutions, while promoting public engagement. Green infrastructure and large-scale ecological restoration projects will be identified and evaluated for cost, feasibility, and pollutant reduction potential.  Lake Owassa Paulinskill Headwaters Conservation Foundation  $87,100The Culver Creek sub-watershed, part of the Upper Delaware River watershed, has been identified as impaired due to pollutants such as fecal coliform, phosphorus, and arsenic. The Lake Owassa Paulinskill Headwaters Foundation, supported by Clean Waters Consulting LLC and local lake associations, will develop a Watershed Based Plan to calculate pollutant loads and identify priority areas for intervention.Implementation of Watershed Based PlansRockaway Township  $399,400Rockaway Township plans to construct green infrastructure at its municipal complex to target nonpoint source pollutants in Fox’s Pond and Fox Brook. Elevated levels of fecal coliform have led to frequent closures of the public beach. The project will include conversion of the rock-lined drainage swale to a vegetative swale with a bioretention basin.Lake Hopatcong Commission $366,813The Lake Hopatcong Commission will modify an existing stormwater basin in Lake Hopatcong through installation of structural and vegetative improvements to better remove sediments and nutrients.Barnegat Bay Partnership  $334,132This project focuses on improving the water quality in the Toms River and Metedeconk River watersheds through the implementation of stormwater basin retrofits at six sites. The retrofits will focus on those identified as priority areas with elevated levels of stormwater pollutants.Liberty Township  $230,500Mountain Lake, a glacial lake in Liberty Township, has had significant harmful algal bloom outbreaks that have resulted in public swimming beach closures. Liberty Township will implement a series of best management practices to reduce nutrients that contribute to these blooms.Extreme Weather Resiliency PlanLower Raritan Watershed Partnership $361,200The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership plans to create an Extreme Weather Resilience Plan focused on remediated and contaminated sites within Middlesex County. Ten priority sites will be selected, five impacted by flooding and five affected by wildfires. The partnership will conduct a comprehensive vulnerability assessment of prioritized sites.Emerging Contaminants PlansJefferson Township  $350,100 Jefferson Township plans to develop an Emerging Contaminants Plan to address cyanotoxins and harmful algal blooms in Cozy Lake. The cyanotoxin management plan will focus on in-lake monitoring and implementation methods that will target management strategies to mitigate harmful algal blooms.Mount Holly Township $20,000Mount Holly Township plans to conduct a dredging feasibility study to address nonpoint source pollution impacting Woolman Lake through green infrastructure and sediment management strategies. The feasibility study will assess the viability of dredging to enhance aquatic habitat and overall hydraulic function. It will also evaluate shoreline erosion and sediment deposition resulting from severe precipitation, goose activity, and impervious surface runoff.Green InfrastructureGreen Trust Alliance  $1,389,793 The Green Trust Alliance will upgrade an outdated detention basin at Pinelands Regional High School in Tuckerton into a multi-functional system to improve both water flow control and water quality to benefit Tuckerton Creek in the Barnegat Bay watershed. The Green Trust Alliance and GreenVest will manage the project, which will also have education components for students and the public.New Jersey Institute of Technology  $948,108The New Jersey Institute of Technology will implement green infrastructure projects across five selected public properties in Paterson, including parks, schools, and community centers. The projects feature bioretention areas enhanced with green-engineered mulch to improve stormwater pollutant removal.New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium $991,655The New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium will expand the existing living shoreline and oyster reef at the Naval Weapons Station Earle waterfront complex in Colts Neck. As part of this initiative, 600 additional oyster castles will be installed to enhance coastal resilience. These nature-based structures will enhance resilience, reduce shoreline erosion, and restore vital habitats and natural resources that support a diverse range of avian and marine species. Avon-by-the-Sea Borough $700,000Sylvan Lake, a coastal lake on the border of Avon-by-the-Sea and Bradley Beach, has been impacted by urbanization and disrupted connection to the ocean. This grant will fund work to improve habitat, stabilize the shoreline, enhance water quality, provide public access, and encourage community engagement in support of the borough’s ongoing living shoreline project.Stafford Township $411,066 Stafford Township will construct two bioswales along Parker Street to improve stormwater management and reduce runoff. The bioswales – constructed ditches or channels designed to slow down the flow rate of stormwater and allow it to soak into the ground – will reduce nutrient loading, manage flood risks, and support local ecological stability.Montclair Township $326,700The Montclair Resiliency Park Green Infrastructure project is located in the Fourth Ward, a community impacted by legacy pollution and chronic flooding. This project will repurpose remediated land for public green space through construction of a combination of subsurface detention measures, rain gardens, and vegetated bioswales.