Trenton, NJ – The gubernatorial transition team assembled by Governor Phil Murphy and Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver today released its final reports, a reflection of the substantive debate and discussion within each committee during the transition process. The reports are committee-specific and provide a strong policy framework for the Murphy-Oliver administration. “I am proud to say that our transition was the most inclusive and diverse transition advisory process in the history of New Jersey,” Governor Murphy said. “We had over 80 co-chairs and over 500 transition team members who all brought incredible experience and knowledge to each policy issue that was covered. The breadth of the recommendations provides a strong foundation as we begin to build a New Jersey that works for everyone.”
The fourteen committee reports were delivered to Governor Murphy and his senior leadership team before Governor Murphy’s inauguration. The final reports were prepared by the transition policy staff: Director of Transition Policy Committees Jose Fernandez, Senior Advisor for Strategy and Policy Carl Van Horn, and Deputy Policy Directors Curtis Fisher and Allison Kopicki. The final products reflect the broad consensus within each committee but the reports may contain language or content that does not reflect the concurrence of all co-chairs or committee members, nor the organizations they represent.
The reports detail suggestions for implementing smarter, more strategic investments in areas like transportation, healthcare, housing, clean energy and other key sectors to help grow New Jersey’s economy. Several of the reports feature supporting out innovation ecosystem. The reports are available at http://nj.gov/governor/news/reports/approved/reports_archive.shtml
The Government Technology and Innovation Transition Advisory Committee proposes that the Governor-elect consider the following recommendations to accomplish these priorities:
I. Priority: Upgrade the government’s technology infrastructure
i. Evaluate the state’s Information Technology systems and develop RFPs for security and functionality upgrades within the first six months
ii. Review and improve upon Executive Order 225, which centralized IT operations and decentralized software functions
II. Priority: Improve e-government services for New Jerseyans
i. Require agencies to provide additional online service-delivery options for services that are currently offered in-person and via paper mail
ii. Create a user-friendly mobile app that allows New Jerseyans to interact seamlessly with multiple government agencies
iii. Examine converting state-operated 800 numbers to the NJ 211 platform
iv. Appoint a service delivery director and create a statewide e-government strategic plan
v. Improve access to government data to increase transparency and evidence-based decision-making
III. Priority: Strengthen links between our universities and innovative sectors
i. Publicize our universities’ intellectual property assets and assist with their commercial distribution
ii. Create an innovation competition for faculty and students to generate solutions to statewide problems
IV. Priority: Attract and retain high-tech talent and investment in New Jersey
i. Create a fellowship program to boost New Jersey’s government technology and attract talented professionals to work in state government
ii. Establish a STEM-specific student-loan forgiveness program
iii. Encourage all public schools to expand computer science programs iv. Pursue strategies to jump-start the innovation economy
V. Priority: Foster tech hubs and incubators, and expand access to secure internet
i. Expand high-speed internet access to all of New Jersey’s rural and urban communities
ii. Enforce a safe and equal internet for all residents
iii. Build tech incubators in vacant office space owned by government entities
The Labor and Workforce Development Transition Advisory Committee recommends that the Governor-elect consider the following recommendations to accomplish the following two key priorities:
I. Priority: Reform workforce development and career training
i. Launch the NJ Career Network
ii. Integrate Technological Resources to Improve Service Delivery
The Stronger and Fairer Economy Transition Advisory Committee recommends that the Governor-elect consider the following recommendations to accomplish the following five key priorities:
I. Priority: Establish economic growth and opportunity as a core policy project for the state
i. Establish a Jobs and Economic Opportunity Council (JEOC) in the Governor’s office to develop and advance the administration’s economic and workforce development policy agenda
ii. Work with Choose New Jersey and other organizations to enhance guidance and support from New Jersey’s business, nonprofit, labor, and education leaders
iii. Improve business outreach and simplify regulations to ensure that businesses are encouraged start, grow and relocate in New Jersey
II. Priority: Grow New Jersey’s economy and key sectors
i. Support key industries with sector-based training programs and other targeted initiatives
ii. Improve physical infrastructure and reduce congestion
iii. Attract foreign direct investment (FDI) iv. Assist New Jersey businesses with exporting goods and services v. Review Economic Development Authority (EDA) incentive and loan policies to maximize the State’s return on investment, and emphasize transparency and fiscal responsibility
III. Priority: Grow New Jersey’s innovation economy through public, private, research university partnerships
i. Expand business incubators
ii. Make 21st century jobs available for all
iii. Enhance coordination between universities, businesses, and state government
IV. Priority: Increase opportunities for business ownership and access to capital
i. Assist entrepreneurs through programs such as one-stop business development centers and better software
ii. Appoint a Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) and modify state procurement policies to assist minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs)
iii. Conduct a feasibility study on a Public Bank and explore other means to promote local access to capital
The Education Transition Advisory Committee proposes that the Governor-elect consider the following recommendations to accomplish these priorities:
K-12 EDUCATION
II. Priority: Prepare every student for the 21st century with excellent and innovative public schools
i. Encourage the State Board of Education to review and update its draft strategic plan
ii. Develop guidelines and standards for whole child development and growth
iii. Pause new charter school approvals and review current charter school regulation
iv. Expand and upgrade vocational-technical education
v. Develop a high-quality STEM education curriculum for all students
HIGHER EDUCATION
I. Priority: Increase college affordability
i. Start New Jersey on the path towards offering free community college
ii. Strengthen the Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) and Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) programs
iii. Reform state student loans to alleviate debt burdens
II. Priority: Increase college completion and enrollment
i. Expand dual-enrollment programs and high school and college counseling services
ii. Provide in-school supports to increase retention and completion
iii. Improve credit transfer between New Jersey higher education institutions
iv. Measure progress using the NJ Earnings to Education Data System (NJEEDS)
III. Priority: Increase opportunities for experiential learning and on-the-job training
i. Create sector-specific apprenticeship programs
ii. Provide funding for low-income students to pursue unpaid internships
iii. Create an inventory of paid internships/practicums
The reports detail suggestions for implementing smarter, more strategic investments in areas like transportation, healthcare, housing, clean energy and other key sectors to help grow New Jersey’s economy. Several of the reports feature supporting out innovation ecosystem. The reports are available at http://nj.gov/governor/news/reports/approved/reports_archive.shtml
The Government Technology and Innovation Transition Advisory Committee proposes that the Governor-elect consider the following recommendations to accomplish these priorities:
I. Priority: Upgrade the government’s technology infrastructure
i. Evaluate the state’s Information Technology systems and develop RFPs for security and functionality upgrades within the first six months
ii. Review and improve upon Executive Order 225, which centralized IT operations and decentralized software functions
II. Priority: Improve e-government services for New Jerseyans
i. Require agencies to provide additional online service-delivery options for services that are currently offered in-person and via paper mail
ii. Create a user-friendly mobile app that allows New Jerseyans to interact seamlessly with multiple government agencies
iii. Examine converting state-operated 800 numbers to the NJ 211 platform
iv. Appoint a service delivery director and create a statewide e-government strategic plan
v. Improve access to government data to increase transparency and evidence-based decision-making
III. Priority: Strengthen links between our universities and innovative sectors
i. Publicize our universities’ intellectual property assets and assist with their commercial distribution
ii. Create an innovation competition for faculty and students to generate solutions to statewide problems
IV. Priority: Attract and retain high-tech talent and investment in New Jersey
i. Create a fellowship program to boost New Jersey’s government technology and attract talented professionals to work in state government
ii. Establish a STEM-specific student-loan forgiveness program
iii. Encourage all public schools to expand computer science programs iv. Pursue strategies to jump-start the innovation economy
V. Priority: Foster tech hubs and incubators, and expand access to secure internet
i. Expand high-speed internet access to all of New Jersey’s rural and urban communities
ii. Enforce a safe and equal internet for all residents
iii. Build tech incubators in vacant office space owned by government entities
The Labor and Workforce Development Transition Advisory Committee recommends that the Governor-elect consider the following recommendations to accomplish the following two key priorities:
I. Priority: Reform workforce development and career training
i. Launch the NJ Career Network
ii. Integrate Technological Resources to Improve Service Delivery
The Stronger and Fairer Economy Transition Advisory Committee recommends that the Governor-elect consider the following recommendations to accomplish the following five key priorities:
I. Priority: Establish economic growth and opportunity as a core policy project for the state
i. Establish a Jobs and Economic Opportunity Council (JEOC) in the Governor’s office to develop and advance the administration’s economic and workforce development policy agenda
ii. Work with Choose New Jersey and other organizations to enhance guidance and support from New Jersey’s business, nonprofit, labor, and education leaders
iii. Improve business outreach and simplify regulations to ensure that businesses are encouraged start, grow and relocate in New Jersey
II. Priority: Grow New Jersey’s economy and key sectors
i. Support key industries with sector-based training programs and other targeted initiatives
ii. Improve physical infrastructure and reduce congestion
iii. Attract foreign direct investment (FDI) iv. Assist New Jersey businesses with exporting goods and services v. Review Economic Development Authority (EDA) incentive and loan policies to maximize the State’s return on investment, and emphasize transparency and fiscal responsibility
III. Priority: Grow New Jersey’s innovation economy through public, private, research university partnerships
i. Expand business incubators
ii. Make 21st century jobs available for all
iii. Enhance coordination between universities, businesses, and state government
IV. Priority: Increase opportunities for business ownership and access to capital
i. Assist entrepreneurs through programs such as one-stop business development centers and better software
ii. Appoint a Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) and modify state procurement policies to assist minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs)
iii. Conduct a feasibility study on a Public Bank and explore other means to promote local access to capital
The Education Transition Advisory Committee proposes that the Governor-elect consider the following recommendations to accomplish these priorities:
K-12 EDUCATION
II. Priority: Prepare every student for the 21st century with excellent and innovative public schools
i. Encourage the State Board of Education to review and update its draft strategic plan
ii. Develop guidelines and standards for whole child development and growth
iii. Pause new charter school approvals and review current charter school regulation
iv. Expand and upgrade vocational-technical education
v. Develop a high-quality STEM education curriculum for all students
HIGHER EDUCATION
I. Priority: Increase college affordability
i. Start New Jersey on the path towards offering free community college
ii. Strengthen the Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) and Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) programs
iii. Reform state student loans to alleviate debt burdens
II. Priority: Increase college completion and enrollment
i. Expand dual-enrollment programs and high school and college counseling services
ii. Provide in-school supports to increase retention and completion
iii. Improve credit transfer between New Jersey higher education institutions
iv. Measure progress using the NJ Earnings to Education Data System (NJEEDS)
III. Priority: Increase opportunities for experiential learning and on-the-job training
i. Create sector-specific apprenticeship programs
ii. Provide funding for low-income students to pursue unpaid internships
iii. Create an inventory of paid internships/practicums
