Senate Approves Scutari-Gopal Bill to Assess Cybersecurity by State & Local Government

The Link News, October 19, 2022

Each government entity at the state and local levels in New Jersey would be required to conduct a review of its cybersecurity systems and make recommendations for any needed security improvements, under terms of legislation approved by the Senate today.

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Gopal Bill Requiring Medicaid Reimbursement for Covered Behavioral Health Services Clears Committee

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Vin Gopal that would require Medicaid reimbursement for covered behavioral health services provided by a local education agency to any student who is who is eligible as a Medicaid beneficiary advanced out of the Senate Education Committee.

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Speaker Coughlin, Conaway & Gopal Highlight Funding to Grow New Jersey’s Pediatric Psychiatric Collaborative

FY23 State Budget Appropriates $12 Million for Program to Expand Integrated Delivery of Youth Mental Health Care

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, NJ - A growing number of young people experience mental health problems, a nationwide behavioral health crisis that is impacting New Jersey’s youth to devastating effect and even more so following the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Gopal, Speight partner on legislation to address rising car thefts

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, NJ - Amid a steep rise in auto-thefts statewide, Senator Vin Gopal, D-Long Branch, and Assemblywoman Shanique Speight, D-Newark, have partnered on two bills that would strengthen penalties for car thieves and promote prevention efforts across New Jersey.

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Bipartisan bill aims to ease regulatory restrictions imposed on breweries

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, NJ - A bi-partisan group of state lawmakers including Senator Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch), Senator Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro), Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-Little Silver), and Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese (D-Cliffside Park) introduced legislation this week that would ease the restrictions imposed on the state’s breweries by the New Jersey Division of Alcohol Beverage Control’s new rules.  

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Gopal, Stanfield ‘Recovery Tax Credit Program’ Legislation Clears Economic Growth Committee

TRENTON – In an effort to incentivize the hiring and continued employment of certain individuals in recovery from substance use disorder, the Senate Economic Growth Committee advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Vin Gopal and Senator Jean Stanfield that would establish the “Recovery Tax Credit Program” within the Department of Human Services.

“People who have struggled with addiction have sometimes found difficulty in landing or keeping a job, even in good hiring climates,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). “When someone is in recovery, they need all the support they can receive, from their families, their communities, and their employers.”

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5sc June 21, 2022

Senate Clears Gopal Legislation Recognizing ‘Purple Star Schools’ That Aid Military Families

TRENTON – The Senate approved legislation sponsored by Senator Vin Gopal and Senator Jean Stanfield that further supports New Jersey’s military-connected families, specifically by recognizing schools that place emphasis on assisting children of active duty military and helping families to more easily navigate the often difficult educational path for military dependents and spouses.

This bill, S-1800, would create a “Purple Star Schools” Program to annually recognize, as Purple Star Schools, schools that provide for, or have made significant progress to respond to, the educational and social-emotional challenges military-connected students encounter during the transition to a new school when the student’s active-duty military parent or guardian is relocated. The bill would also create a working group to develop criteria to be used in the designation of schools as Purple Star Schools.

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5sc June 21, 2022

Gopal Bill Requiring Insurance Providers, Medicaid Cover Telehealth Becomes Law

TRENTONSenator Vin Gopal’s bill guaranteeing that health insurance providers and Medicaid continue to pay healthcare providers the same amount for virtual healthcare as in-person visits has become law.

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Gopal Bill Establishing Commission on Asian Heritage Within DOE Clears Committee

TRENTON – In an effort to bring greater awareness to contributions made by Asian Americans, and to better educate students about Asian American culture and thereby attempt to stem anti-Asian racism and violence in society, the Senate Education Committee advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Vin Gopal and Senator Loretta Weinberg to establish a Commission on Asian Heritage within the Department of Education.

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4sc December 16, 2021

Gopal Voices Support for Bill to Bolster Library Construction and Improvement

TRENTON – Recognizing the vital role that public libraries continue to play in our democracy and their importance as centers of learning and enrichment in our communities, where anyone and everyone can utilize their services, Senator Vin Gopal today reiterated his strong support for newly introduced legislation that appropriates $37,174,636.71 from the “New Jersey Library Construction Fund” to provide grants for construction, reconstruction, development, extension, improvement, and furnishing of New Jersey's public libraries.

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4sc December 14, 2021

Gopal, Ruiz Legislation to Include AAPI Education in Classroom Curriculum Advances

Trenton – In an effort to expand the cultural education of New Jersey students, the Senate advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Vin Gopal and Senator M. Teresa Ruiz, which would require school districts to provide instruction on history and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) as part of the implementation of New Jersey student learning standards in social studies.

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Gopal, Ruiz Honored as Legislators of the Year at New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Legislative and Business Awards Reception

Gopal, Ruiz Honored as Legislators of the Year at New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Legislative and Business Awards Reception

Trenton – Senator Vin Gopal and Senator M. Teresa Ruiz yesterday were awarded the title of Legislators of the Year by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce (NJCC) at their 2021 State Chamber Legislative and Business Awards Reception.
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4sc October 21, 2021

Murphy Signs Small Business Relief Package Legislation

Brings Total to More than $600 Million in Small Business Relief Since the Start of the Pandemic
 
TRENTON – As New Jersey continues to recover from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Phil Murphy today signed five bills – A5704, A5705, A5706, A5707, and A5709 – which provide additional aid to small businesses that continue to suffer from the economic effects of the pandemic. Together, the bill package provides $235 million to small businesses throughout the state, allowing the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) to fulfill all eligible applications submitted during Phase IV of the EDA’s Small Business Emergency Grant Program. 
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4sc June 23, 2021