Weed sales begin as lawmakers mull policies for off-duty cops

Your afternoon must-read briefing informing the daily conversation among knowledgeable New Jerseyans.

Apr 21, 2022 View in browser   By Jonathan Custodio On Day 1 of legal cannabis sales, it appears that policies guiding use by off-duty cops may taking shape. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said today that legislation on that topic would be introduced in the lower house, reports POLITICO's Daniel Han. "I understand there's a bill [Assembly] Majority Leader [Lou] Greenwald is going to introduce and I think we probably should have a hearing on that and see where that leads us," Coughlin said in response to a question from POLITICO during an event at an Elizabeth dispensary. He did not elaborate. It's not clear in which direction the legislation will go. Greenwald (D-Camden) did not respond to a request for comment. Several state and municipal officials have engaged in a debate over the issue after Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin issued a memo to law enforcement last week noting that employees could not be punished for consuming cannabis while off the clock if they are not under the influence. State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) has said he would introduce a bill in the upper chamber prohibiting off-duty cops from using cannabis, and Gov. Phil Murphy reiterated at today's event that he would be "open minded" to such a change. Senate President Nick Scutari is not on board with banning cops from consuming cannabis outside of work hours. "I don't want to start treating people ... differently on what they do on their own time. Then we're going to tell you can't watch a particular program on Sunday before you work. Then we're going to tell you [that] you can't drink alcohol," Scutari told reporters at the Elizabeth event. HAPPY THURSDAY AFTERNOON — Hi there, I'm Jonathan Custodio, your Playbook PM author. You can send eastern goldfinch photos to jcustodio@politico.com. We're here with the latest from Trenton and elsewhere as New Jersey moves ahead in the budget process and the Legislature conducts hearings on Gov. Phil Murphy's spending plan. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY BIG SIX FUNDRAISING — The political committees of New Jersey's major parties had "respectable" fundraising during the first three months of 2022, according to the executive director the state's campaign finance agency, though their cash reserves aren't particularly high. "The two state party committees and four legislative leadership committees are regrouping after last year's election and their current cash reserves are hardly eye-popping," Jeff Brindle, executive director of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, said in a statement today. New Jersey's "Big Six" committees — the two committees from the major state parties as well as the four legislative leadership committees — raised just under $1.4 million between January and March and have about $1.3 million in the bank. Those figures are about half of what the parties raised and had on hand last year, when the governor and all 120 legislative seats were on the ballot. — Matt Friedman MURPHY IN PARIS — The governor and First Lady Tammy Murphy are headed to Paris tonight for the start of a trip to Europe, his administration announced in a press release. The governor will be meeting with French companies "to enhance business in New Jersey," followed by a Sunday departure for Ireland, where he will be joined by a delegation from Choose New Jersey for an "economic mission trip." The delegation will be pitching New Jersey as a location for the international community to do business. Irish companies have invested $285 million in the state over the past five years, according to a March press release. The Murphys will return to New Jersey on April 27. COVID NUMBERS — New Jersey saw a big jump in Covid-19 cases over the last 24 hours. The state reported seven deaths from the virus and 2,369 confirmed positive tests today, approximately 700 cases higher than Wednesday. New Jersey's seven-day average was up 3 percent from last week and 149 percent from a month ago. ON THE BEATS CANNABIS — While a majority of New Jersey's 565 municipalities don't allow recreational cannabis to be sold in town, a majority of New Jerseyans welcome it, according to a new poll. A Stockton University poll released today — the first day that 13 dispensaries in New Jersey began selling recreational cannabis — found that 56 percent of state residents support selling it in their towns. Thirty-six percent are opposed and 8 percent are unsure. — Matt Friedman TRANSIT — Murphy, Coughlin, NJ Transit President and CEO Kevin Corbett and Assemblymember Yvonne Lopez joined state and local officials in Trenton to discuss a $45.5 million plan to renovate to the Perth Amboy train station. The upgrades include making the station fully accessible through new platforms, elevators, and additional ramps and stairs. They are expected to be done by the first half of 2024. "The renovations to this historical train station represent my Administration's ongoing commitment to investing in our public transportation infrastructure," Murphy said in a statement. Around New Jersey "Another power plant might still come to Newark, despite residents' pleas to stop," by New Jersey Monitor's Sophie Nieto-Muñoz: "At 9 years old, Destiny Tate is already worried about the over-pollution of Newark. She has friends in her third-grade classes who have asthma and said the air stinks when she leaves her Ironbound home in the morning. 'A lot of people want to go outside and enjoy being outside and smell the nice air but when we go out, it's stinky,' said Tate, describing what it's like to walk home from school and play outside during recess. 'All the trucks are making pollution, and this will make it worse.' She spoke up during a news conference Wednesday attended by residents and doctors fighting the impending approval of an 84-megawatt power plant in Newark's East Ward. They have urged local and state leaders to stop the planned power plant, citing health care concerns over exposing Black and brown communities to worsening air quality. If approved, it would be the fourth methane gas-fired power plant in the Ironbound section of Newark. Gov. Phil Murphy paused the vote on the air permit approval for the power plant in January and ordered an environmental review, but it's unclear what that review entails. The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public hearing on Tuesday." "Awaiting appellate court ruling, Paterson ballots for May 10 election still not printed and mailed," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Vote-by-mail ballots for Paterson's May 10 municipal election have still not gone out as election officials await a decision from two state appellate court judges who have had the case for more than a week. The judges, Mary Gibbons Whipple and Ronald Susswein, have not yet ruled on an appeal challenging a trial court ruling that mayoral candidate Alex Mendez could remain on the ballot in an election that is just 20 days away. But as Whipple and Susswein contemplate their decision, a court order halting the printing and mailing of ballots remains in effect." Odds and ends — American Sign Language is gaining popularity in New Jersey schools, and not just because of "CODA."  — Commuter buses run by Paramus-based Coach USA have been leaving riders stranded. The company contracts with NJ Transit to operate six routes in Hudson County. — More bad bus news: Seven NJ Transit buses were destroyed in a fire in a North Bergen storage lot. — A postal worker from Turnersville has been accused of creating and selling 400 fake vaccination cards.  — Yeah, that was Bruce Springsteen strolling along the Manasquan Inlet the other day. — Trenton Councilmember Joe Harrison wants the Council to return to in-person meetings.    Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  California Playbook PM  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  New York Playbook PM View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

To change your alert settings, please log in at https://www.politico.com/_login?base=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.com/settings This email was sent to rouf@idiot.cloudns.cc by: POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA Please click here and follow the steps to unsubscribe.