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In his speech on Tuesday, Jan. 9, Gov. Murphy spoke about "an era of unease and uncertainty" defined by economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with wars in Israel and Ukraine.
He also talked about how higher costs of living are the biggest challenges for many families.
"Making life more affordable for more families is our highest priority," said Gov. Murphy. "We need to recognize that financial security is a challenge in every facet of life."
The governor pointed out that New Jersey's minimum wage is above $15 an hour for the first time. It officially became $15.13 on Monday, Jan. 1 and it will adjust annually for inflation.
Gov. Murphy called on state lawmakers to tackle rising healthcare costs, especially medical debt. The governor said more than one in ten New Jerseyans have medical debt in collections.
That rate is even higher in nonwhite communities, according to Gov. Murphy.
"We know that when someone is saddled with medical debt, they are less likely to seek medical care because they worry about being harassed by predatory debt collectors, who will garnish their wages or even seize their property," he said.
Gov. Murphy asked lawmakers to pass legislation to help families avoid medical debt by requiring every healthcare bill to be clear and transparent.
That legislation is called the Louisa Carman Medical Debt Relief Act. It's named after a 25-year-old member of the state's Office of Health Care Affordability and Transparency who died in a car crash on New Year's Day.
The governor also asked lawmakers to continue protecting women's reproductive rights. He called for the end of out-of-pocket costs for abortion procedures, along with protections for patients and providers.
Affordable housing options were also a focus in Gov. Murphy's speech. He continued the push for a bill to make it easier to build more housing "efficiently and equitably."
Democrats in the State Senate released their affordable housing plan last month.
"We are committing to eliminating our state’s shortage of hundreds of thousands of affordable housing units," said Gov. Murphy. "We will aim to build new housing options where they are needed most, in locations close to jobs, transit hubs, and Main Street businesses."
The governor also spoke about the importance of bringing good-paying jobs to New Jersey. He looked to the future of technology and generative artificial intelligence to achieve that goal.
Gov. Murphy announced an "AI moonshot" of getting tech leaders to bring research and development to the state.
"Our mission is for our state’s top minds to pioneer a series of AI-powered breakthroughs, over the next decade, that will change the lives of billions for the better," he said.
The governor says AI can revolutionize the discovery of new drugs, medical treatments, and educational tools to improve literacy rates or math skills.
"Whatever the challenge, we are going to harness generative AI to unlock a new generation of possibilities," said Gov. Murphy. "The future of generative AI has yet to be written and New Jersey can be the author. If we do not take the lead on AI, I guarantee you someone else will."
Beth Noveck, who's New Jersey's first Chief Innovation Officer, will also be the state's chief AI strategist.
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