The following statement can be attributed to ACLU-NJ Policy Director Sarah Fajardo:
“In his State of the State address today, Gov. Murphy showed that New Jersey has expanded civil rights and liberties under his leadership, and there is more to be done in his final year as governor. By modernizing the state’s parole system, New Jersey will advance justice, promote public safety, and recognize positive conduct. For too long, people have been unnecessarily disrupted in their efforts to rebuild their lives due to technical violations. With these changes, and his commitment to granting categorical clemency for even more people, Gov. Murphy will continue to add to our state’s long and transformational history of decarceration. We hope he continues to further reduce New Jersey's prison population throughout the rest of his term.
“As states across the country rollback access to abortion, New Jersey will instead begin stockpiling mifepristone and advancing policies to remove out-of-pocket costs for abortion care – both necessary steps to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom. At the same time, government leaders must also prioritize legislation that will strengthen immigrants’ rights, especially as President-elect Trump has promised mass deportations as a top priority of his administration. New Jersey must embrace its chance to be a national leader on every front, and that means adopting a comprehensive approach to advance and defend civil rights – not prioritizing one goal at the expense of another or waiting until it’s politically expedient.
“New Jersey has a powerful history of crafting ambitious public policy to build a better future. As the country braces for Trump’s next term, our state can and must do more to protect all New Jerseyans. We will continue to work with Gov. Murphy and lawmakers at every opportunity to do exactly that.”
