Official Site of The State of New Jersey
This Week in NJ - October 10th, 2025
KBRA Upgrades New Jersey’s Credit Outlook to Positive
Kroll Bond Rating Agency upgraded its outlook on New Jersey’s General Obligation Bonds to Positive, citing the State’s continued efforts to fully fund the pension as well as conservative budgeting that has rebuilt the State’s surplus.
In its release announcing the outlook upgrade, KBRA said a rating upgrade may be warranted in the near term.
“The Outlook revision to Positive reflects the State’s progress in reducing long-term pension liabilities and its continued adherence to conservative budgeting practices that have supported the orderly use of reserves accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic,” KBRA said in its release.
The move by KBRA follows recent credit rating upgrades from Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s. In April 2023, KBRA upgraded New Jersey’s credit rating from A to A+.
“This announcement by KBRA is another indicator that we are setting New Jersey up for long-term financial success,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “This vote of confidence, in addition to the nine credit rating upgrades we have received in just over three years, signals that our efforts to build a strong, reliable surplus and fulfill our pension obligations are paying off.”
First Lady Tammy Murphy Hosts 24th Nurture NJ Family Festival in Camden
First Lady Tammy Murphy hosted her 24th Nurture NJ Family Festival at Cooper’s Poynt Waterfront Park in Camden. Over the past seven years, the Family Festival event series has targeted New Jersey cities that experience the highest rates of infant mortality in the state, seeking to connect families with critical services at the state, county, and local levels. Since 2018, these festivals have provided resources to more than 16,850 families across New Jersey – offering support for expectant and new moms, housing support, food assistance, aid accessing health care and child care and more.
As part of her statewide Nurture NJ campaign, First Lady Tammy Murphy previously brought her Family Festival series to Camden in 2019, hosting the third-ever Family Festival at Octavius V. Catto Family School. Camden is an incredibly diverse community, with 52% of its residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino and 42% identifying as Black. Of the cities with the highest rates of infant mortality between 2018-2022, Camden ranks second with 10.5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
“Over the past seven years, our Family Festivals have served as one-stop shops for thousands of families – including new and expecting parents – to access crucial services. With the help of our many dedicated partners, I am thrilled to bring this resource back to the Camden community,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “Elevating the quality of maternal and infant health care for all mothers and babies in New Jersey requires a multi-faceted approach, and these festivals have been an integral part of our strategy. We have made tremendous progress over the past seven years and have put a plan in motion through our Maternal and Infant Health Authority to continue our mission – to make New Jersey the safest, most equitable place in the nation to deliver and raise a baby – long after the end of the Murphy Administration.”
Monmouth County Educator Named 2025-2026 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year
The New Jersey Department of Education announced that Gillian Ober, an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher in the Freehold Borough School District, has been named the New Jersey State Teacher of the Year for 2025-2026.
Gillian has worked as an ESL teacher in the Freehold Borough School District since 2019, first at the Park Avenue Elementary School and currently at the Freehold Intermediate School. She has earned dual master’s degrees, one in curriculum and instruction from Western Governors University and another in Spanish and ESL instruction from Monmouth University. She taught abroad for several years before starting work in New Jersey as a Spanish teacher at Manasquan High School.
“New Jersey is proudly home to the nation’s top-ranked public education system, which is an honor we can only boast thanks to the tireless work of our educators. Gillian is truly a testament to our state’s dedicated teacher workforce,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Her story reminds us of our obligation to uplift all students, providing them with a world-class education and readying them to thrive throughout their lives.”
“Many of my students are newcomers to New Jersey, and they often have interrupted formal education and significant trauma,” said Gillian Ober. “My students, often at the earliest stages of English acquisition, turn to me in times of distress as they navigate a new language and culture. I pride myself on trauma-informed practices that help them navigate past ordeals they may have experienced while processing the new world around them. The learners I work with are so brave, and the relationships we form are the launchpad for learning. When students feel seen and safe in the classroom, it's really amazing how high they can soar.”
NJ TRANSIT Fare Modernization Program Improves Customer Experience
High-tech fare gates, reloadable FARE-PAY cards, more mobile payment options and modern ticket vending machines were just some of the features of NJ TRANSIT’s fare modernization efforts on display at Secaucus Junction. The agency demonstrated these initiatives as the latest in its ongoing efforts to transform the customer experience through innovation and technology.
“Our fare modernization program is focused on making every step of the customer journey more seamless, efficient, and secure,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri. “From advanced 3D fare gates to expanded contactless payments, we’re improving the way customers move through the system with greater ease and reliability while protecting revenue.”
NJ TRANSIT showcased its fare collection modernization efforts during an event at Secaucus Junction Station featuring staffed exhibits demonstrating many of the new fare technology features.
NJ DCF Launches Public Awareness Campaign on Parent Technology Usage
In an effort to encourage parents and caregivers to unplug from their devices and prioritize tech-free time with their children, the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, in partnership with the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) and Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey (PCANJ), is launching a public awareness campaign to call a “time-out on tech.”
“We know that safe and stable nurturing relationships are the foundation of childhood resilience—and that moments of loving connection and full presence to one another are key,” said Dr. Rebecca Bryan, Director of the DCF Office of Resilience (OOR), which is leading the work on this public awareness effort. “We also know that technology is a necessity of daily life, and shaming parents around their technology usage doesn’t work to empower them to change their behavior. Through robust public awareness, we can shine a light on this issue, and direct parents and caregivers to our Technoference webpage and connect them to useful information and resources that will help them be more intentional in connecting with their children.”
In order to inform the public awareness campaign, DCF conducted a survey of nearly 2,500 New Jersey parents to understand trends and attitudes toward technology usage. Well over half of parents surveyed (72%) reported feeling that they used their cell phones too much when in the presence of their children. Similarly, 69% of survey participants reported that their children sometimes say they wish their parents would spend less time on their phones. The insights collected in the technoference survey were later used to develop the messaging for the public awareness campaign.
“Every moment of full attention we give to our children tells them they are valued, safe, and loved,” said Gina Hernandez, Executive Director and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey (PCA-NJ) and the Child Wellness Institute. “Parents reducing their own screen time isn’t about achieving perfection—it’s about being present when it matters most. By putting down our devices, even briefly, we open up space for meaningful connection, communication, and the positive experiences that help children thrive.”