I'm the Statehouse bureau chief for New Jersey 101.5, covering the governor, Legislature and state politics, and had previously covered the Statehouse for Gannett newspapers for more than 15 years. I'm a lifelong New Jerseyan -- raised in Bergen, living in Hunterdon, Rutgers graduate. I'm co-author of the 2012 biography 'Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power.' I am not the Iron Chef with a similar name though sometimes get tweets meant for him, especially around Thanksgiving. Believe me, you don't want my cooking tips.
Michael Symons
New bill: No license needed after passing road test during COVID
New drivers who face a backlog in getting their license would be allowed to drive once they pass the road test until two months after the MVC surge subsides.
Upgrade (and audit) of NJ’s unemployment system may be coming
Senate panel votes to audit the unemployment division and spend $50M in federal aid for tech upgrades. It also wants to delay a hike in unemployment taxes.
Owners of closed gyms warn time is short for their survival
Gyms were closed in mid-March and still don't know when the state will allow them to reopen. Some never will.
Plan would roll back legalizing some fireworks in NJ
Bill sponsor says some shops have taken advantage of the 2017 law to illegally sell larger fireworks still not allowed in New Jersey.
Legislature votes for Black Lives Matter Day, Juneteenth holiday
Senate votes to create a June 19 state holiday. Assembly votes to commemorate Black Lives Matter each July 13. Neither bill has yet made it to Gov. Phil Murphy.
NJ school buildings to reopen in September, with major changes
It seems unrealistic for most schools to have all students in attendance and meet social distancing rules. Hybrid approach with some virtual learning likely.
NJ looks for ideas for helping small businesses get PPE
Small businesses might need personal protective equipment for months or longer. The state wants to see if their collective buying power can be pooled to help.
Plan to decriminalize marijuana, impose $50 fines moving forward
Twenty weeks before New Jersey voters will decide whether to legalize marijuana, an Assembly committee Monday voted to decriminalize it.
Bill seeks to delay deadline for fall physicals for NJ student-athletes
Citing COVID-19 disruptions, a bill moving through the Legislature would let students compete in fall sports before getting physicals and cardiac screenings.
See the COVID-19 outbreak spread across NJ over 100 days
County by county, watch the known rates of infections spread over New Jersey since the first case was confirmed in early March.
Restaurants tell Senate of ‘absolute despair’ from COVID shutdown
Industry official indicates more than 3,000 restaurants are expected to fail. Outdoor dining starts next week after three months closed. Indoor? Who knows.
NJ renews look at blocking traffic camera tickets from other states
New Jersey stopping allowing red-light cameras in 2014. A bill would block the MVC from sharing driver information to process tickets from other states.