The 219th legislature, and the chief justice and the associate justice of the supreme cour court, members of the cabinet and former governors and bringing the first lady. [applause] distinguished faith leaders and members of organized labor and fellow New Jerseyans. Five weeks ago today our state was shattered by the gunfire of anti semitism and hate. In jersey city a Police Detective and three innocent people were murdered. In what we now know was an act of domestic terror fueled by a vicious and unjustifiable hate. This was an act of hate against the Jewish Community and Law Enforcement but it impacted everyone. Hundreds of schoolchildren and their educators were held aloft down including a Catholic School across the street. Parents feared the worst part of africanamerican residents visited their homes. Without the tremendous response of everyone in Law Enforcement i shudder to think how much worse that day could have been for jersey city and for our state. If there ever was a time to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform it was that day. We have several honored guest today and through that we have the opportunity to give our thanks to the entire Law Enforcement community of their heroism and selflessness and sacrifice and service to one of the most trying days. I would like to ask of the widow of the police chief , deputy chief and detective to please stand. [applause] [applause] december 10 also highlighted in close knit our communities are. Regardless of where we worship or what we call our creator we were affected that day. One of my heroes Robert F Kennedy quoted on the evening of the assassination of mlk junior and those words still give us comfort. And even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart and tell in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom for the awful grace of god. Over the past weeks we have been brought together as one new jersey family. First in shock, then morning, now our commitment for antisemitism. We are committed to ensure communities of faith have the resources they need to be safe. I will proudly sign lights on legislation to provide additional security agent houses of worship and expand the definition of domestic terrorism. [applause] and i think both sides of the aisle and the assembly man. Thank you. [applause] the star of antisemitism is fresh. What i commit to you with this new year to heal the rift in our society, this is new jersey. If someone tries to pull us apart, they only ever succeed to bring us closer together. [applause] and i know we will heal. We gather today as the dawn of the new year and a new decade. The days and months before us are filled with potential and bursting with opportunity. And yet, even as the new year full submission does not change that together we must build for every new jersey family we are on the side of the middle class. And the tough fights that matter and working to change the culture putting the needs ahead of the entrenched special interest. [applause] and our work will not slow down. So joining together we must continue to make Smart Investments for our collective future to restore fiscal responsibility and change trentons culture. This is a room packed with people who are proud to call themselves New Jerseyans and find commonality among our history like the state where the first game of College Football was played into that end i see one favorite son who has come back to intensify that new jersey pride we feel , welcome home the returning head football coach of rutgers university. [applause] and for the gentleman to his immediate right also thank you two rutgers president four years of Outstanding Service to the states Flagship Institution of higher institution. [applause] and from finding your next great president because in so many respects as rutgers goes, so goes new jersey. The goal of the new decade is a time of optimism. But we also find it a time of growing anxiety. However we must stay true to promises and hold firm to our commitments. And over the past year by working together we have made new jersey a better and more hopeful place to call home and we will continue to do so. Because of this i am proud to report the state of our state is stronger and fair than ever before. [applause] some people will say two years we are halfway through i say we are one quarter of the way through. [cheers and applause] but thats another speech for another day. But in just two years New Jerseyans are seeing results because we are doing what we were all sent here to do to invest in them. Every family worries how they will make ends meet or how they cover the unexpected expense for thats why we raise the minimum wage to 15 an hour. [applause] its why we created expanded tax breaks for working families. [applause] and why we are attacking the sources of high property taxes in providing tax relief more than ever before. Too many families russell with how they balance work and family, particularly in a moment of need. So we have the right to earn sick leave. [applause] some families, military families are anxious about their futures and whether they may be soon deployed and we owe it to them and those that preceded them to create a state where the place is secure and they feel supported. [applause] our families lose sleep over the cost of Health Insurance coverage how to pay medical expenses or with the financial turmoil this will cause. And in stark contrast to President Trump we are protecting the Affordable Care act which has benefited millions of residents. [applause] i remained incredibly proud of the work we have done to protect the tenants of the aca and establish that state based Health Exchange to go online later this year. [applause] [cheers and applause] but despite the progress the cost of healthcare is still too high. Our residents, families, and the cost of medication and did the dash we have implemented smart policies like the historic reforms and then to have surprised outofnetwork bills. [applause] amen. But we can do more. So i am establishing an office of healthcare accountability and transparency in the Governors Office to work across state agencies to lead critical efforts to reduce Consumer Healthcare cost and make insurance more affordable to increase price transparency. [applause] and to ensure we have the facts and then to track the actual cost for Healthcare Services they receive. And then armed with this data to make smart decisions to limit the cost increase to set new standards for quality and transparency. We have the where with groundbreaking research and treatments to make sure they are accessible to everyone even with the physical health care. [applause] especially for our young people. It will better to identify two treat depression and suicide. Also a powerful tool to further combat our opioid endemic the preliminary numbers suggest this is not a number to celebrate 3021 lives lost thats too many. But it should give our state a measure of confidence the targeted Evidence Base and that the first lady has created so healthcare practitioners, faith leaders and Community Activists to come back the maternal and infant mortality crisis she will not stop until we can we will not stop until we are the safest stay in the nation for women to give birth. Said a need. We are fighting the bill we are making important decisions. [applause] together we are protected funding for planned parenthood and william on dash healthcare. [cheers and applause] the end of the Prior Administration eight year long effort to starve these critical facilities but now to go beyond funding to make up the loss of title x money but protecting a womans fundamental and constitutional right to full reproductive freedom. [cheers and applause] so to codify a womans full reproductive right needs to be a state law. And when these rights are under attack nationwide lets make make it clear where new jersey stands. Our families worry about our childrens futures and if they can afford one and to make Stem Education more widely availabl available, we will become the first state in the history of our nation to make education available that every single child in our Public Schools. [applause] and it gets better today Public Schools are the very best in the entire United States of america. [applause] led us think our educators and support professionals who do this outstanding work every single day. [cheers and applause] but we are not done. In this 401st year since the africans arrived on the shores of this continent, we are committed to further the work of the armistead commission and the Stakeholder Group to ensure the africanamerican story is made real. Not just for all of our students but for educators as well for the new amistad journey program. [applause] likewise with the rise of anti semitism we renew our commission to the new Jersey Commission one commission on holocaust as well. We are putting a College Education back into reach with Free CommunityCollege Education for eligible students. And we put in safeguards to combat college debt and if you want the opportunity we are reinvested in Workforce Development and apprenticeships like never before. [applause] and to build a new jersey where everyone belongs and matters. We are seeing the reinvigoration of our cities from trenton to patterson. In fact Atlantic City just saw growth for the second time. [applause] with a collaborative and cooperative approach is the right path to take and we owe tremendous gratitude to Lieutenant Governor and her team and department of Community Affairs for this project. [applause] people want new jersey to stand at the forefront of the national fight for justice. So we Work Together for the expungement of records for those that have been held back of the past convicted. [applause] so give in residents the right to vote. [applause] and we are giving the proud immigrant community the ability to earn a drivers license. [cheers and applause] we received the recommendations of the criminal sentencing and Commission Led by former chief justice and the former president of noble and also Sandra Cunningham for serving on the commission. [applause] lets all of us recommit to the recommendations which include elimination of mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenses. [applause] with those safe communities through a criminal Justice System that lives up to that allimportant word, justice. And not just because the right thing to do because the state will only be stronger and better because everyone is a full participant in our economy and society. I have also spoken and often about wealth disparity is a persistent issue to separate and segregate our communities for go it harms black and latino families and prevents the state from fulfilling its potential. These disparities have deep roots and complex causes to overcome that will require us to leave behind old ways to ensure, bless you. [laughter] that no residents get left behind. We dont this a thing appear. [laughter] on that basis im creating a new Task Force Government officials and academic researchers and faith and Community Leaders with a specific charge from wealth disparities from all angles and all causes. [applause] their work will better inform our work to close these gaps and ensure the communities which historically have been left behind can help us lead. Those that have felt marginalized and left out to renew their faith that they have a place in our family and specifically for the Lgbtq Community to make sure they will never fear who they love or how they identify or who they are. [applause] despite the inaction in washington new jersey is leading the nation in gun Safety Measures and communities are stronger and the gun lobby is weaker. [applause] and we did that together. Climate change is real instead of denying reality we are acting on it. And working to be the first day in america to incorporate Climate Change education across k12 state education standards. [applause] and we will make the fight against Climate Change a cornerstone of the economy. Two years ago when we took office the Clean Energy Future was stalled. Today we are on the way to an ambitious goal of 7500 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035. [applause] thats enough energy to make half of the retail needs to have fossil fuel pollution from the air and create tens of thousands of good paying union jobs. [applause] [cheers and applause] and in two weeks i will unveil new jersey master plan the comprehensive roadmap to arrive at the goal of 100 Percent Clean Energy economy by the year 2050. We are working to protect every school and home in new jersey from the dangers of lead. I applied. [applause] especially the mayor from essex county and many legislators for their partnership to fasttrack the elimination of the service of new york on newark. But it extends far beyond lead paint is a much bigger problem. Amen. [applause] and its not just the challenge but it extends to suburban and Rural Communities as well. And i propose my plan to take on our lead crisis to manifest itself i did not shy from acknowledging it would require significant investment. This is shared in the chamber as well. We will replace old deadlines and remediate lead paint also the veritable army of Union Workers of plumbers in pipefitters and remediation experts, carpenters on carpenters, lets Work Together now to come to an agreement of what this investment needs to be to put it before the voters this november and invest in our communities that much faster. [applause] over the past two years, since the beginning of our administration, our economy has responded by adding and supporting more than 72000 new private sector jobs. In 2019 we sat and then reset record lows since the state began keeping records in 1976. Wages are increasing more people are entering the workforce. This is all good news. That none of this progress happens by accident economic progress does not happen on its own. Only when we work to gather and the people that we serve ahead of Everything Else despite the economic policies we achieve this because of those policies. [applause] and yet we are not done. Many residents are anxious in the increasingly unsettled Global Economic and political climate. A stronger state is more resilient and more fiscally responsible and better prepared for the economy and more. Capable to protect families to give them the tools and opportunities they need, not just to get by. To change the culture also means we stop making the hole deeper we cant lose sight what makes a stronger. Smart policymaking and staying true to strengthen our middleclass these are the key lessons we learn the hard way from the Great Recession. To build a surplus estate hasnt seen in years we are literally watching every penny. Last year i took the steps necessary to ensure we made the first deposit into the Rainy Day Fund and more than a decade. [applause] i finally got the attention of the cpas with that one. Working in partnership with the workforce to find hundreds of millions of dollars of healthcare savings and efficiencies without scapegoating. Thank you for your partnership. [applause] there are still more opportunities for partnerships especially with the educators who have experienced unfair and unsustainable Consumer HealthcareCost Increases under chapter 78 berkeley look forward to working with the labor leaders in this session to provide the relief. Just as we did with state workers, to reduce healthcare cost without sacrificing healthcare quality while at the same time generating Additional Savings on property taxpayers. In the overwhelming number of our educators are themselve themselves, new Jersey Property taxpayers. [applause] this is the kind of win win win approach we need to take up the root causes of high property taxes and then to give the relief to the middle class and our seniors. Restoring more than 500 million to Public Schools and every new dollar of state aid is a dollar not shouldered by property tax. Working with Lieutenant Governor and Senate President we renewed a commitment to get services for