Gov. Phil Murphy outlined his vision for New Jersey at the halfway point of his first term before the 219th Legislature on Tuesday in his second State of the State address. He focused on keeping the state affordable for the middle class, maintaining its status as a top education hub, making sure NJ Transit stays on track, and ensuring government incentive programs are done fairly, ethically and squarely in the view of taxpayers.

"We gather together at the dawn of a new year, and a new decade," Murphy said. "The days and months before us are filled with potential and bursting with opportunity. And, yet, even as the new year unfolds, our mission does not change. That, together, we must build an economy and a state that works for every New Jersey family."

Murphy opened by acknowledging the victims of the Dec. 10 Jersey City shooting in which police detective Joseph Seals and three innocent bystanders were killed in what is now known as an act of domestic terror. He said the tragedy unified the state and praised the work of law enforcement during and after the incident to help heal the community.

"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," Murphy said. "If ever there was a time for us to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, it was that day."

The state's 56th governor also gave a nod to recent criminal justice reforms that he said would go a long way toward making every New Jersey resident an active participant in society, the state's economy and democracy.

He lauded recent legislation that he signed into law to expunge the records of those with minor drug offenses, allowing parolees the right to vote, and giving immigrants the right to own a driver's license.

"Our people want New Jersey to stand at the forefront of the national fight for justice, so we worked together, to allow the expungement of records of residents whose futures have been held back because of past convictions, to once again give residents on parole or probation their right to vote, and to give our proud immigrant community the ability to earn a driver's license," Murphy said.

Murphy noted the recent recommendations by the bipartisan Criminal Sentencing and Disposition Commission, led by former Chief Justice Deborah Poritz, that were made public on Nov. 14. Among the nine core recommendations intended to help alleviate racial disparities in the state's criminal justice system is the elimination of the mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenses and property crimes.

"Let's lead the way for creating safe communities and neighborhoods through a criminal justice system that lives up to that all-important word, 'justice,'" Murphy said. "And, let's do this not just because it's the right thing to do, but because our state will only be stronger—and better—when everyone is a full participant in our economy, our democracy, and our society.

NJ Gov. Phil Murphy delivers the State of the State address, Jan 14, 2020. Photo by Carmen Natale/ALM.

Past governors James McGreevey, Donald DiFrancesco and Jim Florio were also in the front row. Prior to beginning his address, Murphy acknowledged several notables seated in the front row, including New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Rabner, who was seated next to Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver to his right. To Rabner's left and seated just across the aisle were Associate Justices Jaynee LaVecchia, Barry Albin, Anne Patterson, Faustino Fernandez-Vina, Lee Solomon and Walter Timpone. And a few seats down, Acting Administrative Director Glenn Grant of the Administrative Office of the New Jersey Courts,

Murphy vowed to revive his fight to have a millionaire's tax. He also promised a new task force to look into wealth disparity among all communities, an ethics reform package to make government more transparent with better financial disclosures and pay-to-play rules, and the creation of an Office of Health Care Affordability and Transparency.

Murphy promised more details on the new programs in the coming weeks and at his upcoming budget address late next month.

Near the end of his 45-minute speech, the governor touched upon changing what he called the "misogyny culture in Trenton" affecting women in state politics.

The topic has been a sensitive one for Murphy, whose first year was rocked by allegations that a former campaign worker, now a staffer, was raped by a colleague following a "Murphy for Governor" campaign event in 2017.

Tuesday's address came a day after Murphy signed off on five of seven bills in a package aimed at curtailing sexual harassment and assault in state government and administrations in transition. While he signed off on the bills, he issued a statement saying he was "disappointed" that the reforms didn't extend to all branches of government and not just the executive.

"Nothing—I repeat, nothing—more exemplifies that need to change the longstanding culture

NJ Gov. Phil Murphy delivers the State of the State address, Jan 14, 2020. Photo by Carmen Natale/ALM.

than the pernicious sexism and abuse that still creeps across these hallways, at conferences, and in meeting rooms," Murphy said in his speech.

"We all must be disgusted by the stories which women—across the entire spectrum of race, age, and experience—tell of their mistreatment by men who felt empowered, if not protected, by Trenton's culture."

Sen. Kristin Corrado, R-Bergen, who co-sponsored the so-called Katie Brennan bills with Sen. Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, that Murphy signed earlier in the week said she was encouraged by Murphy's words, but he was a bit late.

"I am glad he is finally recognizing that there is a culture of misogyny in the state," Corrado said after the address. "Better late than never."

"It's hard to take him too seriously though. Many of the reforms that he mentioned were put into place by the Legislature. We took it seriously. We put the bills together that he signed into law," Corrado said.

"But it starts with your own house. Until (Murphy) releases his own campaign workers and staff from the NDA's (Non-disclosure Agreements), we are not going to take him seriously that he's really going to address this situation," Corrado added.

Earlier in the day, as the lame duck session faded from view and the new legislative calendar year got underway, Senate President Steve Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, and Senate President Pro Tempore M. Teresa Ruiz, D-Essex, were unanimously reelected by members of the Senate Majority to continue in their leadership roles for the two-year session.

It is a record fifth time in Trenton for Sweeney to land the second-most powerful post after the governor. Meanwhile, Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, was reelected to serve a second term as Assembly speaker.