N.J. Gov. Murphy pledges to help families struggling to make ends meet

Murphy announced a continued effort to expand full-day pre-K for all kids, updated driver education programs to make the roads safer and voiced support for a new proposal to ban cell phones in public school classrooms.

“If you ask just about any educator, they will tell you that mobile devices are a distraction in the classroom, they are fueling a rise in cyberbullying,” he said.

Murphy said cell phones are making it difficult for kids not only to learn, but to retain the substance of what they learn.

“Honestly, is it any surprise that the rise in smartphone usage has coincided with a growing youth mental health crisis?” the governor asked.

“Every parent knows the damage that these devices can cause. Enough is enough. It is time for action,” he said.

The governor called on legislators to pass a measure to expand public contracting opportunities for minority businesses, to support a proposed measure that will scrap out-of-pocket costs for abortion procedures, to green-light a bill to allow same-day voter registration and to pass legislation to allow New Jerseyans to obtain mobile driver’s licenses on their smartphones.

Murphy also voiced support for pending legislation that will reform penalties for technical parole violations. He said many other states, including deep red states like Louisiana and South Carolina, have already done this.

“By enacting these reforms, we can uphold our responsibility to restore trust in our criminal justice system — and our system of government, more broadly,” he said.

During his speech he also called on Republicans and Democrats to support a wide range of policies designed to help working families.

“This is about paying what we promised, supporting our most vulnerable, and lifting up our families,” he said.