AGP Executive Report

Noncitizen Voting Fight: Gov. Mikie Sherrill rejected a DOJ push for noncitizen voter data tied to New Jersey’s voter-roll software error, while the state continues removing thousands of registrations and counties review remaining cases. Election Integrity & Courts: A federal judge dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit seeking NJ voter records, adding to a string of setbacks for the DOJ’s voter-roll demands. Public Safety & Policing: A CBS Philadelphia investigation says Trenton police leaders tout accreditation gains even as use-of-force incidents by officers have risen, reigniting civil-rights concerns. Surveillance Tech Backlash: Flock Safety camera systems are facing growing resistance nationwide, with cities deactivating or canceling contracts amid privacy and false-positive worries. Corrections & State Observance: New Jersey flags flew half-staff for Corrections Officer Day, honoring officers killed in the line of duty. Sports & NJ Spotlight: Neymar confirmed he’s done with Brazil’s national team after the World Cup exit that played out at MetLife Stadium; Messi also returned to Inter Miami training after the final. Legal Fallout: A jury convicted Salman Rushdie attacker Hadi Matar on federal terrorism charges, and the case continues to reverberate beyond New Jersey.

Veterans Housing Milestone: Gov. Mikie Sherrill joined state officials and advocates to celebrate a major win for the Bringing Veterans Home Initiative, which launched in 2024 and has helped permanently house more than 25,000 veterans. Election Integrity Fight: A federal judge in Newark dismissed the Trump administration’s bid to force New Jersey to hand over unredacted voter registration records, dealing another blow to DOJ’s voter-data push as the state continues responding to its Motor Vehicle Commission voter-roll software error. Noncitizen Voting Fallout: New Jersey education officials said they’re monitoring IDEMIA after the same vendor that handled MVC-related voter registration also fingerprints tens of thousands of school workers, with safeguards still under review. Labor & Government Oversight: North Bergen commissioners moved forward with a contentious $38M sewer lease plan to the municipal utilities authority, drawing sharp public pushback. Courts & Public Safety: A New Jersey federal judge narrowed a proposed securities case against Novo Nordisk over obesity-drug claims, while a separate settlement resolved a trucking misclassification suit for $2.8M. Sports/Discipline: FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings tied to World Cup final violence in New Jersey, including potential sanctions for Argentina players and staff.

Voter Integrity Fight: New Jersey lawmakers and GOP officials are pressing for a broader audit after the state’s voter-roll “glitch” involving noncitizens, with Sen. Kristin Corrado arguing safeguards were dismissed and demanding a bipartisan review with subpoena power. Consumer Protection & Courts: The New Jersey Supreme Court reversed a long-standing shield for insurance brokers, expanding the reach of the state Consumer Fraud Act and reshaping how policyholders can sue. Data Privacy & Pricing: New Jersey’s push to curb “surveillance pricing” and restrict sensitive data sales continues to ripple through retail and tech, as lawmakers target algorithmic price-setting and data broker practices. Public Safety: Gloucester County is searching for a second raccoon after a rabies-positive attack tied to a Glassboro-area incident. Health & Business: Johnson & Johnson advanced a proposed $5.5B talc settlement aimed at resolving tens of thousands of ovarian cancer claims. Local Economy/Healthcare Ops: Wakefern plans a centralized pharmacy fulfillment hub in Jamesburg to streamline prescription dispensing for ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer locations.

Voter Rolls Fight: Gov. Mikie Sherrill told the Trump DOJ it has “no legal basis” to demand personal data on thousands of people mistakenly registered to vote after an MVC software error, as the state begins removing 4,500 noncitizens and sending about 2,000 more to counties for review; Sherrill also says roughly 2,000 of the flagged “noncitizens” may actually be citizens. Election Integrity Pressure: The DOJ argues the disclosure strengthens its case to compel Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell to turn over the unredacted statewide voter list. Public Safety & Courts: A grand jury declined to charge a Haddon Township officer in the 2024 fatal knife encounter that killed Keith Edelin. Consumer Affairs: Sherrill tapped Christopher Peterson to lead the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs. Health Policy: Pennie insurers in Pennsylvania are seeking average 17% premium hikes for 2027; NJ’s marketplace rate requests weren’t released yet. Tech & Local Land Use: Monroe Township faces a $300M lawsuit over its ban on new data center construction. Cybersecurity Education: NSF announced CyberAICorps funding for NJIT and 13 other schools to train AI/cybersecurity talent for government and national security roles. Other NJ Items: Insurers and regulators, plus a reminder on Barnegat Bay boating safety after fatal marker crashes.

Consumer Protection: Gov. Mikie Sherrill tapped former federal consumer-finance official Christopher Peterson to lead the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs as acting director starting Aug. 3, setting up a key enforcement role for securities and professional boards. Cost of Living / Privacy: Sherrill also signed the Fair Price Protection Act, banning “surveillance pricing” that uses shoppers’ personal data to charge different prices for the same groceries. Housing Finance: NJHMFA sold $40M in state tax credits to spur affordable and workforce housing, with another roughly $60M planned for a fall auction. Courts & Rights: A federal judge trimmed most claims in a NJ resident’s surveillance and FOIA lawsuit against Homeland Security. Public Safety & Health: New Jersey Reentry Corporation highlighted its statewide job and credential pipeline for people returning from incarceration, with a veterans outreach center and high completion and placement rates. Justice / Crime: Mercer County charged eight men in an online child exploitation sweep timed ahead of the World Cup influx. Business & Legal Fallout: Johnson & Johnson agreed to a proposed $5.5B talc settlement covering about 76,000 ovarian cancer claims, including cases consolidated in NJ federal court. Weather: A major storm system is bringing a Flood Watch across most of the state through Tuesday into Wednesday.

Election Integrity: All 21 NJ GOP county chairs are demanding a comprehensive, independent investigation into the MVC voter-roll software failure that allegedly added about 6,600 noncitizens to voter rolls, with roughly 400 later casting ballots—pushing for answers on scope, timing, and whether similar errors happened outside the 13-month window. Vendor Scrutiny: A French company at the center of the voter flap, Idemia, is tied to multiple multimillion-dollar NJ contracts beyond the MVC system, raising questions about whether the administration is looking at the full problem or just one piece. Legal Fight Over Voting Rules: Nationally, the Trump administration is pressing election changes tied to federal funding conditions, and NJ AG Jay Jones is joining a coalition suing to block counterterrorism and emergency money from being used to coerce states into sharing sensitive voter data. Courts & Guns: A NJ judge recommended sending the state AG’s Sig Sauer handgun marketing lawsuit back to state court, after finding the case didn’t belong in federal court. Housing & Economy: Jersey City Council reviewed a $9.21M Housing, Economic Development & Commerce budget, with construction code enforcement and housing preservation revenue driving much of the take. Affordable Housing Financing: NJHMFA sold $40M in state tax credits to spur affordable and workforce housing, with another auction planned in fall. Public Safety: Mercer County charged eight men in an “Operation Guardian Angel” child-exploitation sting ahead of the World Cup influx. Health & Crime: A Wildwood toddler needed Narcan twice after testing positive for cocaine at an Airbnb, leading to child endangerment and drug charges. Business/Legal: Johnson & Johnson announced a proposed $5.5B talc settlement covering about 69,000 NJ federal cases, pending judge approval.

Noncitizen Voting Fallout: New Jersey’s voter-roll scandal keeps expanding as Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s “software glitch” explanation collides with claims from the vendor IDEMIA and mounting federal pressure over noncitizens allegedly registered and some reportedly voting—fueling a national election-integrity fight. Consumer Protection: NJ lawmakers signed a landmark ban on “surveillance pricing,” stopping retailers from using personal shopper data to charge different prices for the same products. Election Integrity & Courts: The dispute is also playing out in broader legal battles over election rules and federal demands, with DOJ seeking more data and courts weighing challenges. AI & Data Centers: Public opposition to AI data centers is growing, and states are shifting from incentives to new rules and cost protections for ratepayers. Public Safety: A national survey finds most Americans are unprepared to escape a sinking vehicle—an urgent reminder for NJ families and drivers. Local Governance: NJ residents got a practical guide on when loud yardwork is legal, since noise limits vary by municipality.

Noncitizen Voting Fallout: New Jersey’s voter-roll “glitch” keeps snowballing. Gov. Mikie Sherrill blamed a motor-vehicle software error that improperly registered about 6,600 noncitizens (with fewer than 400 reportedly voting), but the dispute over who’s responsible is now front-page politics—Hakeem Jeffries pivoted on CNN to accuse Republicans of voter suppression while the NJ GOP says it’s “just the tip of the iceberg.” Election Integrity Pushback: Burlington County Republicans are demanding a full independent probe, and the controversy is expanding beyond voting into broader trust in state databases. Courts & Records Scrutiny: New disclosures also say NJ summons roughly 75,000 noncitizens for jury duty each year, renewing questions about how state systems flag citizenship status. Consumer Protection: Sherrill signed the Fair Price Protection Act, banning “surveillance pricing” for groceries and letting consumers sue. Public Safety: A YMCA summer camp in East Orange reported 13 children sickened after eating mushroom-laced edibles.

Election Integrity Fight: The Trump administration is pressing states to tighten voting rules and share noncitizen voter-roll data, after alleging large noncitizen registration numbers—while critics say the threats are meant to chill turnout and set up federal interference. NJ Voting Fallout: New Jersey’s voter-roll software “glitch” remains a national flashpoint, with Iowa officials citing it as a “wake-up call” and lawmakers demanding audits and data access. Consumer Protection: Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed New Jersey’s Fair Price Protection Act banning “surveillance pricing” that uses shoppers’ data to set different grocery prices; the law makes violations a consumer fraud offense. Public Safety & Privacy: Debate continues over license plate reading cameras (Flock-style) expanding across New Jersey, with residents split between safety benefits and privacy concerns. Immigration Enforcement: Protest and legal battles keep centering on the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark. Health Alert: Police are investigating a YMCA summer camp incident in East Orange where 13 children fell ill after eating chocolate allegedly laced with hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Voter Rolls Fight: NJ MVC told noncitizens mistakenly registered to vote after a DMV software error to request removal, while the Division of Elections will handle removals and refer fewer than 400 who cast ballots to county boards for investigation. Election Integrity Courts: A First Circuit panel kept in place an injunction blocking parts of Trump’s election-integrity executive order in 23 states, including limits on DHS citizenship-list distribution and new mail-ballot rules. SAVE Act Pressure: Republican nominee Justin Murphy backed documentary proof of citizenship to register, using NJ’s noncitizen-roll scandal as a campaign issue against Sen. Cory Booker. Gun Policy Shockwave: The Third Circuit struck down NJ’s assault weapons and large-magazine ban, a major federal appeals court blow to the state’s long-running restrictions. Consumer Protection: Gov. Sherrill signed the Fair Price Protection Act banning “surveillance pricing” of groceries and letting shoppers sue starting Feb. 1, 2027. Federal Funding Clash: NJ AG Jennifer Davenport is challenging Trump administration conditions tied to FEMA/Homeland Security emergency grants. Local Animal-Law Push: A Washington Township teen proposed the “Moksha Law” after a pit bull killed his Chihuahua, seeking damages for emotional distress over companion-animal deaths.

NJ Voter Rolls Fallout: Gov. Mikie Sherrill says a “serious software error” at the Motor Vehicle Commission mistakenly registered about 6,600 noncitizens, with roughly 400 later casting ballots—while Democrats call it unacceptable but reject broad fraud claims and Republicans demand answers about what officials knew and when. Federal Pressure on Elections: A coalition of Democratic governors and attorneys general, including Kentucky, sued FEMA and DHS over alleged election- and immigration-linked conditions on disaster preparedness grants, arguing the federal government is using money as leverage. Clean Energy Grants Fight: The Trump administration acknowledged in court filings it canceled $7.6B in clean energy grants based on the political identity of recipient states, drawing fresh backlash over “weaponizing” federal policy. Rutgers Ethics Scrutiny: Rutgers is investigating a Newark dean accused of billing the university through a company she co-owns, raising questions about conflicts and oversight. Public Safety & Accountability: A grand jury declined to charge an Atlantic Highlands officer in a fatal 2025 crash involving an e-bike rider, citing the state’s independent-prosecutor process. Border Security Tech: CBP and Qatar partners announced remote baggage screening for Qatar Airways at JFK, expanding pre-departure threat review. Politics & Media Theater: Trump returned to the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ dinner, mixing praise and insults and renewing his combative posture toward journalists. Other NJ Watch: Police and investigators are probing a YMCA summer camp incident after 13 children fell ill from suspected mushroom-laced chocolate.

Noncitizen Voting Fallout: House Republicans pressed NJ Gov. Mikie Sherrill over a reported 6,600 noncitizens on voter rolls and about 400 ballots cast, calling it more than a “software glitch” and demanding election-security fixes. Election Integrity & Records: NJ officials and a voter-roll vendor dispute the “glitch” framing, while the state refuses to hand over voter-registration data to DOJ, keeping the fight focused on what went wrong and who should be accountable. Privacy Law: Sherrill signed New Jersey’s Fair Price Protection Act, banning “surveillance pricing” that uses personal data to set different prices for the same goods. Courts & Consumer Protection: A NJ appeals ruling says Lyft’s insurer must cover a pedestrian’s injury even when the pedestrian is uninsured, reinforcing ride-hail liability rules. Environment: NOAA rejected a petition to designate a North Atlantic right whale migration corridor, setting up continued legal pressure from a NJ community group. Media Antitrust: AG Letitia James and allies won a delay of Paramount’s Warner Bros. merger while the lawsuit proceeds. Public Safety/Health: NJ’s new attorney ethics rule bars lawyers from starting sexual relationships with clients after representation begins.

Noncitizen Voting Fallout: Gov. Mikie Sherrill says a Motor Vehicle Commission software flaw wrongly registered 6,600 noncitizens to vote in 2023-24, with fewer than 400 casting ballots, and the state is hiring an independent firm to investigate; the vendor dispute is now front-and-center as DOJ seeks voter data and Republicans push the SAVE Act. Legal Fight Over Election Conditions: A coalition of 25 states (including NJ) sued to block DHS/FEMA from withholding disaster and counterterrorism funds unless states adopt election practices favored by the Trump administration, including paper-ballot acceptance and audits. Emergency Services Funding Crunch: NJ’s statewide EMS Task Force says it has only 60 days of funding left after the latest budget left it out, warning it can’t sustain or replace equipment. Environment & Consumer Policy: NJ’s “skip the stuff” plastic law takes effect Aug. 1, limiting automatic single-use utensils/condiments. Public Safety Funding: Rep. Josh Gottheimer announced $42M for NJ law enforcement and security projects. World Cup Aftershocks: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente calls Argentina’s post-match confrontations “intolerable,” while FIFA opens an investigation; meanwhile, NJ’s World Cup spotlight continues to spark debate over how the region was branded.

Noncitizen Voting Clash: Gov. Mikie Sherrill says New Jersey won’t hand over voter data to DOJ after a DMV software error allegedly registered about 6,600 noncitizens, with roughly 400 later voting—while the vendor IDEMIA disputes blame and DOJ presses for names and addresses. Federal Funding vs. Election Rules: A coalition of 25 states and D.C., including NJ, sued DHS/FEMA to block disaster money being withheld unless states adopt Trump-favored election and immigration conditions. Local Government Fallout: Edison faces an emergency meeting after hundreds of employees were furloughed and the mayor warns a budget impasse could cut about 54 officers. Data Center Ratepayer Fight: Trump’s “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” expands with GOP governors and tech/utilities promising data-center costs won’t hit consumers’ utility bills. Consumer Protection: Sherrill signed NJ’s ban on “surveillance pricing” for groceries, treating it as consumer fraud. Courts & Policy: The Third Circuit struck down NJ’s AR-15 and magazine bans as unconstitutional.

Noncitizen Voting Fallout: Gov. Mikie Sherrill says a DMV software error improperly registered 6,600 noncitizens to vote in 2023-24, with fewer than 400 casting ballots—sparking DOJ interest, GOP demands for data access, and renewed fights over election integrity and the SAVE Act. Legal & Enforcement Pressure: The White House seized on the NJ disclosure to argue for tighter federal oversight, while courts and immigration officials elsewhere continue to clash over due process and detention decisions. World Cup Aftermath in NJ: NJ Transit is credited with avoiding a “meltdown” during the FIFA World Cup, moving 185,000+ fans to MetLife Stadium after a $31.5M plan. Policy Watch: A federal appeals court ruling struck down NJ’s assault weapons ban, reshaping the state’s gun-law landscape. Local Business & Economy: New Jersey’s economic churn shows up in real estate deals and new manufacturing investment, including a major expansion tied to BeOne Medicines in Hopewell. Consumer & Public Safety: Online gambling complaints and scam reports keep mounting, while severe storms prompted tornado confirmation in New Jersey.

Noncitizen Voting Fallout: NJ Gov. Mikie Sherrill says a DMV software error under Phil Murphy’s administration wrongly registered about 6,600 noncitizens in 2023-24, and fewer than 400 later voted; she’s ordering removals while the DOJ demands names, addresses, and voting details within days. Federal Pressure: DOJ Civil Rights is investigating and seeking unredacted voter-roll data, escalating a national election-security fight and giving Trump a fresh talking point. State GOP Pushback: NJ Republicans are targeting the automatic voter registration law and the statute allowing noncitizens to get driver’s licenses, calling for changes and a probe. Local Government Strain: Edison furloughed about 360 non-emergency workers after a budget vote failed, with the mayor blaming missing council members. ICE Detention Debate: DHS reversed plans for two Pennsylvania ICE detention centers, citing Shapiro’s opposition and permitting denials. Housing Transparency: NYC’s Mamdani moves to require disclosure when rental photos/videos are AI-altered, aiming to curb “housefishing.” World Cup Aftermath: NJ/NY host officials tout a reported $2.1B impact from MetLife group-stage games, despite early headaches.