These New Jersey laws are taking effect in 2024 - including a minimum wage increase
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (Edwin J. Torres/Governor’s Office)
NEW JERSEY - New Year means new laws in New Jersey!
The Garden State will see several new laws go into effect in 2024, including a minimum wage increase and tax breaks for several groups.
Here's a look at the New Jersey bills signed into law for next year:
Raising the minimum wage
The statewide minimum wage will increase by $1 to $15.13 per hour for most employees. The raise is $7.88 more than the federal minimum wage in the United States, which has remained at $7.25 an hour since 2009.
The increase is part of a scheduled hike stemming bill signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in 2019. The legislation will gradually raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024.
Birth control coverage
Certain kinds of birth control will no longer require a prescription, making contraception available over the counter at participating pharmacies.
Gov. Phil Murphy signed the bill earlier this year, saying that New Jersey is upholding access to reproductive health care after the U.S. Supreme Court’s June decision that ended the constitutional right to abortion.
Self-administered hormonal contraceptives like the pill, patch and ring won’t require a prescription from a health care provider.
The measure also has no residency requirements, meaning New Jersey pharmacists could dispense the contraceptives regardless of where a person lives.
New laws taking effect in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware in 2024
Here's a look at the new bills signed into law for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware beginning in 2024:
Tax cuts
A total of 20 tax cuts are expected to affect middle-class families and seniors throughout the state, including property tax relief through the ANCHOR program.
"Eligible senior tenants will now see their relief boosted by more than 55 percent to $700 in the coming year and homeowners will receive $1,250 or $1,750, depending on their income," Gov. Murphy's administration said.
New Jersey's Child Tax Credit program will also increase, now providing up to $1,000 per child under age 6 for families earning under $30,000.
Check out to see if new tax cuts will affect you here.
Free period products in schools
Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, state school districts will be required to offer free menstrual products for grades six through 12.
At least half of the female and gender-neutral bathrooms in public schools must stock the products for free.