>> tonight, a win for temporary workers.

A new law protecting against low pay and unsafe working conditions takes effect for thousands of temporary workers in New Jersey.

>> When workers have stability, safety, and dignity, they become loyal, dependable, and productive employees.

>> Revitalizing Journal Square.

A multimillion dollar French art museum slated to open in 2026 but some GOP lawmakers are calling it a circus of access and waste.

>> I find this to be nothing but the worst of poor spending.

>> Equity in education.

>> They are going to get what they need based on their gender, race, or other aspects of their identity.

>> The State Board of Education narrowly approves the use of gender-neutral pronouns in schools and parents are threatening to sue.

A formerly abandoned lot in Camden is transformed into new homes for first-time buyers.

>> so you can take care of your house and do these streets the way they used to 50 years ago.

>> Funding for NJ Spotlight News provided by the members of the New Jersey education Association, making public schools great for every child.

RWJBarnabas health, let's be healthy together.

And Orsted, committed to the creation of a new long-term sustainable clean energy future for New Jersey.

♪ >> from NJPBS, this is NJ Spotlight News with Raonic and nosy.

Joanna: Good evening and thank you for joining us.

The temporary workers Bill of Rights went into full effect this weekend, providing protections for some of the most vulnerable workers in our state, offering increased pay, eliminating fees, and allowing temporary workers to accept permanent positions, just a few of the changes.

The passage faced hurdles and even now it faces a legal challenge from the New Jersey business and industry Association.

As Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan reports, that's not stopping advocacy groups from pounding the pavement so that workers know of their new rights under this new law.

BRENDA: Advocates chanted, we did it, celebrating the temp workers Bill of Rights.

The law guarantees protection against low pay and unsafe working conditions for hundreds of thousands of folks across New Jersey who get hired through staffing agencies but often fear retaliation for complaining about routine abuse on the job.

Yolanda explained through a translator.

>> even if they didn't need you to work that day, they could bring you to the warehouse and leave you there stranded.

We felt belittled, like we have no worth, even though we are fighting for dignity.

Brenda: Prolabor groups like make the road and new labor pushed against business lobbies to make the bill and Governor Murphy signed it earlier this year.

Advocates handed out leaflets early this morning in Elizabeth.

>> Don't be scared because we are organizations that give information.

Know your rights and you are going to be fine.

>> We have been talking with temp workers across the city to inform them of the new law and their rights.

Brenda: The Bill of Rights mandates temp workers not receive -- must receive pay and benefits equal with the average full-time employees compensation , can accept permanent jobs without interference from staffing agencies, cannot be charged transportation or uniform fees, and must be paid if they are called to work, even if there is nothing for them to do.

Some businesses are calling the law untenable.

>> The average pay component could lead to temps making more money than the entry-level employee, as well as having to pay the cash equivalent of benefits.

Brenda: New Jersey's business and industry Association and Jersey staffing alliance has sued to block it but a federal judge let the law take effect while the matter is decided at trial.

>> I have spoken with some staffing companies saying they are losing a ton of contracts, that some temps have been laid off.

>> When workers have stability, security, safety, and dignity of the benefits and productions we provide, they become loyal employees and return.

Brenda: New Jersey's labor Commissioner predicts this law will help grow the economy and insists his department has regulators ready to enforce regulations.

Even though New Jersey has passed a slew of new worker protection mandates, he expects compliance.

>> Very few people are looking to break the law every day, especially in this labor market where workers are a high commodity.

Brenda: Advocates will be out every day this week to inform temps of their rights under the new law.

They urge folks with questions to text the word temp to 52886.

Joanna: We have reported on the controversy surrounding the final days of budget negotiations, most notably last-minute add-ons that are largely done without oversight.

Lawmakers call them porkbarrel spending or Christmas tree items.

One of those so-called items, funding for the new Museum in Jersey City touted as a world-class destination for the country to experience.

Republican lawmakers are crying foul, calling the museum the poster child for wasteful spending.

David crew spoke with Jersey City's Mayor Stephen full up, who doesn't hold back defending the museum plans.

David: It is still chic in some circles to look down at the French, and when Mike Testa refers to the Pompidou project as the French museum, it's not a compliment.

The much ballyhooed but locally criticized and for the last couple of years state subsidized project has turned into a [speaking French] for testa, who says he has nothing against the French, or even art for art's sake.

>> What I do have something against is wasteful spending.

We were originally told this French Museum was going to cost taxpayers approximately $24 million.

We are seeing ballooning costs of $58 million and the Department of State is telling us that what I think is going to be a boondoggle is going to cost approximately $200 million.

David: Testa sits on the Senate Budget Committee, from which he has launched criticism of government spending, particularly on so-called Christmas tree items like this one that make it into the state budget in the 11th hour.

He commissioned a report from the Republican Senate office that blasted Pompidou as a waste of taxpayer subsidy.

Some of it, the report says, indirectly watching back into campaign coffers and entities that otherwise promote officeholders supporting the project.

>> Mike Testa is either ignorant or a liar.

David: The mayor, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, says the report is a work of abstract art masquerading as realism.

He says testa, a potential Republican candidate for governor, has pulled numbers out of thin air and made claims that are simply untrue.

>> is it a $200 million project and how much has the state contributed so far?

>> That is a public record, what the state contributed.

I believe the range of $48 million.

The entire project will be similar to conjunction -- construction projects of that size that are destinations.

You are building a world-class museum, none like it in New Jersey.

A major destination for the region.

David: If that costs $200 million or more, the mayor says that's OK because the return of Ron economic activity will exceed that.

Testa says if that's true then the project should be OK with more state oversight, something that resonates with some local residents who have given side I to the project.

>> It should not take a South Jersey politician to ask about these things.

I think the city Council is going to have to inquire about Jersey City's commitment and who he is paying money to, just having that oversight.

>> It's a franchise agreement, not different than McDonald's Denver and.

They are providing management and support.

They are not paying operating cost, just like a franchise.

>> A partnership means we and they benefit, and I'm OK with that as long as it is fair.

David: For all the excitement, it is still years away.

Even the mayor admitted opening-day has been pushed back to 2026, well after he is out of office here.

David Cruz, NJ Spotlight News.

Joanna: While many school board meetings around the state have become the epicenter of culture wars, last week we saw the state Board of Education make changes to the equity standards that govern all districts.

No surprise, it has been met with resistance from parents rights groups and some Democratic leaders who say the state board of Ed may have gone too far.

Two Republican lawmakers say they will introduce legislation to repeal the ruling.

I am joined by education and child welfare reporter Hannah Gross, who was at the board of Ed meeting.

The board of Ed narrowly approved these changes to the state equity code and we have seen pushback.

What can you tell us about the changes?

Hannah: One of the biggest is moving the language from equality to focusing on equity.

That means instead of providing students the same thing, they are going to get exactly what they need based on gender, race, or other aspects of their identity.

Joanna: We are seeing some of the language being removed, some gender specific language.

Hannah: In certain instances the code used to refer to male or female students or his or her, gendered pronouns.

In the new version, it's gender-neutral.

It would say the Commissioner instead of discussing sex in two sexes, it may say all sexes or on the basis of gender instead of male and female.

Joanna: We are seeing current pushback, parental rights groups that have been vocal in the local school district board meetings, pretty equally vocal here pushing back against these changes.

What are we seeing from them and what are some threats they have made?

David: The room was packed at the State Board of Ed, more than 40 advocates.

A lot of members of a group called protect your children, a parental rights group across New Jersey, were particularly taking issue with the switch to gender-neutral language and what that might mean for health classes or classes that deal with human sexuality where students might be separated on the basis of gender, as opposed to how it used to say on the basis of sex.

That's not a requirement and says schools may choose to do that.

As soon as the code was adopted, people were angry, shouting at the board, threatening a lawsuit.

Joanna: They are threatening to sue the state.

Hannah: Yes.

Joanna: We should reiterate this equity change applies to all school districts across the state.

Some parent groups have pushed for local control, right?

Hannah: Yes.

In many instances, especially with the human sexuality classes, that would be up to the district to decide what to do.

It's up to them if they are going to keep students together or separate on the basis of gender.

Joanna: We know some Democratic leaders pushed back on some language that came out of the meeting, including potential sanctions for school districts that don't adopt these rules in time, the legislature saying that is not the role of the state board of Ed.

Explain the timing and changes.

Hannah: The code goes up for re-adoption every seven years and now it has been reapproved, changes should take effect within a month when posted to the New Jersey register.

One of the things mentioned is there is a comprehensive equity plan districts need to implement to ensure there is equitable opportunities for students in schools.

They have to come up with that every three years.

Once they come up with that, according to the old code they had 180 days to implement.

The new code shortens that to 60 days, which some members on the board were saying is too short.

Joanna: We are going to be watching to see what happens as a result.

Thank you so much.

It's day four of a major nurses strike at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where 1700 nurses walked off the job Friday and continued picketing through the weekend and today, fighting for better staffing levels and increased paid sick days, which they say will make the hospital safer for nurses and patients.

The hospital, an underwriter of NJ Spotlight News, released a statement saying it remains open, fully operational, and completely staffed thanks to the support of highly skilled and trained replacement nurses.

The hospital assuring staffing levels have been appropriately maintained across all units and shifts.

No word as to when contract negotiations between the hospital and nurses union will resume.

The state is launching a new website today, stopoverdoses.

nj.gov where residents can find pharmacies that handout Naloxone.

The website is part of Governor Murphy's Naloxone 365 initiative that provides free Naloxone anonymously to anyone age 14 or over.

So far more than 40 doses have been distributed and this website will show where each of the 610 dissipating pharmacies are located.

A new partnership is launching between Hackensack Meridian health, Hickman pharmaceuticals, and the nonprofit dispensary of hope to bring Naloxone to even more people.

I am joined by Hackensack's Dr. Sean to talk more about it.

Tell us about this take-home Naloxone program and how it works.

>> The important thing to understand is we are in the midst of an overdose crisis, so our goal is to prevent as many overdoses as possible.

If you are a patient at Jersey shore Medical Center, we have addiction specialists who will see you, give you the care you need, and before you go will put an overdose rescue agent in your hand at no cost.

Joanna: So there is a collaboration.

I want to better understand why collaborations like this are so critical.

A pharmaceutical company, a hospital, and a nonprofit working together.

Explain what that looks like and why it's an important piece.

Dr. Shah: At its core, it's because this crisis is bigger than any of us.

It takes a village to turn the tide against the overdose crisis and that's why these three entities are coming together to do this and meet patients where they are at an essay of life after life.

Joanna: Explain a little more how that collaboration works and how you are coordinating to reach people who need this life-saving treatment more and easier.

Dr. Shah: The way we are coordinating is Hickman pharmaceuticals is donating medication to the dispensary of hope, which we already have a collaboration with.

The dispensary of hope operates across our network, providing nearly $1 million of medication at no charge in the hands of patients, medications like insulin and the opioid overdose reversal.

Joanna: The state recently launched its own program to get medicine into the hands of folks using pharmacies.

Are there enough pharmacies participating do we need more partnerships that look like this?

Is this something that can be scaled around the state to get Naloxone into the hands of more people?

Dr. Shah: I think we don't have enough Naloxone in the hands of those in need.

We realize while being able to get it at pharmacies is a great step, not everyone makes it to the pharmacy or hospital.

That's why we make sure it is in the hands of our patients before they leave the hospital.

Joanna: This is a pilot program.

What is the future of the program?

At one point do you decide if this is something needed to remain?

Dr. Shah: That is for folks smarter than me, but knowing those folks, I have no doubt that if the data shows this is making the impact we believe it will, I have no doubt we will see more of this in the future.

Joanna: Thank you so much.

Dr. Shah: Thank you.

Joanna: In our spotlight on business report, four new wind farm projects could be coming to New Jersey after proposals worse omitted to the state Friday.

Information was released about three of the proposals which come from a combination of U.S. and European-based companies.

While some conservative groups have pushed back about windfarms, saying they disrupt scenic views along the Jersey shore, two proposals would place wind turbines beyond the view of the coast, 37 miles out to Mike Price as far as some projects already approved.

If all the projects are approved, it would more than double the wind energy plan for New Jersey.

Just two projects could power 1.5 million homes.

The market started the week strong.

Here is a look at how trading numbers closed for the day.

>> support for the business report provided by the Chamber of Commerce southern New Jersey, working for economic prosperity by uniting business and community leaders for 150 years.

Membership and event information online at chambersnj.com.

Joanna: What once stood as an abandoned lot in Camden is being transformed into affordable homes for residents.

The project, a collaboration between several groups in Camden, will build nine new homes and renovate one house that will all be available for purchase for first-time homebuyers.

Raven Santana has more as part of our ongoing series chasing the dream, focusing on property, justice, and economic opportunity.

>> Empire Avenue was once abandoned but new construction is transforming parts of the city.

>> What you see behind me today is a representation of four homes as part of a 10 new homes project, with more development to come down the pike.

>> Bridget Pfeiffer is CEO of a nonprofit community building initiatives, deeply rooted in the vision of residents who fight for credits in their most recent affordable development.

>> The residents went through a rigorous 2.5 year neighborhood planning process and after the core of that plan was this idea that we needed to create housing.

Housing that is affordable to all.

Raven: She says the three bedroom, two bath homes will be sold for $129,000 when construction is completed.

Staff says the goal is to encourage residents to own, not rent.

>> Get some homeownership.

Own your house so you will be able to take care of your house, your property and do these streets the way we used to do 50, 60 years ago when neighbors took care of their block.

>> People like me who never understood homeownership is attainable would not have been able to purchase.

That is critical and I am so happy because so many of our neighbors, friends, families are in dire need to buy something that will grow wealth for their family.

Raven: A number of funders who were at the event shared why community partnership on projects like this will only continue to expand.

>> New Jersey American water has been serving Cramer Hill and East Camden since 1891.

The fact we provided the NRDC grant that helped to drive a program like this, to see our dollars go directly into the community, is important to us because as a water utility we feel uniquely oriented to be part of the community.

We enter folks' homes and provide them with a life-sustaining utility so it's important for us to have those trusted partnerships.

>> Its unique, it's different.

I know for a first-time homebuyer, it's good.

We want to let people know throughout the city there is still hope.

We believe in affordable housing.

We also believe in market rate housing.

But we have people in need.

Raven: A need that assemblyman William Spearman says will be met.

>> The budget this year and last year, we have been putting money back into the housing trust fund at DCA, which provides the funding for subsidies for projects like this.

That is something the governor and legislature has been committed to.

We.

Have to rebuild our communities.

Raven: Rebuilding will continue as pbcip was recently approved for a new site plan for new townhomes ready to be sold next March.

Joanna: New Jersey is now the last state in the nation forbidden from pumping our own gas.

We were among the last two, but on Friday Oregon passed a law allowing drivers to choose whether they want to pump it themselves or take the help of a gas station attendant.

In New Jersey it has been illegal for drivers to pump their own gas 1949.

While some of you are itching to do it yourself, especially when you are in a rush, according to a Rutgers Eagleton poll last year, the majority of Jersey drivers are content to let someone pump for them.

You can count me among them.

That does it for us, but download the NJ Spotlight News podcast so you can listen anytime.

I'm Joanna Gagis.

Thanks for being with us, have a great night, and we will see you back here tomorrow.

>> NJM insurance group, serving the insurance needs of residents and businesses for more than 100 years.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

New Jersey realtors, the voice for real estate in New Jersey.

More information is online at NJrealtor.com.

And by the PSEG foundation.

Major funding for chasing the dream is provided by the JPB foundation with additional funding from the Peter G Peterson and Joan Ganz Cooney Fund.

Orsted will provide renewable offshore wind energy, jobs, educational, supply-chain, and economic opportunities for the Garden State.

Orsted, committed to the creation of a new, long-term, sustainable, clean energy future for New Jersey.

Online at U.S.orsted.com.

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We help companies keep their vehicles on the road, employees on the job, and projects on track, working to protect employees from illness and injury, to keep goods and services moving up as the state -- moving across the state.

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