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Anchor: Tonight, under the dome.

It seems a budget deal is on the table in the statehouse but what is in and what has been cut from the multi-billion-dollar spending plan?

And rate hike relieve.

Lawmakers looking for ways to put money back in your wallet and help you stay cool this summer.

Also, President Trump's former attorney grilled by the New Jersey senior U.S.

Senator looking to derail his nomination to the third Circuit Court.

>> Our job as a committee is not to simply rubberstamp nominees because the president nominated them.

We should understand the respect for our legal system and rule of law is vital.

Anchor: And with summer temperatures soaring, the fight for better working conditions for day laborers and factory workers.

>> Heat deaths are preventable but this one was not prevented.

Another New Jersey worker did not go home and a family surely suffered unimaginably while legislators relaxed and enjoyed time with their families.

Anchor: "NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

♪ >> From NJPBS Studios, this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Briana Vannozzi.

Anchor: Good evening and thank you for joining us.

I am Rhianna Vannozzi.

We begin with a few of the headlines we are following.

First, Trenton lawmakers and Governor Murphy have agreed on a budget, with final tweaks made just ahead of a constitutionally mandated deadline.

According to the budget committee chair, both branches of the legislature and the executive office are in the final stages of negotiating last-minute changes and waiting for the office of legislative services to write up a draft.

That way it can head for a full vote.

So far we know the budget committee today approved several of Governor Murphy's proposed tax increases in his -- in his spending plan, including a tax hike on cigarettes, online sports betting and so-called mcmansions.

The increase will kick in on homes that sell for $2 million or more instead of a million dollars.

Also included is a full payment to the public worker pension system and the relief program.

But Republicans like this budget officer shared frustrations with the process, saying members of the party, which is in the minority in Trenton, have yet to see the draft language or changes on a bill they are expected to vote on in hours.

Meanwhile as part of our under the dome series, our reporter discovered something eyebrow raising buried in hundreds of pages of past and current budget language.

A line item for millions of dollars to repay a project in a town where the budget chair also happens to be mayor.

The project was repaid years ago.

Colleen, thank you for coming on the show.

This piece of reporting you did I think was a really good example of some of the line items that get added into these budgets at the last minute that the public and sometimes even lawmakers don't get a chance to look through.

This train station in Wood-Ridge has been getting money every year to pay back the construction and yet taxpayers are on the hook quite a bit for it.

Can you tell us more?

Colleen: I want to add a lot of items get added to the budget last-minute but this is unique in that it is something Governor Murphy has put in his proposed budget every year.

It stuck around through the budget process.

It's something he has prioritized but yes, taxpayers have been on the hook for a lot of money that's gone to Wood-Ridge for this specific development.

It has really gone toward the train station, it's gone for many other projects around the station.

That's some of the complexity.

Anchor: Thank you for the clarification and pointing that out.

How much money are they getting and how much was the town needing to pay for the project?

Colleen: So far they have received $47.5 million.

Another $10 million could be added this year, that's been proposed in Governor Murphy's budget.

The cost to construct the station according to the New Jersey transit documents was just under $16 million.

The portion of that that Wood-Ridge had to pay for was paid for by the developer.

Again, it comes back to the fact that taxpayers are not paying for the construction or financing of the station, they are paying for these other projects which the administrator says to me is paying for projects that couldn't get done by the developer because so much money was spent on the construction of the train station.

Which was split with New Jersey transit and a federal grant.

Anchor: In total, how much has the state spent on this municipality?

We talk about these budgets, it's supposed to have broader impact.

Sometimes statewide impact or at least projects that can help residents who don't just live in that specific town.

Colleen: This project alone, $50 million and about to be almost $60 million.

Untold numbers.

I think I had in the story that last year, the Senators district accrued another several, tens of millions of dollars, $30 million worth of projects.

His district is not short on receiving grants and money for projects.

Anchor: The argument is this was an industrial site and contaminated and making the town funds bleed drive.

Without this help, the town would be bankrupt.

What was the response to that from the state and folks willing to talk to you, quickly?

Colleen: It's a great point, it adds a lot of layers and context of this, there was a massive industrial site where they were building engine parts and those sorts of technology and industry continued for several decades but it contaminated the site a month there were many pollutants that made it almost not developable.

The state basically said dropdead, they didn't bring much and to get rid of the pollutants and the $60 million or whatever in taxpayer dollars makes up for that.

Anchor: It's interesting at a time the state is tightening its fiscal belt, as you pointed out, all the lawmakers get nothing or everybody gets a little something to get on board.

Colleen, great reporting is always.

>> Under the dome is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Anchor: Also tonight, the heatwave is over for now but state lawmakers are introducing a new round of bills to upgrade New Jersey's power grid.

It comes in response to rising energy prices and concerns about reliability and future.

Thousands of residents last power -- lost power the last few days in the brutal heat, with extra strain on the supply network.

A legislative package was rolled out today targeting the way AI data center significantly drive up electricity demand.

The bills demand the Board of Public utilities to conduct a statewide study on ways to use what is known as ATT or advanced transmission technologies, hardware and software that boost efficiency on the grid.

It also requires data centers to report energy use plans to the B.P.

you, train New Jersey workers for jobs in grid modernization, offer incentives to redevelop shuttered power plant sites into fusion energy hubs, and creating a new regional operator and require utility companies to apply before starting new transmission projects.

In a statement today, the NJBIA said they don't believe data centers should have mandates to run solely on renewable mandates.

In Jersey City, grief turning to action as residents rally for safer streets following the death of a six-year-old who was struck and killed by a delivery truck while crossing the street with his dad.

In mid June, he was crossing six Street at Jersey Avenue with a green walk signal when a UPS truck turned left also on a green light and failed to yield.

The driver struck the boy in the cross work and he died minutes later.

On Wednesday, neighbors, advocates and families gathered outside City Hall for a rally led by bike JC and safe s treets.

They remembered the boy and urged the city to take immediate action to prevent future tragedies.

During a city councilmember that followed, advocates called on officials to fully implement the city's vision zero, a plan to eliminate all traffic fatalities by 2026.

They are asking for lower speed limits, more traffic enforcement and immediate safety upgrades, especially near playground and schools.

This is the second fatal road accident in Jersey City this year.

Congress a setback -- with a setback today as they race to pass President Trump's big beautiful bill by July 4 is lawmakers are trying to move other important business like approving more of the President's nominees to top positions.

This week that included a high-ranking Justice Department official who has been tapped to be a federal judge in New Jersey.

Senate Democrats, including Senator Cory Booker, accused the nominee of lying during his confirmation hearing Wednesday, and said he is unfit to serve on an appeals court that represents the state.

Our Washington, D.C. correspondent is here to shed light on what happened.

Good to talk to you.

Among the many things you've been reporting on this week in particular, where we stand with the reconciliation bill.

The parliamentarian apparently dealt a blow to the Senate version.

Can you give us an update on what's been happening and where things stand?

>> There is a slew of moving parts.

The parliamentarian stripped out big parts of the house version.

At this point the chambers are trying to get together to match up and lend their opposing visions into something that can become law and that is tricky.

There is one faction of the Republican party once a deep cuts, as I've spoken with you about before and there's another more moderate faction that doesn't want those cuts to be as deep and they are worried about Medicaid.

I spoke with a South Jersey Republican on Monday and he said as is, he would not vote for the Senate version if it work -- if it were to come back to the house.

There were 12 Republicans in the house at that point would not vote for it.

It would be enough to tank the bill, which is the centerpiece of Donald Trump's attire agenda -- entire agenda.

There may be a weekend session, there is a test vote scheduled in theory for tomorrow in the house could come back as soon as Tuesday.

They are rushing toward the self-imposed July 4 deadline.

Anchor: The president has said no one goes on vacation until this gets done but I was talking to Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman and she expressed skepticism about the timeline.

What is it looking like realistically?

Ben: At this point Republicans don't have the votes in either chamber it seems to me.

There's blowback on salt provisions, that's a tax deduction.

A lot of Republicans in the house from more moderate states.

And the timeline is up to the Republicans.

Anchor: Let me switch gears quickly, the PCU wrote today was a tough session yesterday in the Senate for a nominee for the Third Circuit.

He faced a grilling particularly from our U.S.

Senator, Cory Booker.

What is the main issue Democrats have with his nomination?

Ben: Yeah, and Booker wasn't the only one who asked tough questions.

He's up for a third circuit appellate position, that covers New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

The main issue Democrats say is three broad things, one, his involvement in the firing of the prosecutor of the January 6 attacker cases.

His involvement in dismissing charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, which has been described as a quid pro quo, the idea being the top administration would drop charges against him in favor, in exchange for favorable immigration policy.

The third bucket is this pattern that not only Democrats have pointed out but people who work for him, that dates back years and years of him as inflexible and unprofessional as a lawyer.

I got more into it in my peace I ran this morning.

Those are the broad buckets.

Do they have the votes to block him?

Almost certainly know, they would need four Republicans to come on board, assuming every Democrat votes against the nomination.

Anchor: As you said, it's a lifetime appointment.

You can read the reporting on this and everything coming out of the hill on our website.

Thank you so much.

This week's heatwave is putting a new spotlight on the dangers of heat in the workplace.

New Jersey doesn't have set regulations but the federal government this week started considering a new set of rules that will define what constitutes workplace heat exposure.

Ted Goldberg reports.

>> I have witnessed them fainting due to suffocation and extreme heat.

Reporter: Working outside in three straight days of 100 degree heat is no picnic.

Working indoors has not been much better for factory workers like this man.

>> There is AC only in offices and not in the plant where most of us work, and the fans provided, all of them are broken.

Reporter: Leaders at state and federal levels are debating heat protections for workers and what protections should be given when temperatures get dangerously high?

>> We should do some thing about that, we should not wait for something major to happen, for example a death.

I've seen people being asphyxiated due to the extreme heat.

Reporter: According to OSHA, a 49-year-old man died last summer after suffering heat illness while pouring concrete for the foundation of these homes in Madison.

Richard was working in 90 degree heat and his employer received two citations from OSHA, one for failing to protect employees and one for failing to notify OSHA within eight hours of his death.

The company was initially find $8,000 but it's been reduced to $5,000 after an informal settlement.

According to online records, the case is open.

[crowd chanting] A workers rights group in Elizabeth Pro tasted -- protested last week, demanding a heat standards bill that has rolled around Trenton for over year.

>> Heat deaths are preventable but this one was not prevented so another New Jersey worker did not go home and a family suffered unimaginably while legislators relaxed and enjoyed time with their own families.

>> From a legislative standpoint, there is great reluctance to take on the business community when the concern is we are over regulating, but we have deaths we can point to.

Reporter: This state sensor is -- Senator is the prime sponsor of the bill and told us how frustrated he was to see it stall.

>> Of frustrated another intense summer of heat will go through without proper worker protections.

Reporter: Richard died less than one month after that interview.

OSHA is considering new heat standards at the federal level that would require 15 minute breaks every two hours in 90 degree weather and they are taking public comment until July 2.

The White House can ignore the recommendations if they want, leaving the state senator make concessions to pass the bill.

>> This administration is trying to take away health care and provide tax cuts, their values are different.

Exceptions for different folks.

Imagine picking fruit today.

They are exempt in the hopes we can work with particular legislators to see if we can get support.

>> Every business needs the opportunity to be flexible especially when it comes to heat.

Reporter: Alyssa Frank works for the business and industry Association, one of many business groups who say the standards are overly onerous.

>> We don't think either should be adopted because OSHA already has something called a general duty clause which inquires -- requires employers to ensure workers are not exposed to an unreasonable working environment.

>> A relatively small percentage of employers have their own heat related policies.

When they do, workers are reporting they often get overshadowed by other needs.

Whether the store is shortstaffed, the policy goes out the window.

Reporter: This is a sociology professor at Rutgers.

Two weeks ago she published a report that asked thousands of indoor workers about heat related illness at work and she was surprised that two thirds of them felt uncomfortably hot or overheated at work.

>> We expected some reporting of heat exposure but not nearly at the levels we did, and across different kinds of indoor service sector workplaces.

Reporter: Which included where, restaurants and retail.

>> We talk about the findings and people are like that seems weird because you assume big stores are providing enough air-conditioning for customers.

Reporter: She says when it comes to protecting workers, laws are helpful but need proper enforcement.

>> Like any of these rules they are most effective when they are enforced.

The combination of these rules and standards with sufficient funding is the best case scenario.

Reporter: According to federal data, more than 2300 people died from the effects of excessive heat in the summer of 2023, the highest number on record.

While the weather is expected to call off later this week, the debate on how to protect workers will likely stay scorching hot.

I'm Ted Goldberg.

Anchor: Despite all its flaws, New Jersey transit delivers a big economic bang for the state and has sweeping benefits for residents.

That's the conclusion of new data released this week from the regional plan Association, putting a dollar value on the state public transit system and how much it will cost us if we fail to fund it.

Brenda Flanagan takes a look.

Reporter: Many riders had frustration this week as a digit heat caused cancellations and sweat soaked misery even as the agency reminded customers a 3% fare hike is coming July 1.

I'm on a train with no AC in 102 degree whether one vented on x, yet NJ transit things they deserve a raise.

The service remains a word we can't say on TV.

And Hackensack commuters explained -- >> We have to have transportation to get back and forth from different places and there are not a lot of jobs in the county.

Without the public transformation -- transportation is not worth it.

>> I always need the train.

Reporter: The agency customer advocate posted over -- posted an apology for heat related disruptions and admitted they could happen again.

They rely on Amtrak to ask overhead power lines after it -- as it plays catch up after years of underfunding.

Riders feel the heat as NJ transit struggles.

>> That's the classic problem transit systems have, not enough money to do the things customers feel.

It's a great loss to the state to let it struggle because it adds so much.

Reporter: How much?

Rachel pointed to a new report from the regional plan Association that calculates NJ transit as -- adding up to $13.8 billion in benefits statewide, worth $10,000 for the average household, and reduces traffic congestion and air pollution.

The report breaks it down further for five different towns, Atlantic City, Bloomfield, Newark, Union City and Hackensack, where it estimates how much living expenses would rise without NJ transit.

>> When you say $13 billion, I don't know about you but that doesn't mean anything to me.

But if you said I'm doubling my rent or increasing it by 50% or something like that, that's a number I can understand.

>> There are so many people that rely on transit not just because it's convenient but because they don't have any other choice.

Reporter: Alex Ambrose with NJ policy perspective says the report shows in hard numbers that NJ transit functions not as a business but a public service that multiplies benefits in all directions.

>> People who use transit have access to jobs, they have access to doctors, they have access to schools, they have access to shopping centers.

Without transit they wouldn't have access and those places also wouldn't have access to those customers.

That multiplying factor of New Jersey transit is essential for our economy and New Jersey an's budgets.

>> The report should be mandatory reading for the legislature and the gubernatorial candidates.

Reporter: He says NJ transit can operate more effectively and applauds measures like the renewed corporate transit fee that will boost funding for the agency but it expires in five years and the farebox isn't enough, he warns.

>> When you have a system that's so unreliable, you can't keep adding 3% each year to the burden when inflation is so high and the service is horrible.

Reporter: Transit advocates acknowledge the agency is buying new cars and engines, placing ancient infrastructure, and justice settled in engineer strike.

They add that Trenton still needs to figure out a solid, dedicated funding plan to make NJ transit a truly world-class ride.

I am Brenda Flanagan.

Anchor: That will do it for us tonight, but you can download our podcast wherever you listen and watch us any time by subscribing to our YouTube channel.

For the entire team, thank you for being with us, have a great night and 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 and blue shield Association.

And by the PSEG foundation.

♪