MORRIS COUNTY — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Chief Administrator Sue Fulton announced that the closure of all New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission agency, road testing, and inspections facilities will be extended through April 12, as a measure to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Chief Fulton says other Commission operations are continuing, through online submissions from customers as well as other functions, including those that support commercial trucking critical to keeping the supply chain moving during the COVID-19 health crisis.

However, Chief Fulton said, other operations, such as agency and road testing, bring people into closer proximity to each other than is recommended under public health guidelines.

“We cannot have crowds like the ones that are drawn to our agencies during a pandemic,” Chief Fulton said. “The health of our employees and our customers takes priority.”

“Fortunately, we have expanded our online capabilities over the past year and many of our customers can get their business taken care of that way,” Chief Fulton said. “In most cases you can renew your license, replace a lost license, change your address, renew your registration and other transactions through our easy-to-use online portal.”

Chief Fulton also noted that the federal REAL ID requirement has been extended for another year, until October, 2021, so customers should not feel any pressure in that regard.

“The safety of our citizens is paramount and we will use every means at our disposal to ensure they are protected,’’ Chief Fulton said.

Working with Governor Murphy, Chief Fulton ordered the initial closure from March 17 through March 30. With the threat from COVID-19 continuing and New Jersey having the second-most cases in the United States, it was determined to continue the closures through at least April 12.

MORRIS COUNTY — As New Jersey continues under a state of emergency due to the coronavirus, please know that my district office remains available to serve constituents by phone and email. Included below are links to information that you may find helpful, along with important state and national news updates related to COVID-19.

Important Links:

• Governor Murphy will deliver a coronavirus briefing at 2:00 p.m. in Trenton. Click here to watch the livestream.
• The latest data on coronavirus infections in New Jersey are available on the New Jersey COVID-19 Dashboard.
• New Jersey’s COVID-19 Information Hub includes valuable resources and information for families, workers, and employers who have questions or needs arising from the current crisis.
• Information for workers impacted by sickness, loss of employment, or reduction in hours.
• Information for businesses impacted by COVID-19.
• Need work? Visit the State’s Jobs and Hiring Portal to connect with employers hiring today.

Important State News:

• New Jersey saw its largest daily increase in positive cases of COVID-19 reported yesterday, with 2,492 new cases and a total of 6,876 cases. There have been 81 deaths since the start of the coronavirus crisis, including 19 fatalities reported at yesterday’s briefing.
• The governor has announced that all New Jersey schools will remain closed through at least April 17.
• The State has launched a new website for organizations to report and donate inventories of personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, and healthcare equipment, including ventilators and respirators.
• The NJEDA has launched a new emergency program to help small- and mid-size businesses.
• Vulnerable families that receive food assistance through NJ SNAP will get an extra payment on Sunday and increased benefits in April.

Important National News:

• The House of Representatives should soon pass a $2 trillion stimulus package to help individuals, families, workers, businesses, and states.
• Want to know how big your federal stimulus check will be? Try this online calculator from NJ.com.
• A new analysis shows the coronavirus could peak in some places by mid-April and in others in May.
• The Internet is slowing down due to a surge of streaming and video conferencing while students and employees are learning and working from home.

Questions or need assistance? Email my legislative office at senpennacchio@njleg.org.

MORRIS COUNTY — Governor Phil Murphy today announced a new state website for reporting personal protective equipment (PPE).

In accordance with Executive Order No. 109, any business, non-hospital health care facility, or institution of higher learning in possession of PPE, ventilators, respirators, or anesthesia machines must submit that information to the State by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 27. The website created today also gives these entities the ability to donate PPE.

“We have a critical need in New Jersey for personal protective equipment,” said Governor Murphy. “Our hospitals, health care workers, and first responders on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 can only be successful with access to these essential supplies.”
To submit information related to PPE, please click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Park Police Department is reporting a substantially increased use of many general purpose parks and trails of the Morris County Park Commission.  In response to Governor Murphy Executive Orders’ #102 to #108 to combat the COVID-19 global pandemic in New Jersey, park patrons are asked to visit the Morris County Park Commission website by clicking here as many locations have temporarily closed and/or amended operational hours in accordance with current state and county orders.

Patrons who frequent a property of the Morris County Park Commission should follow proper universal precautions as it pertains to hiking, running, biking, etc. This includes having a charged cellphone, water, and letting others know where you will be and when you should return. People should realize their own physical abilities and know the difficulty level of the area they are accessing. For all emergencies, they can call 9-1-1 or for non-emergent assistance, they should call (973) 326-7654.

Part of the increased use of Morris County Park Commission properties has resulted in many violations of the Morris County Park Commission’s Rules and Regulations, especially as it pertains to the parking of vehicles, dogs off-leash, and entering and/or remaining in a county park during closing hours. Vehicles should only be parked in designated spots inside park property and not on surrounding streets; dogs need to be kept on a leash no longer than six-feet long; and all persons must vacate the property by closing time, which is generally sunset, but may vary by property. The Rules and Regulations of the Morris County Park Commission should be posted in directories in each property and can also be found at the website by clicking here.

“We understand the public’s want and need to frequent one of our locations during these unprecedented and unfortunate times, but I must direct all persons to obey the rules and regulations of the Morris County Park Commission,” said Chief Gabe DiPietro. “Increased and continuing violations will result in increased enforcement and summonses may be issued.”