The New Jersey State Assembly has honored our essential workers’ memories by improving their survivors’ financial security through the final passage of A-3998.
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO thanks Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin, D-19th District, for his leadership in posting the COLA bill for a vote, and thanks the bill’s prime sponsors, Assembly members Carol A. Murphy, D-7th District, Thomas P. Giblin, D-34th District, and Anthony S. Verrelli, D-15th District.
The bill passed March 1, 2021, on a 55-12-3 vote.
Thanks to the leadership of state Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, D-3rd District, and the sponsorship of Sen. Troy Singleton, D-7th District, the Senate passed its version (S-2465) by a 38-1 vote in June.
A-3998 provides a cost-of-living increase annually from workers compensation to the dependents of certain essential workers who contracted COVID-19 on the job and later died of the coronavirus.
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO gratefully recognizes Assemblywoman Murphy’s advocacy for this bill and respectfully asks for Gov. Phil Murphy’s support of this legislation.
How They Voted
| John Armato, Y | Robert Auth, N | Daniel R. Benson, Y |
| Brian Bergen, NV | Jon M. Bramnick, N | John J. Burzichelli, Y |
| Clinton Calabrese, Y | Ralph R. Caputo, NV | Linda S. Carter, Y |
| John Catalano, A | Annette Chaparro, Y | Nicholas Chiaravalloti,Y |
| Robert D. Clifton, N | Herb Conaway Jr., Y | Craig J. Coughlin, Y |
| Ronald S. Dancer, N | Joe Danielsen, NV | Wayne P. DeAngelo, Y |
| BettyLou DeCroce, N | Christopher DePhillips, A | John DiMaio, N |
| Serena DiMaso, NV | Joann Downey, Y | Aura K. Dunn, A |
| Joseph V. Egan, Y | Roy Freiman, Y | Thomas P. Giblin, Y |
| DiAnne C. Gove, Y | Louis D. Greenwald, Y | Jamel C. Holley, Y |
| Eric Houghtaling, Y | Mila M. Jasey, Y | Angelica M. Jimenez, Y |
| Gordon M. Johnson, Y | Robert J. Karabinchak, Y | Sean T. Kean, N |
| James J. Kennedy, Y | Pamela R. Lampitt, NV | Yvonne Lopez, NV |
| Vincent Mazzeo, Y | Antwan L. McClellan, Y | Gregory P. McGuckin, NV |
| John F. McKeon, Y | Angela V. McKnight, Y | Pedro Mejia, Y |
| William F. Moen Jr., Y | Paul D. Moriarty, Y | Gabriela M. Mosquera, NV |
| Raj Mukherji, Y | Nancy F. Munoz, N | Carol A. Murphy, Y |
| Ryan E. Peters, Y | Erik Peterson, N | Eliana Pintor Marin, Y |
| Annette Quijano, Y | Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Y | Kevin J. Rooney, NV |
| Brian E. Rumpf, Y | Gary S. Schaer, Y | Gerard Scharfenberger, N |
| Holly T. Schepisi, Y | Erik K. Simonsen, Y | Parker Space, Y |
| William W. Spearman, Y | Shanique Speight, Y | Jean Stanfield, Y |
| Sterley S. Stanley, Y | Shavonda E. Sumter, Y | Lisa Swain, Y |
| Adam J. Taliaferro, Y | Edward H. Thomson, N | Britnee N. Timberlake, NV |
| Cleopatra G. Tucker, Y | P. Christopher Tully, Y | Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Y |
| Anthony S. Verrelli, Y | Jay Webber, N | Benjie E. Wimberly, Y |
| Harold J. Wirths, Y | Andrew Zwicker, Y |