ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 5327

To the General Assembly:

     Today I am pleased to sign Assembly Bill No. 5327, which formally enacts our State budget for Fiscal Year 2027.  Through this budget, my partners in the Legislature and I are delivering an affordability-focused spending plan that finds solutions to cut costs without compromising services for everyday New Jerseyans.  After many months of negotiations, we have crafted a fiscally disciplined budget that provides record breaking levels of property tax relief, protects our children’s futures through record education funding, delivers a full pension payment, improves accountability, and supports significant investments in the economy, workforce development, and public health and safety. 

I am making minor changes to the bill before me to ensure consistency with legislative intent concerning the State's spending plan for Fiscal Year 2027 and to avoid falling out of compliance with federal laws that prevent the State from increasing the value of the State Directed Medicaid Payment Program.  Accordingly, pursuant to Article V, Section I, Paragraph 15 of the New Jersey Constitution, I am appending to Assembly Bill No. 5327, at the time of my signing it, this statement of items, or parts thereof, to which I object and which shall not take effect.

                                   Respectfully,

     [seal]

/s/ Mikie Sherrill

                                   Governor

Attest:

/s/ Timothy P. Lydon

Chief Counsel to the Governor