Minimum wage, telemarketers among the subjects of new laws going into effect in New Jersey in 2024
MORRISTOWN, N.J. -- A number of new laws will be going into effect in New Jersey in the new year.
CBS New York's Christine Sloan breaks them down.
Kitchen workers in restaurants like South + Pine American Eatery in Morristown work hard, standing on their feet for hours.
Soon, they, along with most New Jersey employees getting paid minimum wage, will get a dollar increase in their pay to bring their hourly rate up to $15.13.
"For people on the line in the kitchen, it's life-changing. A dollar raise for them can take six months to two years to even hit that, so, for it to just be right off the bat is really necessary and beneficial to them," server Alex Simeone said.
Workers like Simeone, who rely on tips, already got a bit of an increase from the state this year.
South + Pine's chef and owner, Leia Gaccione, said she believes every single person in her kitchen deserves that raise, but added restaurants like hers will have to make a choice.
"It puts the business in the predicament that you have to raise the prices to compensate for that, but people don't like it when you raise prices," Gaccione said.
"Raising the minimum wage has been a top priority of mine since day one," Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement. "There is no doubt that inflation has had an impact on every New Jerseyan. Now that we are close to surpassing the $15 per hour milestone, it's important that we continue to ensure that everyone working in New Jersey has access to a livable wage."
Other new laws are going into effect in the Garden State in 2024.
Districts must provide free menstrual products in public schools teaching sixth through 12th graders, and pharmacies will be allowed to dispense certain kinds of birth control-like pills and the patch without a prescription.
"I think it's huge for women's health. I think it provides more access for those who are unable to have health care to be able to go to a doctor and get a prescription," Morristown resident Stacy Winterburn said.
But the new law many are chatting about targets telemarketers, requiring them to give their name, number and the company they're representing within 30 seconds of a call.
"They bother us during dinner, in the morning, and at night, so it would be so, so nice to have them come forward and say who they are and explain why they are calling," said Susan Backus of Pompton Plains.
There are bills still in Trenton hanging in the balance, including a proposal to change New Jersey's antiquated liquor laws that would allow breweries to hold unlimited events and to serve food. Gov. Murphy has said he believes it doesn't go far enough.