On the first day New Jersey started Phase 2 of its reopening, state officials offered a timeline for organized sports shutdown by COVID-19 to resume. For low-risk sports such as golf and tennis, competition can resume on June 22. On that same day, medium- and high-risk sports can resume non-contact drills and practices. Medium-risk sports—including baseball, softball, basketball and soccer—can resume competition on July 6, while full practices and competitions for high-risks sports such as football would be able to commence on July 20. North-JerseyNews.com
New Jersey could move to Phase 3 within weeks if the coronavirus outbreak in the state continues to slow, according to Gov. Phil Murphy. “I think this is a question of weeks and not months,” Murphy said when asked when the phase that includes indoor dining, reopened bars and entertainment with restrictions could resume. NJ.com
The state handed out 646 liquor license permits in recent weeks to allow restaurants to serve alcohol outside as they gradually open their doors amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control issued the permits ahead of the first day restaurants can serve customers outside June 15. NJ.com
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 15 that the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects gay and transgender workers from workplace discrimination. The court ruled 6-3, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Neil Gorsuch voting with the liberal wing of the Court, that a key provision in the Civil Rights Act barring job discrimination because of sex, among other reasons, encompasses bias against LGBTQ workers. The New York Times
Gov. Phil Murphy filed his intent to nominate Associate Justice Faustino Fernandez-Vina for a tenured appointment to the New Jersey Supreme Court. A Republican, Fernandez-Vina would serve until he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70 on Feb. 15, 2022 if he is confirmed by the State Senate. New Jersey Globe
All New Jersey law enforcement agencies must publicly identify officers who commit serious disciplinary violations starting later this year, State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced. Grewal’s order, which applies to all state, county and municipal agencies, mandates government agencies to publish an annual list of officers who were fired, demoted or suspended for more than five days because of disciplinary violations. The Record
Sussex County is shutting down its coronavirus testing site June 19, citing a declining number of tests and rising costs. The testing site, located at Sussex County Community College in Newton, may reopen if demand for it increases. NJ.com
New Jersey is preparing to borrow nearly $2 billion in federal funding to ensure all out-of-work residents will receive their unemployment benefits during the ongoing pandemic. The Murphy administration is planning to submit an application for a federal loan by the end of the June, based on projections for what will be needed to sustain unemployed residents through the end of October. NJ Spotlight
As many as 276,000 New Jersey residents, most of them low-income, could miss out on their coronavirus stimulus payments, according to a study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The group includes residents who will not get their stimulus checks automatically because they didn’t file income tax returns for 2018 or 2019, or did not get Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Veterans Affairs or Railroad Retirement payments. NJ.com
And finally…The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is pushing the 2021 Oscars back by two months to Sunday, April 25 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. NJ.com
