Murphy vetoes Bramnick, Sweeney bipartisan bill to help restaurants

TRENTON, N.J. – Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick questioned Gov. Phil Murphy for vetoing bipartisan legislation Monday that reimburses New Jersey restaurants that lost money when the governor pulled the plug on the planned reopening of indoor dining this summer.

“It is unthinkable that the governor would veto bi-partisan legislation to help restaurants that passed unanimously in both houses,” said Bramnick (R-Union), who sponsored the bill. “We all know how difficult it has been for the restaurant business, and some owners said that they were out thousands of dollars due to the change. Restaurants are barely getting by.”

The bill (A4413/S2704), also sponsored by Sen. President Steve Sweeney in the state Senate, appropriated $30 million to the state Economic Development Authority from federal block grants allocated to the state from the CARES Act for the costs associated with interruptions caused by Gov. Phil Murphy’s Executive Order No. 158.