Schepisi Calls on Murphy Administration to Open Ringwood State Park to Swimming
Senator Holly Schepisi called on the Murphy administration to reverse its decision to cancel swimming completely at Ringwood State Park for the 2021 season due to a shortage of lifeguards.

Sen. Holly Schepisi called on the Murphy administration to reverse its decision to cancel swimming completely at Ringwood State Park for the 2021 season due to a shortage of lifeguards. (Pixabay)
“There are labor shortages all across New Jersey in virtually every industry,” said Schepisi (R-39). “Aside from the Murphy administration, everyone else is finding a way to adapt even if it means operating with fewer staff on a limited schedule. Why can’t that happen at Ringwood State Park? It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.”
Schepisi Bill Allowing Paramedics to Administer Buprenorphine Approved by Senate
Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Holly Schepisi that allows paramedics to administer buprenorphine, which is used to treat acute withdrawal symptoms after patients are revived from an opioid overdose with naloxone, was approved by the New Jersey Senate.

Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sen. Holly Schepisi that allows paramedics to administer buprenorphine was approved by the New Jersey Senate. (Pixabay)
“Each year, tens of thousands of Americans lose their lives from an opioid-related overdose, and the pandemic has only exacerbated this tragic reality,” said Schepisi (R-39). “The unprecedented rise in opioid-related deaths shows that we need to do more to combat the addiction crisis. My legislation will provide our first responders with the necessary tools to combat this insidious epidemic, prevent future opioid-related deaths, and get more people on the road to recovery.”
Schepisi Bill Allowing Paramedics to Administer Buprenorphine Clears Committee
Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Holly Schepisi that allows paramedics to administer buprenorphine, which is used to treat acute withdrawal symptoms after patients are revived from an opioid overdose with naloxone, was approved by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.

Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sen. Holly Schepisi that allows paramedics to administer buprenorphine was advanced by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. (SenateNJ.com)
“Each year, tens of thousands of Americans lose their lives from an opioid-related overdose, and the pandemic has only exacerbated this tragic reality,” said Schepisi (R-39). “The unprecedented rise in opioid-related deaths shows that we need to do more to combat the addiction crisis. My legislation will provide our first responders with the necessary tools to combat this insidious epidemic, prevent future opioid-related deaths, and get more people on the road to recovery.”
Schepisi: Still No Guidance from Murphy for Reopening Adult Medical Day Care Programs
Day Programs for Alzheimer’s Patients Remain Closed Due to Lack of Guidance from Murphy Administration
Senator Holly Schepisi said the Murphy administration continues to drag its feet on providing guidance that would allow adult medical day care programs to reopen.

Sen. Holly Schepisi said the Murphy administration continues to drag its feet on providing guidance that would allow adult medical day care programs to reopen. (Pixabay)
“My office hears almost daily from distressed families that have struggled for more than a year without any support or relief to care for spouses and grandparents with challenging conditions, including dementia and Alzheimer’s,” said Schepisi (R-39). “They can’t understand why Governor Murphy continues to ignore the needs of their loved ones who need access to day programs that provide medical care and opportunities for social interaction. These critically important programs should be allowed to reopen immediately.”
Schepisi: Kids Shouldn’t Need Masks Outdoors
Senator Holly Schepisi is calling on Governor Murphy to lift the mask mandate that requires children to wear masks in outdoor settings.

Sen. Holly Schepisi is calling on Gov. Murphy to lift the mask mandate that requires children to wear masks in outdoor settings. (Pixabay)
“Data has consistently shown that the levels of COVID-19 transmission outdoors are extremely low,” said Schepisi (R-39). “In fact at the end of last summer, the NJ Commissioner of Health reported that with 746 active camps in the State only one camper tested positive for COVID. Despite this knowledge and despite his own Executive Order 175 which specifically provides that a child does not have to wear a mask when the individual is exposed to extreme heat outdoors, Governor Murphy is ignoring his own science and orders by still requiring that children wear masks outside during the hot and humid New Jersey summer. This is an irrational decision that does not align with any of the available data. It’s time to return this State to some semblance of normalcy, and allowing kids to leave the mask at home would be an important step forward.”
Schepisi on Murphy’s Refusal to Follow CDC Guidance to Lift Mask Mandate
Senator Holly Schepisi said Governor Phil Murphy should follow updated guidance issued yesterday by the CDC to remove mask and social distancing requirements for those who are vaccinated.

Sen. Holly Schepisi said Gov. Phil Murphy should follow updated guidance issued yesterday by the CDC to remove mask and social distancing requirements for those who are vaccinated. (Pixabay)
“The CDC offered clear guidance yesterday that there’s no need from a public health perspective for people who are vaccinated to wear masks or social distance indoors or outdoors, even around unvaccinated people,” said Schepisi (R-39). “The CDC says they are basing their new guidance on scientific studies that demonstrate vaccinated people are protected from the virus and incapable of transmitting it to others. There’s absolutely no justification for Governor Murphy to maintain burdensome restrictions that are not supported by science.”
Schepisi Introduces Legislation Requiring Face-to-Face Interaction to Address Unemployment Delays
To help address the ongoing unemployment delays in New Jersey, Senator Holly Schepisi (R-39) and Senator Michael Testa (R-1) have introduced legislation to help residents get the benefits they have earned by requiring state employees to work in person if their job requires face-to-face interaction with the public.

To help address the ongoing unemployment delays in New Jersey, Sen. Holly Schepisi and Sen. Michael Testa have introduced legislation to require state employees to work in person if their job requires face-to-face interaction with the public. (SenateNJ.com)
“I have heard from so many constituents who have been waiting months to get their unemployment payments. These delays are indefensible and have significantly impacted thousands of New Jersey families,” said Schepisi (R-39). “Trying to settle claims online or via email clearly has not worked. Yet, in most cases, the problems could be easily solved with a face-to-face discussion with a Department of Labor specialist. My legislation will get State workers back to their desks where they can meet face-to-face with New Jerseyans and solve the problems in a timely manner.”
Schepisi: Murphy’s Updated Requirements for Adult Day Care Programs Still Denies Access to Many People with Disabilities
At 50% Capacity, Fate of Many Individuals Left to the Flip of a Coin
Senator Holly Schepisi said updated requirements issued by the Murphy Administration for congregate day programs that serve adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities will continue to leave many vulnerable people without access to the support programs they require.

Sen. Holly Schepisi said updated requirements issued by the Murphy Administration for congregate day programs that serve adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities will continue to leave many vulnerable people without access to the support programs they require. (SenateNJ.com)
“Families have been begging Governor Murphy for months to reopen the adult day care programs that their loved ones with disabilities depend upon to build skills and socialize,” said Schepisi (R-39). “Unfortunately, his long overdue response is so timid that half of the vulnerable population previously served by congregate day programs will continued to be denied access.”
Corrado & Schepisi: It’s Time for Hicks to Pay Price for Rampant Atrocities at Edna Mahan Facility
After testimony and comments from Department of Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks and other stakeholders during Thursday’s eight-hour Assembly Judiciary Committee hearing on the conditions at the state’s only women’s prison, Senator Kristin Corrado and Senator Holly Schepisi are demanding Hicks’ ouster.

Senator Kristin Corrado and Senator Holly Schepisi called for the removal of Department of Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks to restore public confidence after multiple reports of physical and sexual abuse of inmates at the state’s women’s prison. (SenateNJ.com)
The resignation of the ombudsman responsible for investigating problems in the state prison system was reported today, one day after the often contentious hearing.
Senator Holly Schepisi Takes Oath of Office
Holly Schepisi took the oath of office today to become the new Senator for New Jersey’s 39th Legislative District. She is the first Republican female Senator from Bergen County and the first female ever to represent District 39 in the Legislature.

Holly Schepisi took the oath of office today to become the new Senator for New Jersey’s 39th Legislative District. Click here for full size. (SenateNJ.com)
“It’s an honor to continue serving the people of Bergen and Passaic counties in my new role in the New Jersey Senate,” said Senator Schepisi. “I’ll do my best to build upon Senator Cardinale’s legacy and continue the fight for affordability and opportunity for all of our constituents.”