A New Generation of Leadership for New Jersey!
With skyrocketing rental-unit prices throughout Central Jersey, Armahizer has been advocating for the implementation of State-wide Tentant Protections and Eviction Control Measures related to unreasonable or unlawful rental-unit price increases in the State of New Jersey. New Jersey is currently one of seven states in which the implementation of Rent Stabilization/Rent Control falls under the municipalities discretion. With there being no state-wide guidelines in New Jersey, landlords and apartment developers are essentially free to increase rental unit prices at whatever rate they want unless the local government has imposed its own rent stabilization laws and ordinances. The increasing prevalence of corporate landlords and high-rise apartment development has resulted in the exploitation of renters across the state. Recent reports have indicated that state-wide homelessness, rental unit prices, and eviction rates have all steadily increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. "Long-time New Jersey residents are being priced out of their communities as traditionally price-stable units become increasingly unaffordable." Other states such as California, Oregon, and New York have recently implemented their own state-wide tenant protections and eviction control measures related to unreasonable or unlawful rental-unit price increases in recent years.
Adam S. Armahizer supports increasing worker entitlement to paid sick leave for both full and part-time workers in New Jersey. Currently, workers in New Jersey are only entitled to accrue earned sick leave at a rate of 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, and employers are only required to provide a maximum of 40 hours of sick leave per benefit year. Armahizer would like New Jersey to adjust the current accrual rate and increase employee entitlement to 72 hours of sick leave per benefit year. This would greatly aid workers in need of diagnosis, care, treatment, or recovery from a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition. Sick leave can also be utilized to care for a sick family member, recover from domestic violence or instances of sexual abuse, and/or to attend school-related conferences and meetings for a childs education.
National statistics show that roughly one in five people in New Jersey (or about 1.7 million individuals) identify as having one or more physical or mental disabilities. Armahizer would like to advance worker-protections for public and private sector employees suffering from Chronic Diseases and/or Terminal Conditions in order to further protect against wrongful terminations and/or discriminatory employment practices. While this would be beneficial for all workers across New Jersey, this would be particularly beneficial for millions of disabled New Jersey workers by providing them with the rights and support they need to find and maintain meaningful employment.
Armahizer would also like to strengthen anti-retaliation laws for New Jersey workers facing company retaliation for engaging in union activity and/or speaking out against bad company practice(s). In 2023, approximately 1,700 nurses at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick went on strike to advocate for better working conditions and patient care standards. In response, hospital administrators canceled the striking nurses health insurance plans just one month into the strike. In 2024, dockworkers represented by the International Longshoreman's Association (ILA) initiated one of the largest strikes in New Jersey history as they fought for better wages and against automation within the industry. As work stoppages and labor disputes become more common, Armahizer would like the state of New Jersey to further support the constitutional rights of unions and their members.
New Jersey's 23rd State Legislative District is tied for being home to one of the most under-serviced military veteran communities in the State of New Jersey in terms of proximity and accessibility to federally-funded veteran treatment services. Since 2024, Armahizer has been advocating for the development of a federally-funded / federally-operated VA Veterans Center in New Jersey's 23rd State Legislative District. The establishment of an additional Veterans Center would provide military veterans throughout Hunterdon, Warren, and Somerset Counties with further access to physical disability and mental health treatment services that are offered by the VA. This would connect veterans with the latest personal and professional development/community reintegration initiatives. This would aid transitioning veterans and their families throughout North-western New Jersey with federally-funded childcare services and psychological counseling- to include individual, group, marriage, and family counseling services.
After seeing the need for on-site Veteran resources at Administrative Office's across dozens of municipalities in the State of New Jersey, Armahizer has begun advocating for on-site U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs(VA) + New Jersey Department of Military and Veteran Affairs(NJDMAVA) Resources and Information to be made mandatorily available at the administrative offices of all 565 municipalities across the State of New Jersey. This would include information related to veteran property tax deductions, free veteran transportation services to medical appointments, and VA disability claim filing guidelines being made readily available for the use of all returning or elderly military veterans across the state.
First proposed in June of 2023, Armahizer has advocated for the amendment of Article IV, Legislative Section One, Paragraph Two of the New Jersey State Constitution to reduce the age required to run for Upper House legislature [State Senate] in the State of New Jersey from its currently established age requirement of 30 years old, down to the National average of 21 years of age. With approximately 19.1% (nearly 1/5th!) of registered voters in the state of New Jersey being between the ages of 18 and 29 years of age, Armahizer argue's this is a direct limitation on not only the voters ability to elect proper representation- but also on the ability of young leaders who wish to fight for their communities and represent their people within our New Jersey State Senate. A quick comparative analysis shows that New Jersey is tied with only 5 other states / U.S. Territories for the highest age required to run for their respective Upper House Legislatures- that age currently being 30. We share this standard with only Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, New Hampshire, and Puerto Rico. The other 44 states (average) required age to run for office is just over 21 years old, and it is worth noting that some states such as Vermont have no age requirement whatsoever. Neighboring states such as New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island require 18 years of age- just some of the 13 states that require just 18 years of age to run for office. Virginia, Florida, and Michigan are some of the 11 states that require just 21 years of age to run for office. Pennsylvania, Maryland, and South Carolina are some of the 19 states that require just 25 years of age to run for office. Armahizer argue's that this is an injustice to our democracy and a direct limitation on the people's ability to elect proper representation. "If this is the land of opportunity- young leaders should not be restricted from the opportunity to fight for their people and for their rights within our New Jersey State Senate." Armahizer further states that he feels young residents are more educated and deserve more of a seat at the table than ever before in American history.