Overview of New Jersey’s new budget

Beach-goers are back on the Jersey Shore this week after a showdown in Trenton over the budget and a related health care bill.

Lawmakers stayed late into the night Monday to pass a budget as well as a bill regulating Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, the state’s largest health insurer.

The company’s surplus funds will now be capped, and Horizon will have to return any excess money to ratepayers.

This was a priority for Gov. Chris Christie, who had been calling for greater accountability at the nonprofit.

  • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

In exchange, Christie signed a budget that included some Democratic priorities.

Chief among them was an additional $180 million in aid to underfunded school districts across New Jersey as well as an expansion of pre-K.

The deal ended a three-day government shutdown that closed state parks and other nonessential services.

WHYY’s Joe Hernandez talks about the budget with NewsWorks Tonight host Dave Heller.

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal