Governor Chris Christie signed a state of emergency permitting the operation of essential government services such as state police, correctional facilities, welfare services, state hospitals and treatment facilities after the state shut down the government midnight Saturday morning.
According to the Governor's Office, the shutdown is due to a disagreement is an attempt to persuade lawmakers to pass a budget that he said is "fiscally responsible" for all citizens of New Jersey.
Also shielded from the shutdown are New Jersey Transit, the state lottery, casinos, and racetracks.
Shielding these essential necessary to protect the "well-being of the people of New Jersey" Governor Christie said.
The shutdown will force the closure of tourist attractions including state parks, recreational areas, historic sites, state beaches and Liberty State Park
**Here is a list of services that are closed:**
**Department of Environmental Protection:** All state parks, recreation areas, forests, and historic sites, including Island Beach State Park and Liberty State Park, will be closed; all public events within state parks and historic sites will be canceled. The following will also be closed: permitting offices for Air, Historic Preservation, Land Use, Site Remediation, Solid Waste, and Water Supply; Green Acres and Blue Acres offices; Office of Dispute Resolution; Office of Permit Coordination; most of the Division of Fish & Wildlife (Wildlife Management Areas and on-line services will not be impacted); NJ Geologic Survey; and Rebuild by Design projects.
**Department of Transportation:** Construction will continue, as will emergency repairs and some roadside safety services. The rest areas on I-295 in Deepwater, Salem County and on I-80 in Knowlton, Warren County, will be closed.
**New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission:** All MVC agencies and inspection stations will be closed. Online services will still be available.
Department of Law & Public Safety: Juvenile Justice Commission operations, State Medical Examiner Offices, and other public safety operations will continue, but some administrative offices will be closed.
**Department of Health:** The public will not be able to obtain copies of birth and marriage certificates or copies of adoptees’ original birth certificates. No new certifications or renewals will be issued for EMTs, paramedics or Certified Nursing Assistants.
**New Jersey Department of Labor:** Unemployment Insurance and disability determination services will remain operational. Temporary Disability Insurance claims, Wage and Hour claims, and Family Leave Insurance claims may be filed, but they will not be processed. One Stop Career Centers (state not county services) will be closed; Workers Compensation Courts will be closed. Division of Vocational and Rehabilitation Services will be closed.
Department of Children and Families: Child abuse hotlines, protection services, and response teams will continue to operate. Schools for children with special needs will remain open.
**Department of Military and Veterans Affairs:** Veteran’s Haven North and South will stay in operation, and National Guard will remain on call.
Department of Banking and Insurance: All offices will be closed except the IURO (health insurance internal appeals program).
Department of Community Affairs: Inspections related to construction codes, fire safety, fairs and fireworks displays will continue. However, some public services will not be available.
**Department of Corrections:** Prisons and halfway houses will remain operational, although some inmate services will be impacted.
Department of Education: Katzenbach School will remain open. Phone help desks, customer service, and all other related staff-based assistance functions will be unavailable, and all core public functions will be closed.
**Economic Development Authority:** EDA will not process any payments to businesses from any program (such as the Business Employment Incentive Program) which funding source needs to be authorized by the FY 2018 Appropriations Act.
**Department of State:** The travel and tourism welcome centers will be closed.
Department of the Treasury: July 1 pension checks have been processed and mailed. Taxation call centers and walk-in facilities will be closed. The Division of Risk Management will be closed. However, the scheduling of medical appointments, treatments, and services for injured workers will remain ongoing. The
Division of Pensions and Benefits will be closed, although it will continue payment of health provider claims and life claims, and continue to process changes to family status for health benefits.