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Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger (R-Middletown) and Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn (R-Holmdel) officially launched their re-election campaign for the Assembly on Wednesday.

The pair are strong favorites to win re-election in the 13th legislative district, a solidly Republican district in Monmouth County. In their campaign announcement, the legislators said they plan to continue their work for affordability and against tax hikes and crime.

“In these challenging times, Monmouth County residents deserve leaders who won’t back down when it comes to protecting our communities,” Flynn said in a release. “We’ve been the voice in Trenton fighting for fair educational funding to ensure our schools and taxpayers aren’t left scrambling due to state aid cuts.”

The pair cruised to re-election in 2023, beating their Democratic opponents about 29%-21% each.

Scharfenberger, a former Middletown mayor, joined the Assembly in 2020 and Flynn, who won a tight 2021 primary, entered the ranks of the lower chamber in 2022. “As Republicans, we understand the values and priorities of Monmouth County,” Scharfenberger said. “We’ve fought against reckless spending, dangerous overdevelopment, and policies that hurt hardworking families. We’ll continue fighting to preserve the quality of life that makes our county a great place to live.”

The pair has already received the endorsements of dozens of Republican officials, including Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden, State Sen. Declan O’Scanlon (R-Little Silver), and Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio.

No Democrats have yet filed to run in the 13th.

NJ Assembly GOP

Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn’s bill tackling bad behavior at youth sporting events didn’t cross the finish line last session but made a strong comeback on Thursday. Her “Penalty Box Act” upgrading penalties for assaults against sports officials, coaches or staff cleared the Assembly Judiciary Committee. 

The bill (A4176) aims to address the reprehensible conduct of adults behaving violently and eliminate the toxic environment that is prevalent at youth sporting events. 

“I am pleased this legislation is once again moving in the Assembly as the issue of adults behaving badly at youth sporting events is unfortunately still as relevant today as it was last year,” Flynn (R-Monmouth) said. “We know the psychological long-term effects upon children when they observe parents fighting in a home. The harm is no different when children observe toxic behavior among adults at soccer matches, basketball games or at a hockey rink.” 

The bill upgrades penalties for assaults against sports officials, coaches or staff from a disorderly persons offense to a fourth-degree aggravated assault if there are no injuries. That crime carries up to 18 months in prison and a fine up to $10,000. If the official is injured, it becomes a third-degree crime punishable by imprisonment of three to five years, a fine of up to $15,000, or both.  

“The goal of the Penalty Box Act is to restore civility to youth sports and deter bad behavior before it escalates,” Flynn said. 

According to a National Association of Sports survey last year, more than half of sporting officials felt unsafe or feared for their safety because of a coach’s, player’s or spectator’s bad behavior. In 2022, Jim Neely, a 72-year-old umpire, made headlines for being attacked by a coach during a youth baseball game in Branchburg. He suffered a broken jaw and a concussion. 

“Losing is part of the game, but violence has no place on the field. Modeling good sportsmanship starts with adults,” Flynn said. “I want to return the joy of sports to players, parents, coaches and other officials.”  

NJ Assembly GOP

The number of affordable housing units that need to be rehabilitated and built in each town was released by the state late Friday afternoon. Many towns that were identified as not having the land capacity to build are still obligated to build.

“Two simple questions can pinpoint the problem with the law: How does it make sense and where is it possible to build?” said Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn (R-Monmouth). “The report finds that there isn’t any land to develop but still mandates massive development throughout our state. This is not realistic.”

Affordable housing is typically only 20% of any new development project. For instance, Monmouth Beach, a community represented by Flynn that is considered at risk for flooding with state projections of a five-foot sea level rise by 2100, is still obligated to build 47 new affordable housing units, which would require a 235-unit development. The state Dept. of Environmental Protection’s newly proposed flood rules, known as NJPACT, restricts new development of that scale in Monmouth Beach.

Nearby Colts Neck Township also does not have any land to build according to the report, but has a 101 affordable housing unit obligation.

“Making New Jersey more affordable for everyone is my number one goal in the legislature,” said Flynn. 

“This law makes New Jersey less affordable because it is a logistical nightmare.

“Democrats in New Jersey have been struggling to manage a myriad of very expensive problems in the state that the new affordable housing obligations will exacerbate,” Flynn added.

“There isn’t enough land in New Jersey to meet these development goals. The state’s electrical and water infrastructure cannot afford to absorb additional development. Our roads and bridges are in constant disrepair, and public transportation is insufficient or nearly non-existent in most of the state. The high-density development proposed will cause irreparable and irreversible harm to the environment,” said Flynn. “We had an opportunity to engage in a more meaningful conversation on how to address making housing more affordable to our residents, but the solution offered by the Democrats missed the mark and made the state less affordable for everybody.”

NJ Assembly GOP

Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn and Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger are voicing the concerns of their Monmouth County constituents after a bill that makes it professional misconduct for a health care practitioner to disseminate health misinformation advanced along party lines on Monday.

“Medicine is not static,” Flynn and Scharfenberger said in a statement. “It evolves, and professionals must have the freedom to discuss and explore various approaches without fear of retribution.”

Members of the Assembly Health Committee listened to an hour of testimony against the bill (A1884), while Assemblyman Herb Conaway, the sponsor, said he was puzzled by the outcry. 

Flynn and Scharfenberger said that disciplining professionals based on unclear rules under the proposed law could silence open conversations between doctors and patients, weakening the trust needed for good care.

“This could undermine the trust essential for effective patient care and jeopardize the patient-doctor relationship,” they added. “It is essential to safeguard this vital connection from unnecessary government intrusion, allowing for candid discussions critical to effective care.”

The lawmakers noted how a similar law in California that sought to penalize doctors who spread misinformation was blocked by a federal judge and repealed after it was deemed unconstitutional.   

“This underscores the risks of overregulation in the medical field and reinforces the need to protect the rights of health care professionals,” the lawmakers concluded. “We must ensure that our approach does not stifle legitimate discourse in the medical community.”

They suggested alternatives that encourage communication and education instead of punitive measures. 

NJ GOP Assembly

Proposed environmental regulations threaten to sink shore town economies and dreams of home ownership for middle- and working-class New Jersey families, Republican lawmakers said in a letter to NJ Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette Thursday.

The department released its draft New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threats regulations Aug. 5, an initiative launched through executive order by Gov. Phil Murphy back in 2020. The pact includes two key elements, the Resilient Environments and Landscapes rule and the Climate Pollutant Reduction, which seek to modernize environmental land use rules and reduce greenhouse gas emissions respectively.

However, the proposals were seemingly drafted without the input of residents and local elected officials, Republican lawmakers charge. The letter—signed by shore Assembly members Antwan McClellan, Erik Simonsen, Don Guardian, Claire Swift, Gregory Myhre, Brian Rumpf, Paul Kanitra, Gregory McGuckin, Vicky Flynn, Gerry Scharfenberger and Sean Kean—calls on LaTourette to bring all stakeholders to the table to make adjustments before adoption.

“While we fully support efforts to protect our environment, we are deeply troubled by the potential economic repercussions of the proposed rules. Our review indicates that the department’s approach could inadvertently undermine the economic vitality of our local communities, particularly by driving up costs, delaying community improvements, and further perpetuating New Jersey’s reputation as one of the most unaffordable states in the nation,” the letter states.

Republican lawmakers cited the department’s own findings, which concede that construction and housing costs will rise because of the environmental rules. In some cases, fees for land surveying will immediately double or triple. Further, the NJDEP’s findings failed to consider impacts on land values and tax ratables, infrastructure funding, building code requirements, renovation costs and accessibility considerations. The rules, if adopted, would make home ownership impossible for all but the wealthiest buyers and drive vacationers and investors to more affordable locations outside the state.

Shore communities have finally bounced back or even exceeded pre-pandemic visitor spending, according to Tourism Economics. The latest confirmed figures from 2022 show that Atlantic, Cape May, Ocean and Monmouth counties saw $23.4 billion in tourism revenue in 2022. Republicans argued the proposed NJDEP rules will devastate those gains.  

“The cascading effect from the prohibitively high cost of development, and the consequent reduction in building activity, will have a profoundly negative effect on our shore economies. Homeowners and vacationers will seek more affordable alternative locations than the Jersey shore, which will increase property taxes on current residents and decrease revenue for local business. Without adjustments to these regulations, there is a significant economic risk that would undermine our communities’ diverse and inclusive character,” the letter concludes.

The NJDEP has one year to formally adopt NJ PACT.

A copy of the letter can be found here.

NJ GOP Assembly

A business card with a QR code has been leading NJ Transit commuters this summer to a survey spearheaded by Monmouth County Republicans Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn and Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger. They say it is giving everyday riders a voice and providing important feedback, which could be more impactful than Gov. Phil Murphy’s fare holiday.  

“Our survey data clearly shows that New Jersey’s commuters are struggling with a transit system that is increasingly unreliable and unresponsive. Rather than offering a one-week fare holiday, the customers need a detailed and actionable plan to address the persistent issues with service and communication,” Flynn said.

The legislators and their district office interns spoke to people at local NJ Transit train stations, including Aberdeen, Hazlet, Little Silver and Middletown, and engaged social media followers to solicit 113 unique responses to the online survey since July. Here are some of the results:

• 95.6% of respondents commute daily using NJ Transit. 
• 71.7% use the NJ Transit daily pass.
• 64.6% are now more likely to seek alternative transportation methods.
• 73.5% would not recommend NJ Transit to others.
• More than 20% have filed a complaint with NJ Transit that has yet to be remedied.
• 31.3% experience service disruptions between five and 10 times a month and 7% are delayed 20 or more times a month. 
• Over 30% of riders’ jobs have been adversely impacted by NJ Transit operations. 

“If any other business had as many negative reviews as we have received through our survey, it would be out of business. Commuters have been subjected to consistent delays, poor service, and a recent fare increase that only exacerbates their hardships. The fare holiday is a mere Band-Aid that fails to tackle the deep-rooted issues within NJ Transit,” Scharfenberger said. 

Before commuters submitted their responses to the survey, they were asked to share their experiences and observations. Here’s what they said:

• “The level of quality service has deteriorated with zero emphasis on real-time communication. We need responsiveness to understand what is going on and how long delays will affect us.” — Middletown resident
• “NJ Transit is horrible. They raised their prices for even worse service. There are more delays and cancellations than the train is on time. Compared to the trains in Europe, this is laughable and disgraceful.” — Atlantic Highlands resident
• “I admit I am baffled and irritated with the constant excuses and deflection. Commuters rely on the public transportation system for their livelihood.” — Rumson resident
• “The rate hike during a time when service is least reliable is the most disrespectful thing I’ve experienced as a New Jersey resident. What has been done regarding pricing and service feels utterly unfair and unjust.” — Middletown resident
• “NJ Transit has been pretty tough to work with lately. They raised ticket prices and got rid of the flex pass that used to give a pretty good discount for bulk purchasing of tickets. On top of raising prices, it’s been very delayed lately and my commute time is fairly unpredictable or just late.” — Holmdel resident
• “It is ridiculous with all the service issues that they would eliminate the flex pass. It has increased my commute by $10 per day.” — Aberdeen resident
• “The rate has gone higher and the service is worse! Terrible!” — Union Beach resident

In a letter to NJ Transit’s President and CEO Kevin Corbett, Flynn and Scharfenberger summarized the survey’s findings and called for an immediate, in-depth investigation into the agency’s operational failures. They also urged leaders to implement corrective and customer-focused measures to improve quality and reliability. 

“Our constituents deserve more than temporary fixes—they need meaningful, long-term solutions,” Scharfenberger said. “I hope the administration takes the feedback seriously and makes real changes the people want to see.”

The fare holiday is expected to cost NJ Transit $19 million and comes after the agency hiked fares by 15% on July 1. 

“How is there suddenly an extra $19 million in the budget? This is one of the reasons why we need an investigation. If there is extra money, it should be used to fix the significant problems at NJ Transit or given back to the taxpayers,” Flynn said. “The governor’s fare holiday is a short-sighted attempt to distract from the fundamental problems plaguing NJ Transit.”

NJ GOP Assembly

Eatontown, Oceanport and Tinton Falls will have greater flexibility under a law allowing them to issue special liquor licenses for projects in the Fort Monmouth redevelopment area. The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn and signed by the governor last week, gives the former military site more time to attract businesses that serve alcohol.

Flynn said, “The five-year deadline the towns had to issue the liquor licenses was too restrictive for Fort Monmouth, which is only halfway through its redevelopment plan. This gives investors and developers more time to realize the potential of the site, and the towns the chance to continue to attract projects that can boost the local economy.”

The former U.S. Army base permanently closed on Sept. 15, 2011 and is now being managed by the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority. The authority is currently about half way through a 20-year redevelopment plan that includes the creation of mixed-use properties, like shopping, entertainment, eateries, offices, a sports complex, a hotel, residences and more. Netflix also began an $850 million project at the site last year. 

In 2018, the Legislature authorized the creation of additional liquor licenses for projects located within Fort Monmouth. Under that law, the towns had three years to issue a dozen licenses to businesses in the redevelopment area and an additional two years to transfer them to another town. To date, four licenses have been issued. 

Flynn’s measure (S2825/A3906) removes the municipalities’ time limit to issue the remaining eight liquor licenses.

“The successful transformation of Fort Monmouth is good for Monmouth County, our communities and the entire state of New Jersey. It shows that we support strategic growth and new economic activity,” Flynn said. 

TAPinto Holmdel & Colts Neck

13th Legislative District, New Jersey – New Jersey State Senator Declan O’Scanlon, Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger, and Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn (Monmouth – R’s) are calling for an immediate special hearing by the State Legislature to investigate and find solutions to the ongoing issues plaguing New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit).

The call comes in response to a 15% fare increase, coupled with continuous service problems, including broken and canceled trains. The latest issue involving the Raritan River Bridge being damaged and impassable is a significant concern, causing massive disruptions and posing safety risks to New Jersey commuters:

“New Jersey commuters have endured enough,” said Senator Declan O’Scanlon. “The continuous failures of NJ Transit are unacceptable. The recent fare hike only adds insult to injury for residents who depend on reliable transportation. The Raritan River Bridge malfunction is just the latest in a series of systemic issues that need immediate and thorough investigation. We demand answers on when this will be fixed and how NJ Transit plans to prevent such incidents in the future. We also have to question why the federal government seems less than concerned with the overwhelming issues along the busiest corridor in the nation – it’s unacceptable.”

Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger expressed his frustration over the repeated disruptions and the lack of accountability from NJ Transit. “Our constituents are tired of the broken promises and constant disruptions. This is not just an inconvenience; it’s a matter of public safety. Perhaps the $99 million recently allocated by the Biden-Harris administration to build electric bus charging stations could be redirected to actually fixing New Jersey’s railway problems instead. We need to get to the bottom of these issues and ensure that NJ Transit is held accountable for the continued failures that are impacting thousands of New Jersey residents daily.”

Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn highlighted the economic and personal toll these issues are taking on commuters. “The fare increase is a heavy burden on the hard-working families of New Jersey, especially when service reliability continues to decline. The latest issue with the Raritan River Bridge is not only a logistical nightmare but also a safety hazard. We must hold a special legislative hearing to get the answers our commuters deserve and to implement solutions that will provide safe, reliable, and affordable transportation.”

The legislators are calling for the hearing to be scheduled promptly and are urging their colleagues in the State Legislature to support this critical initiative. The goal is to bring NJ Transit officials before the Legislature to address these ongoing problems, provide concrete solutions, and outline a clear plan for improving service reliability and safety.

NJ GOP Assembly

Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn wants to ensure victims of mass violence can get the financial help they need without the added stress of wondering if they can afford those services. The Assembly on Friday passed her bill (A4409) that will create a fund.

Survivors often face years of astronomical medical and psychological therapies, which private or taxpayer-funded health insurances and programs may not cover. Even if coverage is available, benefits may run out. While a working group created under the legislation would set specific parameters for eligibility and payments, the fund would cover such costs.

“I hope this is a fund we never have to use, but in the event we experience another 9/11 or Virginia Tech, money will already be dedicated to help victims,” Flynn (R-Monmouth) said. “Victims of mass violence shouldn’t be made victims twice over by not being able to afford the resources that will bring healing.”

Five New Jersey families were directly impacted by the Virginia Tech mass shooting April 16, 2007, which saw 32 students and professors killed and another 17 injured. VTVCare, a nonprofit that arose from the tragedy and provides funding for the physical and psychological care for mass shooting survivors nationwide, supports Flynn’s legislation.

“The survivors and their families liken their experience to that of military combatants. Virginia Tech was their war. The impacts they continue to face are so similar,” Flynn said. “We need to be proactive and have these funds in place.”

A mass violence event is generally considered an intentional criminal act that results in the injury to a group of people, typically three or more. Mass shootings are the most common such event, but can manifest itself in other ways, such as bombings, riots, hijackings or bioterrorism attacks. According to a mass killing database compiled by USA Today, the Associated Press and Northeastern University, there have been 590 mass killings since 2006, resulting in 3,061 deaths.

“Physical and psychological injuries don’t appear on our timelines, and don’t heal on our timelines according to insurance or government program guidelines,” Flynn added. “Communities do step up to rally around survivors with financial and emotional support. This fund will be another resource to fill in any gaps in financial care.”

NJ GOP Assembly

Following Thursday’s Assembly Judiciary Committee hearing on human trafficking prevention in preparation for the world’s biggest soccer event coming to New Jersey in 2026, committee member Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn is calling for a more unified effort to protect fans from falling victim. 

Major sporting events like the FIFA World Cup have been associated with human rights abuses, including sex trafficking, as they attract large audiences and numerous out-of-towners, creating environments ripe for trafficking. Although it has never been officially documented, many believe that the Super Bowl is the largest sex-trafficking event in the world.

“We must be clear and resolute in showing our support for victims while ensuring swift justice for the criminals seeking to ruin and endanger lives,” said Flynn (R-Monmouth). “While the bills we passed in the Assembly Judiciary Committee today are a good start, we need an all-encompassing effort by New Jersey officials and federal, state, and local authorities to commit every available resource to fight these heinous crimes.”

Flynn supported the package of bills passed by the committee to increase state efforts to address and combat human trafficking, but emphasized the need for a coordinated response from all levels of government.

“To our federal partners and representatives, I call on them to join us in ending this modern-day form of slavery,” said Flynn. “These are complex and covert crimes, requiring a united front. By working together, we can dismantle trafficking networks, support survivors, and prevent future exploitation.”

She advocates for immediate action by the U.S. Senate to pass N.J. Rep. Chris Smith’s Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act, which reauthorizes funding for the Trafficking Victims Protection Act through 2028.

“Only through the coordinated efforts of officials, community leaders, law enforcement, and residents can we deter future trafficking and eliminate these horrendous crimes from our society. Every moment of delay subjects more innocents to a life of pain – we must all act now,” Flynn concluded.