TRENTON – Senate President Nicholas Scutari issued the following statement in response to Governor Phil Murphy’s State of the State address:

“I welcome the Governor’s continued focus on affordability and his emphasis on improving the quality of life for New Jersey’s residents. We need to build upon the progress we have made in providing tax relief, affordable housing, job creation, educational excellence and strategic investments that promote economic growth, including the state’s infrastructure.

“We have to continue to be a national leader in the protection of a woman’s right to choose and maintain our fight for gun safety. We also have to focus on mental health issues. This is a quiet crisis afflicting a broad cross-section of our residents. We have built a framework of care, but there is more work to be done.

“In the year ahead, we have to maintain our emphasis on the needs of the hard working people of New Jersey. I will work with Governor Murphy, Speaker Craig Coughlin and our legislative colleagues to address these priorities.”