SERVING HUDSON COUNTY • STORIES UPDATED CONTINUOUSLY AT WWW.HUDSONREPORTER.COM • A PUBLICATION OF NEWSPAPER MEDIA GROUP
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2023
CarePoint Health and Alaris Health settle all outstanding litigation
Jersey City and Hoboken were top cities in support of LGBTQ+
However, CarePoint is still involved in litigation with RWJBarnabas Health and Hudson Regional Hospital
The findings were in a report released by the Human Rights Campaign By Jordan Coll Staff Writer
By Daniel Israel
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Staff Writer
ersey City and Hoboken were among the cities ranked highest in LGBTQ+ friendliness, according to a report issued by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ civil rights advocacy group. The organization released its yearly Municipal Equality Index (MEI), evaluating cities based on municipal law, policies and services in tandem with issues related to the LGBTQ+ community. The MEI highlights that “Critical amongst these is access to age-appropriate, medically-necessary gender-affirming care for municipal employees and their dependents.” This report would be the 11th annual study conducted, in collaboration with the Equality Federation Institute, a nonprofit organization which advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. The HRC scored 506 American cities, including 12 N.J. cities on LGBTQ+ equality in municipal laws and services. The statewide score was 86 out of 100 possible points in 2022, up one point from 2021. Jodee Winterhof, who is the current vice president on policy and political affairs at the HRC, told the Jersey Journal that the top scores were based on towns and states who passed laws and ordinances supporting LGBTQ+ rights such as banning conversion therapy and enacting laws offering health benefits to their transgender employees. “This edition marks the fifth consecutive year that the average city score has risen, despite a tightening of the MEI’s standards for credit in key areas,” according to the findings stated on the HRC site. The MEI scorecard breaks down the report into five sections: Non-Discrimination Laws, Municipality as Employer, Municipal Services, Law Enforcement, and Leadership on LGBTQ+ Equality Last year Hoboken received a score of 85/100 in the MEI evaluation but this year received a score of 100. Jersey City ranked a score of 100 consecutively for both 2021 and 2022. The report also showed, that Hoboken does not have a Human Rights Commission, but the city does carry a LGBTQ+ liaison in the
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arePoint Health System has reached a settlement agreement with Alaris Health and its owner Avery Eisenreich and the two entities have agreed to settle
all outstanding differences. In a press release, CarePoint said the move “will support the nonprofit’s mission of providing high quality, patientfocused health care to Hudson County.” see CAREPOINT page 8
HCDO announces endorsements for legislature and county executive city’s executive office, an LGBTQ+ liaison or task force in the police department and an LGBTQ+ appointed leaders. “Jersey City and Hoboken have both shown a commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive, and supportive environment for their LGBTQ+ residents. Hudson Pride Center is proud to partner with these cities to ensure that the needs of our community are being met. We are happy to celebrate and congratulate Jersey City and Hoboken on perfect ratings from the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index! said Elizabeth Schedl, Executive Director of The Hudson Pride Center. Jersey City does have a Human Rights Commission, a LGBTQ+ liaison or task force in the police department and openly LGBTQ+ appointed leaders, according to the report. At the state level, in 2013, New Jersey passed a statewide law that would ban licensed therapists from providing gay-to-straight conversation therapy to minors. On the MEI scorecard also showed that all 12 New Jersey towns received “flex points,” for preserving rights related to the LGBTQ+ community. “As the most diverse city in the nation, we strive to provide equal opportunities to support all of our diverse populations in every way possible. Jersey City is proud to be a leader on LGBTQ+ equality and inclusiveness, earning a perfect score consecutively year after year for the policies and actions put in place by the Fulop Administration to address systemic discrimination,” said Kimberly WallaceScalcione, mayor Fulop’s press secretary. see CITIES page 9
Murphy: “The people of Hudson County deserve elected officials who will work every day to deliver for New Jersey’s middle class and working families” By Daniel Israel Staff Writer
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umerous Hudson County Democratic leaders and hundreds of supporters showed up on Saturday, January 7 for the official announcement of the party’s endorsements for the
new 32nd and 33rd Legislative District seats post-legislative redistricting and for County Executive in the June Democratic Primary. Hudson County Democratic Organization Chairman (HCDO) Anthony Vainsee ENDORSEMENTS page 10
Judge temporarily blocks part of N.J.’s new gun law over constitutional concerns Murphy administration continues to fight for tighter gun laws By Sophie Nieto-Munoz, NJ MONITOR
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arts of New Jersey’s newly implemented gun control law were blocked Monday by a federal judge who said barring people from carrying firearms in certain places could lead to “considerable constitutional problems.”
The temporary restraining order issued by U.S. District Court Judge Renee Marie Bumb blocks the section of the law that prohibits guns from being carried into public libraries, museums, bars, restaurants that serve alcohol, and entertainment facilities like stadiums, concerts, see GUN
LAW page 9