On January 1st, 2019, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy put into effect and signed a law that authorizes the Treasury Department to collect penalties from residents who pay income taxes but do not have health insurance.  These penalties are taken in the form of a tax penalty. In New Jersey currently if you do not have health insurance you will be charged 2.5% of an individual's or family's income or $695 per adult and $347 per child at the end of tax season.

This New Jersey tax penalty was originally mandated by the federal government. However, the mandate was removed on a federal level in 2018 and given to states to mandate it on a state-by-state basis. New Jersey is one of five states who carry a penalty attached to not obtaining health insurance. This mandate is extremely harsh to the most vulnerable. It forces residents to buy health insurance or pay a penalty. 

Further this tax is Unconstitutional. New Jersey's State Constitution, which reinforces the basic rights found in the US Constitution, states in Article 1, Rights and Privileges, paragraph 1 that "all persons are by nature free and independent, and have certain natural and unalienable rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty."

According to Article 1, paragraph 2 of the State Constitution, "all political power is inherent in the people."  Our government, which is instituted for the benefit of the people and not health insurance industries, "have the right at all times to alter or reform the same, whenever the public good may require it."

It is imperative to the constituents of New Jersey that this law be changed. Therefore, we urge you to sign as New Jersey residents to oppose the Individual Mandate (A-3380/S1877) as enacted by Governor Murphy and taken into effect as of January 1, 2019. In order to preserve the liberties of the residents of New Jersey, please come alongside us and call for its immediate repeal.