I'm the Statehouse bureau chief for New Jersey 101.5, covering the governor, Legislature and state politics, and had previously covered the Statehouse for Gannett newspapers for more than 15 years. I'm a lifelong New Jerseyan -- raised in Bergen, living in Hunterdon, Rutgers graduate. I'm co-author of the 2012 biography 'Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power.' I am not the Iron Chef with a similar name though sometimes get tweets meant for him, especially around Thanksgiving. Believe me, you don't want my cooking tips.
Michael Symons
Pot half full: Legislature OK’s expungement, delays on medical
Senate and Assembly approve a plan to make it easier to erase past criminal convictions. They're looking at possible changes to medical marijuana bill.
NJ plans to add 100+ new medical marijuana businesses
A rapid expansion of New Jersey's medical marijuana program may go beyond what lawmakers envision in bill one vote from reaching Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk.
Medical marijuana expansion approved by NJ Senate, expungement delayed
Final legislative approval of medical marijuana expansion is likely June 10. Senate tweaked the bill to further encourage the industry's workers to unionize.
‘Safe touch’ sex-abuse prevention lessons would start in pre-K
A bill on Gov. Phil Murphy's desk, passed unanimously, would make NJ the 36th state to add age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention to school curriculum.
Assembly votes to expand medical marijuana, keep taxing it
The 65-5 vote, with six abstentions, pushes the bill one step from Gov. Phil Murphy's desk. Senate approval is expected next week.
NJ could let 14-year-olds get vaccines without parental consent
A new bill would give minors in New Jersey the right to consent to vaccinations starting at age 14, regardless of whether their parents or guardians approve.
Plan to penalize pot possession with $50 ticket advances, shakily
Expungement of criminal records advanced easily. But vote on switching to civil fine for possession was shelved, revived, then advanced without discussion.
Marijuana legalization in NJ on hold until 2020 voter referendum
Marijuana will not be legalized for use by adults in New Jersey any time soon, with the idea now delayed until decided by a voter referendum in November 2020.
NJ close to ending ‘religious’ exemptions for vaccines
NJ's second measles outbreak in seven months may prompt the Legislature to tighten up New Jersey’s vaccination rules by eliminating religious exemptions.
‘Don’t Drive Intexticated’ — AAA likens phones in cars to DWI
AAA Mid-Atlantic on Monday kicked off a multi-year campaign designed to make cell phone use by drivers as socially unacceptable as drinking and driving.
Marijuana legalization could require 100 new growing sites in NJ
The state Health Department projects 2 million square feet of cultivation space would be needed to get adult-use recreational marijuana started.
NJ State Police not ready for possible 183K weed expungements
If deleting marijuana convictions is made easier along with legalization, the courts estimate that more than 180,000 people could be newly eligible to apply.