Phil Murphy became the 56th governor of New Jersey on January 16, 2018. He won re-election in 2021, becoming the first Democrat since Brendan Byrne in 1977 to do so. His first term, overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, has been characterized as establishing the already liberal-leaning state as one of the nation's most progressive. As there is a two consecutive term limit in New Jersey, Murphy was ineligible for re-election. He was succeeded in 2026 by Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, who had won the 2025 gubernatorial election.

Election, transition, and inauguration Murphy, a Democrat, was elected on November 7, 2017, in the New Jersey gubernatorial election. His election made New Jersey the seventh state in the US where control of the legislative and executive branches fell to Democrats. His transition team comprised over 500 persons who produced 14 reports with recommendations. He was sworn in at the Trenton War Memorial on January 16, 2018, for a term of four years. An inaugural ball was held at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands.

In 2019, opponents of Murphy launched a recall petition effort seeking to recall him from office. The petition organizers failed to obtain enough voter signatures to trigger a recall election.

In November 2021, Murphy was re-elected for a second term, the first Democratic Governor of New Jersey to win re-election since Brendan Byrne in 1977.

Cabinet As of 2018, there were 24 cabinet positions within the executive branch of the Government of New Jersey. Most cabinet nominees need to be confirmed by the New Jersey Senate before assuming their respective positions. Murphy had announced most nominations prior to his inauguration; some nominees have held their positions in prior administrations. In August 2018, Murphy created the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology, naming Beth Simone Noveck as Chief Innovation Officer. Women make up more than 50% of the cabinet.Center for American Women and Politics, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University March 29, 2021

Environment and energy

RGGI and Paris Accord On November 29, 2011, New Jersey withdrew from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, effective January 1, 2012. Murphy has said he would sign legislation to re-join. On January 29, 2018, Murphy signed an executive order reinstating New Jersey back into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

In February 2018 he signed legislation committing New Jersey to the Paris Agreement.

In February 2022 he announced the state would use $70 Million of funding from RGGI to support electrification of medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

Clean energy

In June 2019 Murphy revealed a draft Energy Master Plan, which envisions New Jersey as being 100% reliant on sustainable energy by 2050. An updated plan is intended to be released in 2025.

In February 2022 he signed an executive order setting a goal of having 100% clean electricity by 2035, moving the target 15 year earlier.

In January 2018, Murphy signed an executive order to revive subsidies for wind power in the state. In September 2018, the state began to solicit bids for projects off-shore. In June 2019, the state awarded a contract for Ocean Wind, a windfarm 15 miles off Atlantic City.

Murphy set a goal of electrifying 400,000 homes and 20,000 commercial buildings by 2030.

Murphy created the state's Storage Incentive Program, which will promote 2,000 MW of energy storage installations by 2030.

Fracking, offshore drilling, and PennEast Pipeline Murphy planned to make permanent a temporary ban on fracking in the state that had been in place since 2010.

The Trump administration had proposed opening almost all federal waters to offshore drilling, including off the coast of the Jersey Shore, and dividing them into sections and auctioning leases to oil companies. The Murphy administration had joined 11 other East Coast states in expressing concern that the plan disregards "vital state interests, economies, and resources".

The Murphy administration opposed the condemnation state owned properties to construct the PennEast Pipeline.

Clean Water Rule In February 2018, NJ joined nine other states in suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for suspending the Clean Water Rule

New power plant In October 2019, Murphy officially opposed construction of a new power plant in New Jersey Meadowlands in North Bergen.

Plastics Murphy supported strict regulation on the use of single-use plastic bags, straws, and styrofoam. A ban came into effect in 2020.

Transportation NJ Transit Following campaign promises to improve both infrastructure and the safety record of NJ Transit (NJT), the state-run public transportation agency, Murphy requested, in January 2018, resignation letters from approximately 20 senior staff members, and signed an executive order calling for a complete audit. Kevin S. Corbett was appointed director of the agency in January 2018.

In December 2018, Murphy signed into law new legislation which would overhaul the way the NJT is managed.

In 2019, Murphy proposed using NJT stations and surrounding land to develop more transit-oriented development & urban transit hub commercial, residence, and recreational communities.

Gateway Project Murphy supported the Gateway Project, which would expand and renovate the Northeast Corridor (NEC) rail line between Newark and New York Penn Station.

Port Authority Bus Terminal Murphy supported the development of solutions of problems created by the aging, overcrowded Port Authority Bus Terminal.

Vehicle electrification In February 2022 he announced that New Jersey would begin rulemaking to follow California's standard of all new car sales being electric vehicles by 2035.

Health and public safety

Opioid crisis In February, the New Jersey Attorney General announced the newly formed Office of the New Jersey Coordinator for Addiction Response and Enforcement Strategies (NJ CARES) within the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, statewide initiative to combat the opioid crisis. The administration considered making Narcan, used to reverse the effects of and overdose, available for free.

Reproductive services funding In February 2018, Murphy signed his first piece of legislation, the restoration of $7.5 million annual funding for Planned Parenthood, which had been cut early in the Christie administration. In 2020 funding reached $9.5 million.

Firearm regulation Murphy had said he would support strengthening regulation of firearms in New Jersey. The mandate established in the Childproof Handgun Law may be re-visited. A memorandum of agreement with other Northeast states allows New Jersey to share info on weapons in a database. As of February 2018, new laws regarding firearms were negotiated in the New Jersey Legislature. Several passed the Assembly, but have not advanced in the Senate.

In April 2018, Murphy signed an executive order for the state to issue online reports online about gun crimes including location, number of killed or injured, type of weapon, and state in which involved guns originated.

In June 2018, Murphy signed six new laws regulating gun ownership. In October federal courts upheld a rule limiting ammunition to 10-round cartridges.

In October 2018, Murphy signed into law a ban on "ghost guns" and 3D-printable guns

In April 2019, Murphy proposed increasing firearms fees, which have not been adjusted since the 1960s.

Health insurance mandate Effective January 1, 2018, all New Jersey residents are required by law to have health insurance. The administration intended to preserve most protections provided by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (so-called Obamacare), should that federal program be overturned or de-funded. In January 2020, Murphy signed legislation which align with policies of the ACA.

Emergency housing assistance In February 2019, Murphy vetoed a law that had overwhelmingly passed in the State Legislature to provide emergency housing assistance. The bill would have covered those who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless. A person or family could receive this assistance only once (in seven years) for one 12-month period, with a possible six-month extension. The bill sought to let a person or family become eligible for the housing aid again after seven years had passed.

Aid in dying On April 13, 2019, Gov. Murphy signed a law allowing terminally ill New Jerseyans with less than six months to live to end their lives with the assistance of a doctor. It became effective August 1, 2019.

Coronavirus pandemic

The first case of the coronavirus was reported on March 5, 2020, when a 32-year-old man from Fort Lee, Bergen County, tested positive. Murphy ordered a near 'lockdown' on March 23 at 9 pm via executive order. As of April 11, 2020 he had signed 24 executive orders to deal with the pandemic. April 28 saw the highest number of deaths in the state. Murphy met with President Donald Trump on April 30, 2020, to discuss how to proceed. On May 4 he ordered that schools remain closed for the duration of the school year. In May 2020 interview Murphy said with regard to loosening restrictions in the state: “But here is the reality: Public health creates economic health. It is not the other way around. And if we transpose those steps or if we jump the gun irresponsibly, we throw — based on any amount of evidence — gasoline on the fire and it gets a lot worse. Never mind from a public health standpoint, the economic health gets a lot worse.” As of May 15, 2020, the state counted 10,000 deaths. Approval rating for Murphy rose for his handling of the crisis. On June 24, the state imposed self-quarantine restrictions on persons arriving from other U.S states where corona cases were spiking. At the end of June 2020, Murphy reversed his decision to allow for indoor dining (part of the 2nd phase of the state's re-opening) after dramatic spikes in cases in other states and behaviour by "knuckleheads" in some restaurants. He implemented a 14-day quarantine for those visiting from 'high-risk' states. The July 7, 2020 primary election was conducted mostly by mail and was seen as an experiment for the November election. On July 8, Murphy signed an executive order mandating the use of face masks outdoors (with exceptions) where social distancing was not possible. The state has released persons held in both state and county prisons to reduce deaths by the COVID-19. In early August Murphy paused or rescinded certain aspects of the phased 'reopening' of New Jersey after cases in the state increased after a period of decline. In mid-August Murphy announced that the November 2020 election would be hybrid, with "mostly" mail-in balloting.

The Murphy Administration presided over the issuance by the New Jersey Government of $1.2 million in fines to Atilis Gym, a gym that defied Governor Murphy's Covid shutdown policies.

On June 5, 2021 Murphy signed an executive order ending the public health emergency, while retaining some executive privileges and restrictions.

Social rights

Marijuana