Governor Phil Murphy signed into law A5728/S4485, establishing the New Jersey Innovation Authority (NJIA).
The legislation codifies the New Jersey State Office of Innovation (OOI) as an Authority within the Department of the Treasury, building upon OOI’s success over the past seven-plus years to modernize services for residents, businesses and other New Jersey institutions.
On Dec. 8, 2025, the General Assembly advanced the bill, which was sponsored by Assemblymen Chris Tully and William F. Moen Jr., and Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin.
New Jersey is the first state in the nation to enshrine a state innovation office into law, cementing human-centered, agile technology approaches as a cornerstone of New Jersey’s legacy in innovation.
“With the permanent establishment of the New Jersey Innovation Authority, we are ensuring state government continues to deliver more efficient and effective services for New Jerseyans long after my time in office,” said Gov. Murphy.
“From advancing responsible AI use to streamlining processes for residents, our Office of Innovation has made remarkable strides for our state since its establishment in 2018. I look forward to watching the New Jersey Innovation Authority develop new solutions to real-world problems, save our residents and businesses time and money, and further New Jersey’s reputation as a national leader in innovation.”
The OOI has become widely recognized as a national model and recently released its second annual Impact Report, which highlighted achievements including:
- Helping over 65,000 entrepreneurs launch their businesses more quickly through NJ.Gov, boosting the economy by an estimated $167 million in 2024 alone.
- Modernizing more than a dozen state call centers to help millions of residents get their questions answered promptly, reducing wait times and saving New Jersey millions of dollars in operational costs.
- Using data science to enroll 100,000 additional children in the Summer EBT Program that connects vulnerable students with nutritious food.
- Reducing the average time to apply for unemployment insurance by more than three hours using a redesigned online application process that resulted in a 40% increase in positive site feedback.
- Harnessing emerging technologies, including AI, to modernize state operations and deliver benefits and services more quickly and efficiently to New Jerseyans.
Under the NJIA, the Office of Innovation’s world-class talent in technology, engineering, data, design and policy will continue to incorporate agile software development, human-centered design principles and data-driven processes to improve service design and delivery.
In August 2018, Gov. Murphy created the cabinet-level position of chief innovation officer to lead the Office of Innovation. Beth Simone Noveck served as the inaugural chief innovation officer until 2024. She was succeeded by Dave Cole.
“Now more than ever, we need a government that is efficient, effective and equitable in its delivery of service to all New Jerseyans,” said Cole. “This new structure stands up a model of what we know works: a data-driven, human-centered and agile approach to improving the critical services that support our residents and grow our economy.
“I thank Governor Murphy and the New Jersey State Legislature for their vision and leadership over the past seven years to establish and codify these innovation efforts.”
“The establishment of a permanent New Jersey Innovation Authority is a smart, forward-thinking policy that will help our state to lead in the innovation space through efficiencies, modernization of outdated systems and more accessibility for our residents and businesses,” said NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka.
“The office can also remain nimble and proactive as it relates to emerging or updated technologies. NJBIA thanks Governor Murphy and the sponsors for their support of this bill.”
The NJIA will consist of a 13-member board of directors appointed by the governor. The board will consist of ex-officio members and members of the public with knowledge and expertise in data science, public engagement, the development and implementation of digital technologies and digital product development or the digital delivery of products, services or benefits.
