As the new year approaches and, with it, a new presidential administration and shifting policy priorities, leaders in New Jersey are considering how to strengthen laws and services within the state. The public is invited to join the discussion at “State of Protection: Strengthening New Jersey’s Rights in Immigration, Healthcare, Environment, and Law,” a free event taking place Thursday, December 19, at 6 p.m. at Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street Princeton.

Organized by State Senator Andrew Zwicker, a Democrat whose district includes Princeton as well as parts of Middlesex and Hunterdon counties, the panel discussion open to the public in person or via livestream. A question-and-answer session will follow the formal discussion. Registration is required at andrewzwicker.com/state-of-protection-panel.

Zwicker will serve as the moderator of a panel including state Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, professor Heather Howard, and ACLU-NJ Executive Director Amol Sinha to explore how New Jersey’s laws and services can be strengthened to ensure they remain fair and inclusive for all.

“New Jersey is a national leader in safeguarding the rights of its residents across critical areas, including immigration, healthcare, environmental protection, and civil rights. Our state, however, faces challenges that require us to reexamine and strengthen those safeguards. By working together, I am confident New Jersey can set an example for the nation in protecting and enhancing the rights and services that define our humanity,” Zwicker said.

Each panelist will draw on their expertise to examine how New Jersey’s laws uphold justice and equity in their respective fields and discuss actionable steps to strengthen protections for all New Jerseyans.

Zwicker is a physicist at Princeton University’s Plasma Physics Laboratory and has served as a New Jersey legislator since 2016.

Platkin was appointed New Jersey’s 62nd attorney general by Governor Phil Murphy in 2022. He has focused on combating violent crime, defending civil rights, and increasing law enforcement transparency while implementing innovative public safety strategies.

Howard is on the faculty of Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs, where she co-directs the Global Health Program. She has expertise in health policy implementation and served as New Jersey’s commissioner of health and senior services from 2008 to 2010.

Sinha is a nationally recognized civil rights leader committed to advancing racial justice and protecting rights and liberties. He also serves as a policy fellow for the Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs New Jersey initiative.