AFSCME NJ’s Steve Tully Urges Action on Public Worker Healthcare Crisis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2025

AFSCME NJ Executive Director Steve Tully Calls for Urgent Action on Public Worker Healthcare Reform

TRENTON, NJ – At today’s Assembly State and Local Government Committee meeting in the Statehouse, Steve Tully, Executive Director of AFSCME New Jersey Council 63, delivered powerful remarks in support of Assembly Bill 5903, known as the Public Sector Healthcare Affordability and Responsible Governance Act.

Speaking on behalf of 20,000 AFSCME members across New Jersey, half of whom are enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP), Tully called A5903 “a long-overdue step toward fairness, transparency, accountability, and affordability in our public healthcare system.”

Citing skyrocketing rate hikes of 37% for local government workers and 19.7% for state employees recently proposed by SHBP actuaries, Tully urged lawmakers to “fix a broken system” that has imposed a 115% increase in local government healthcare costs over just five years.

“Enough is enough,” Tully told the Committee. “We need solutions, not excuses. A5903 is that solution.”

The legislation, sponsored by Assemblyman Anthony Verrelli, would, strengthen oversight of healthcare spending by requiring more rigorous claims reviews, offer a streamlined menu of five SHBP plans with salary-based employee contributions and reform the SHBP’s governance to ensure equal labor and employer representation and merge the Commission’s authority with the Plan Design Committee for greater transparency and efficiency. 
 

Tully underscored that without action, both workers and taxpayers will continue to suffer. “There’s no serious affordability agenda in New Jersey without fixing our healthcare crisis,” he said. “A5903 offers a stronger, fairer way forward.” 

AFSCME Council 63 urges swift passage of the bill to address the crisis in public sector health benefits and provide immediate relief for public workers and municipalities alike.
 

Media Contact:
Jeffrey Trout
Director of Communications
AFSCME Council 63

communications@afscmenj.org