Sunday, July 13, 2025

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Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation (S-4265/A-5912) into law today (Jan. 16) that will substantially boost the number of available liquor licenses statewide and ease a wide range of restrictions that have stifled breweries and distilleries, marking the first substantive overhaul of New Jersey’s antiquated liquor license laws since the aftermath of Prohibition.

“For the first time in nearly a century, New Jersey has shown the fortitude to tackle an age-old problem that has stifled economic growth and hampered the dreams of countless small business owners,” said Governor Murphy. “We knew this wasn’t going to be an easy lift – nothing that has been entrenched for nearly a century ever is. Together with our partners in the Legislature, we are laying new ground rules to help our breweries and distilleries flourish at the same time creating new opportunities for smaller and more diverse mom-and-pop establishments to set up shop or expand in New Jersey and help transform our downtowns.”