The state Senate Judiciary Committee cleared Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s nominees to lead the Departments of Transportation and Health in a Thursday hearing.
The panel unanimously cleared Priya Jain to be the transportation commissioner and cleared Raynard Washington to be the health commissioner in a party-line vote. Their nominations will now go before the whole state Senate — the chamber’s next session is scheduled for March 23rd.
Jain most recently worked as president of Americas Mace Consult, the regional arm of a global project management and infrastructure consulting firm. Her interview before the committee was relatively straightforward — the senators pressed the acting commissioner on transportation projects and the status of infrastructure in their respective districts.
In her remarks, Jain said overseeing infrastructure projects goes hand-in-hand with New Jersey’s goal to end fatalities on its roadways, known as Target Zero.
“At its core, the role of NJDOT is about stewardship of critical infrastructure, public resources and, most importantly, public safety,” she said. “The Target Zero initiative is one example of how we are prioritizing safety in the state by addressing fatalities and serious injuries in New Jersey’s roadways.”
Republicans, especially state Sen. Michael Testa (R-Vineland), offered sterner questions to Washington. Conservatives criticized Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its shutdowns of schools and businesses, and vaccine policies. Testa pressed Washington on the vaccine policies, asking him to promise not to “attack” the state’s religious and medical vaccine exemptions; Washington said those policies are up to the Legislature.
“My commitment is to enforce the laws that are set by this body here in the state of New Jersey,” Washington said.
Washington said his last day as the director of the Public Health Department in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, was on January 20th, and that he plans to finish his move to New Jersey this weekend.
In his opening remarks, Washington said he would help prepare the state for health crises, including mental health issues in the state and the upcoming FIFA World Cup. He also touted the need to address health inequities in the state — he noted that zip code remains a major predictor of health and lifespan and that Black mothers and babies are more likely to die during or after childbirth.
“Our healthcare system must treat the whole person, and it must reach people where they are,” Washington said. “New Jersey is home to world-class hospitals, innovative providers, and groundbreaking research. But if care is unaffordable and out of reach, its quality becomes irrelevant.”
