Here's the stories you'll be talking about on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show on Friday:

Phil Murphy has two months remaining in his final term as governor. He made it clear in a speech to state and local officials in Atlantic City that he will not go quietly.

After touting what he believed to be his accomplishments, Murphy said he is not 'hanging up my cleats' just yet.

Murphy again pushed for the legislature to pass a bell-to-bell ban on cell phones in schools and laid out an ambitious plan to try and save the bankrupt State Health Benefits Program.

It now seems likely that lawmakers will pass the cellphone ban.

Murphy's bailout plan for the health benefits program seems far less certain.

His proposal immediately drew skepticism from state lawmakers and power public employee unions.

Keep scrolling to read more about Murphy's ambitious final agenda, and what it could cost taxpayers on his way out the door.

⬛ New drilling plan spares New Jersey’s fragile coastline

President Donald Trump supports drilling for oil on the Pacific Coast, leaving the Atlantic Coast off his plan. (Getty Images/Canva)

🌊 Rep. Frank Pallone hails a win as Trump’s 2026–2031 drilling plan excludes the Atlantic Ocean.
⛽ Despite the NJ victory, the administration is pushing to drill off California, Florida, and Alaska.
🌱 Environmentalists warn of major risks to coastal ecosystems and economies in states still targeted

New Jersey’s coastline is staying off-limits to offshore drilling in carve-out from a new plan by the Trump administration to expand oil exploration in federal waters.

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J. 6th District, the state’s longest-serving member of Congress and the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said Thursday that New Jerseyans “can breathe a sigh of relief” after the Atlantic Ocean was left out of the administration’s 2026–2031 offshore leasing blueprint.

The move comes just weeks after Pallone rallied more than 100 House Democrats to press the White House to drop the Atlantic from consideration, warning that drilling posed a direct threat to the Jersey Shore’s economy and marine life.

But while New Jersey was spared, the administration is pushing ahead with drilling off California, Alaska and—most explosively—the coast of Florida.

⬛ PSE&G alerts millions to exploding wave of NJ utility scams

PSE&G is warning customers of common scams, especially during the busy holiday season (PSEG/Canva))

⚠️ New Jersey’s largest utility warns customers about aggressive holiday scams involving fake threats, spoofed caller IDs, and pressure tactics.
⚠️PSE&G reminds residents it never demands immediate payment or requests gift cards, crypto, or prepaid cards.
⚠️Customers are urged to stop, verify, and remain alert after recent cases where victims lost thousands to impostor utility scams.

The largest utility company in New Jersey is warning its customers about common holiday scams and offering tips on how to protect themselves.

Holiday utility scams surge across New Jersey, PSE&G warns
During the busy holiday season, scammers often impersonate trusted companies, including utilities, using high-pressure tactics to trick customers into making immediate payments or sharing personal information, PSE&G said in a released statement.

“Safety is our top priority, and that includes protecting our customers from fraud. Scammers use convincing tactics, fake caller IDs, urgent threats, and emotional pressure to push people into paying quickly,” said Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer for PSE&G, Dave Johnson.

⬛ NJ residents could get first dibs at beach passes under proposal

Island Beach State Park (NJ DEP/Canva)

🚙 Ocean County commissioners want NJ residents get first access to Island Beach State Park vehicle permits before out-of-staters snap them up.
🏖️ Limited beach-driving passes sell out in minutes, leaving many NJ taxpayers without access.
🗳️ County leaders call for a state-approved priority window that protects resident access while keeping parks open to out-of-state visitors.

SEASIDE PARK — New Jersey residents should have first dibs at obtaining vehicle beach passes at Island Beach State Park before sales open to out-of-state applicants, according to the Ocean County Board of Commissioners.

Each year, Jersey residents are locked out of buying vehicle beach passes because they are snapped up within minutes of the sale by out-of-staters. That’s because the demand for these permits far exceeds supply.

This surge has left many New Jersey residents, who support the park through taxes, fees, and conservation efforts, without the opportunity to buy a permit, the County Board of Commissioners wrote in a resolution to the State Department of Environmental Protection.

⬛ School cell phone ban likely to become law

(Getty Stock, ThinkStock)

📵 Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin now supports bell-to-bell cell phone ban

📵 Legislation has already passed the State Senate

📵 Gov. Murphy says he will sign it into law

It is now likely that New Jersey will enact a ban on cell-phone use in school during the entire academic day.

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin is now signaling his support for a proposal that would help all school districts in New Jersey adopt uniform rules about cell-phone usage.

Many school districts already have some restrictions in place. This legislation (A4882) would direct the state Department of Education to create a uniform policy.

Coughlin tells NJ Advance Media he hopes to pass the bill before the current legislative session ends on Jan. 20.

The senate has already approved a so-called bell-to-bell cell phone ban for kindergarten through 12th grade.

A recent report from the state Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage in Adolescents highlighted the negative impact cellphone usage can have on students during the school day.

Gov. Phil Murphy has been pressuring the legislature to act on banning phones in school. Coughlin was the lone holdout. With his support, it is now likely the legislation will move quickly and Murphy will sign it into law.

Many parents have expressed concerns and opposition to a cellphone ban, worrying they will not be able to quickly communicate with their kids in the event of an emergency.

⬛ Murphy proposes bailout to State Health Benefits Program, workers will pay more

(Michael Symons/Townsquare Media NJ)

🔴 Gov. says the State Health Benefits Program is headed for collapse

🔴 Murphy proposed $260 million bailout

🔴 Workers would have fewer coverage options and higher cost

State and municipal workers have seen healthcare premiums rise 59% over the last three years and are facing another massive double-digit increase next year.

That still will not be enough to save the program that provides coverage for 150,000 county and municipal employees and the Gov. Phil Murphy warns the program will collapse next year.

Murphy is proposing a drastic bailout plan that would dramatically reduce options for coverage and raise premium costs for those that remain.

In exchange, Murphy says the state will kick in $260 million to wipe out the programs current debt and set up a reserve fund to prevent future problems.

His plan also counts on more towns and counties returning to the program after fleeing the higher costs and finding cheaper options on the free market.

That is part of what caused this problem. Towns with younger and healthier workforces can obtain cheaper insurance for them.

That leaves behind older and sicker workers in the state plan that are more expensive to insure.

If that problem is not addressed, the State Health Benefits Program could find itself right back in the same problem in a matter of years.

LOOK: Retail workers share 21 of the worst things customers do, especially during holidays

Buzzfeed conducted a list of comments left by retail employees about what they hate most about certain customers, especially during the holidays. Here's what they had to say, plus additional comments provided by customer service retail workers in New Jersey.

Gallery Credit: Mike Brant