Gopal to Chair Senate Education Committee; Announces LD11 Senate Office Move to Ocean Township

He embraces the challenge of leading Senate education initiatives to address remote learning, school safety and school district funding needs.

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, NJ – State Senator Vin Gopal will chair the Senate Education Committee in the new 2022-2023 State Legislature.

“I am looking forward to the new session and my new Senate Committee assignments,” Gopal said. In addition to chairing the Education Committee, Gopal, D-Monmouth, will serve on the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and the State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee.

“While my committee assignments have changed, I remain as committed as always to the mission of making Monmouth County and all of New Jersey safer and more affordable for families, seniors, taxpayers, and small businesses,” Gopal said.

“I’m excited about chairing the Senate Education Committee and I come to that task having gained good experience as a legislator supporting educators and successfully fighting for an additional $100 million to be included in the FY2022 State Budget for extraordinary special education funding. The funding included an additional $3.4 million for LD11 school districts, bringing the total amount of extraordinary special education for all Monmouth County schools to $13.4 million.”

While chairing the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee during the legislative session that ended January 11, 2022, Gopal sponsored many pieces of legislation that became law and are assisting veterans in finding employment, health care and other benefits. Most recently he advanced a package of bills in the Senate to improve conditions in State Veterans’ Memorial Nursing Homes, including requirements for better communication with veterans’ guardians and creating the position of resident advocate at each nursing home.

Gopal also announced that he will be moving from his current office in Tinton Falls to the former Legislative District 11 Assembly office at 802 West Park Avenue, Suite 302, in Ocean Township, where the district’s Constituent Services Team is located.

“We will continue to help LD11 residents address their concerns, although we will be working with a smaller team,” he said. “So, I ask residents to please be patient when seeking assistance.” The Legislative District 11 office phone number will remain the same, (732) 695-3371, and residents may contact a Constituent Services Professional at senatorgopal.com/constituent_services to request help.

Gopal also asked residents to be patient during the office move, which will require the staff to work remotely from Thursday, January 13 through Tuesday, January 18. He asked residents who need to contact the Ocean office during the move to use email, SenGopal@njleg.org.