November 12, 2025

Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order to Bolster State’s Threat and Emergency Response

Executive Order No. 404 Streamlines Role of Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness

TRENTON – Today, Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order No. 404 into law, recodifying the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (OHSP), established in 2006, to ensure continued robust and efficient responses to threats against the state. The Executive Order clarifies the roles and responsibilities of both the Director of OHSP and the Office as a whole and better aligns OHSP’s legal authority with its actual operations.

“Today’s Executive Order helps to bolster our Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, ensuring the Office is equipped with the information and tools needed to continue protecting our nine-and-a-half million residents from a wide range of potential threats,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “The Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, the New Jersey State Police, and the Office of Emergency Management are each critical to keeping New Jersey safe, and today marks an important step in preventing and mitigating future threats. By clearly outlining the division of responsibilities relating to threat response, we are guaranteeing swift and effective cross-agency collaboration when we need it most.”

“Governor Murphy’s action reinforces the evolution of homeland security in New Jersey,” said OHSP Director Laurie Doran. “This modernization ensures our ability to confront a broader spectrum of threats, from foreign intelligence operations to technological and biological risks, with the same vigilance, leadership, and coordination that have long defined OHSP. By formalizing our counterintelligence role and strengthening our partnerships across government, we are enhancing our state’s readiness to identify, deter, and disrupt those who seek to harm New Jersey’s people, institutions, or infrastructure. Our mission remains clear: to protect this state, its residents, and its democratic foundations with foresight, integrity, and unity of purpose.”

The Executive Order makes clear that OHSP is responsible for leading New Jersey’s counterterrorism, counterintelligence, cybersecurity, and related preparedness efforts. OHSP is now officially the central state agency responsible for gathering and disseminating intelligence and information relating to counterterrorism and counterintelligence, and for administering training programs to both state employees and private sector partners. This Executive Order also details OHSP’s emergency management functions to better reflect the separation of responsibilities between OHSP, the New Jersey State Police, and the Office of Emergency Management.

The Director of OHSP serves in the Governor’s Cabinet as Homeland Security and Preparedness Advisor and chairs the Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force. The Director is also responsible for allocating State and federal funding and establishing clear guidelines for the distribution of funds.