This is a special quarantine edition of the CIG Insider NJ podcast, and my guest is Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso of the 13th legislative district.

Assemblywoman DiMaso had just begun her 2nd term as a legislator in January and, as a newly minted member of the budget committee, expected a robust learning experience during the normal course of budget hearings and debates throughout the spring. All of that was thrown out the window of course when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted all of our lives and put the state -- and the nation -- under widespread quarantine. The Assemblywoman talks about her personal experiences as a volunteer member of the Holmdel EMS, as well as her daughter's experiences as a first year resident at a hospital in Boston. Her hometown of Holmdel is the site of one of the largest testing centers in the state, and the Assemblywoman talks about how successful that center has been, and how testing has contributed to flattening the curve throughout NJ.   We discuss the practical impact quarantine has had on small businesses throughout her district, and what quarantine might look like as summer approaches at the Jersey Shore. The Assemblywoman details what she believes would be an appropriate approach at striking the balance between opening the economy again and making sure people are still safe, and addresses some of her concerns regarding policy decisions that have been made thus far.   We also delve a little bit into her background as a public servant, and how selling cupcakes kickstarted her career as a politician. Finally, we close the discussion as she tells me the very first thing she'll do once quarantine is lifted.