New Jersey Legislature

New Jersey Legislature
Public domain · source
Name	New Jersey Legislature
Meeting place	New Jersey State House
Founded	1702
Preceded by	Province of New Jersey
House1	New Jersey Senate
House2	New Jersey General Assembly
Members	120
Leader1 type	Governor of New Jersey
Leader1	Phil Murphy
Leader2 type	President of the New Jersey Senate
Leader2	Nicholas Scutari
Leader3 type	Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
Leader3	Craig Coughlin
Salary	$49,000 per year plus per diem

New Jersey Legislature is the bicameral legislative body that convenes in the New Jersey State House in Trenton, New Jersey. It comprises the New Jersey Senate and the New Jersey General Assembly, which enact statutes, enact the budget, and confirm executive appointments affecting the State of New Jersey. Members interact with the Governor of New Jersey, the New Jersey Supreme Court, and federal institutions such as the United States Congress in policy, fiscal, and legal matters.

Overview

The body consists of a 40-member New Jersey Senate and an 80-member New Jersey General Assembly drawn from 40 legislative districts established under the Reynolds v. Sims principle and the U.S. Supreme Court's "one person, one vote" rulings. Legislative sessions follow rules influenced by precedents from the New Jersey Constitution of 1947 and earlier charters such as the Constitution of New Jersey (1776), with procedural practices comparable to those in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the New York State Legislature. Legislative output includes statutes like the New Jersey Civil Rights Act and budgetary acts interacting with programs administered by the New Jersey Department of Education, New Jersey Department of Human Services, and New Jersey Department of Transportation.

History

Colonial-era assemblies trace to the Province of New Jersey's legislature and deliberative bodies influenced by the English Parliament during the Colonial America period. After independence, the Constitution of New Jersey (1776) created an early unicameral/rotating structure later reformed by the Constitution of New Jersey (1844) and the New Jersey Constitution of 1947. Landmark episodes include debates during the Civil War era, the Progressive reforms associated with figures like Woodrow Wilson when he served as Governor of New Jersey, and mid‑20th-century reorganizations that paralleled national trends exemplified by the New Deal and the Great Society. Judicial interventions such as Reynolds v. Sims reshaped districting, while labor disputes, civil rights struggles, and environmental controversies involved actors like A. Harry Moore, Frank Hague, Jon Corzine, and policy arenas such as the Meadowlands redevelopment and New Jersey Turnpike Authority oversight.

Structure and Organization

The upper chamber, the New Jersey Senate, includes one senator per legislative district with staggered terms linked to the United States Census cycle; the lower chamber, the New Jersey General Assembly, includes two assembly members per district. Chambers operate with standing rules akin to the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives but adapted under the New Jersey Constitution of 1947. Offices and administrative functions coordinate with the New Jersey Legislative Services Commission, the Office of Legislative Services (New Jersey), and clerks such as the Clerk of the General Assembly. Sessions are held in the historic New Jersey State House with security and logistics interfacing with the New Jersey State Police and the Department of the Treasury (New Jersey).

Legislative Process

Bills may originate in either chamber (subject to revenue bill customs) and proceed through referral to committees, public hearings, floor votes, reconciliation, and presentation to the Governor of New Jersey for signature, veto, or pocket veto. Procedures reference parliamentary practices exemplified by Jefferson's Manual and are shaped by precedents from landmark enactments like the Urban Enterprise Zone Act and ethics reforms prompted by scandals involving officials such as Jim McGreevey. Oversight uses subpoenas, hearings, and investigative powers comparable to those exercised by the United States Congress committees during inquiries into matters of public policy, including oversight of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and state agencies.

Membership and Elections

Legislators are elected in partisan contests governed by the New Jersey Election Law framework, with primaries often decisive in districts shaped by redistricting commissions and litigation such as suits invoking the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Terms vary: senators generally serve two or four years depending on the post‑census cycle; assembly members serve two‑year terms. Campaign finance rules align with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission regulations and court guidance including rulings related to Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Notable members have included Christine Todd Whitman, Jon Corzine, Cory Booker, Robert Torricelli, and Martha W. Bark, who advanced to higher office or national prominence.

Leadership and Committees

Each chamber elects leadership such as the President of the New Jersey Senate and the Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly, who control committee assignments and legislative calendars. Major standing committees mirror policy domains: Appropriations (budget), Judiciary, Education, Transportation, Health, and Environment, with chairs often negotiating with executive cabinet members like the Attorney General of New Jersey and commissioners from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Bipartisan and ad hoc committees address ethics, redistricting, and emergency response, collaborating with institutions such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency during crises like Hurricane Sandy.

Powers and Functions

The legislature enacts statutes, appropriates funds, confirms executive appointments, and has impeachment and investigative authority similar to procedures used in other state bodies and the United States Congress. It shapes public policy across sectors involving agencies like the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and institutions such as the New Jersey Transit Corporation. Judicial review by the New Jersey Supreme Court and federal courts can alter legislative outcomes, as in cases involving constitutional challenges under the state constitution and federal doctrines articulated by the United States Supreme Court.

Category:New Jersey politics