New Jersey Senate Explained

Coa Pic:Seal_of_New_Jersey.svg
New Jersey Senate
House Type:Upper House
Session Room:New Jersey State House, Senate chamber.jpg
Term Limits:None
Structure1:NJSenate22diagram.png
Structure1 Res:250px
New Session:January 9, 2024
Leader1 Type:President
Leader1:Nicholas Scutari (D)
Election1:January 11, 2022
Leader2 Type:President pro tempore
Leader2:Shirley Turner (D)
Election2:January 9, 2024
Leader3 Type:Majority Leader
Leader3:Teresa Ruiz (D)
Election3:January 11, 2022
Leader4 Type:Deputy Majority Leader
Leader4:Paul Sarlo (D)
Election4:October 29, 2008
Leader5 Type:Minority Leader
Leader5:Anthony M. Bucco (R)
Election5:July 1, 2023
Term Length:4 years (with one two-year term each decade)
Salary:$49,000/year
Members:40
Political Groups1:Majority

Minority

Meeting Place:State Senate Chamber
New Jersey State House
Trenton, New Jersey
Website:New Jersey State Legislature

The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232,225 (2020 figure). Each district has one senator and two members of the New Jersey General Assembly, the lower house of the legislature. Prior to the election in which they are chosen, senators must be a minimum of 30 years old and a resident of the state for four years to be eligible to serve in office.

From 1844 until 1965 (when the Reynolds v. Sims US Supreme Court decision mandated all state legislators be elected from districts of roughly equal population), each county was an electoral district electing one senator. Under the 1844 Constitution, the term of office was three years, which was changed to four years with the 1947 Constitution. Since 1968 the Senate has consisted of 40 senators, who are elected in a "2-4-4" cycle. Senators serve a two-year term at the beginning of each decade, with the rest of the decade divided into two four-year terms. The "2-4-4" cycle was put into place so that Senate elections can reflect the changes made to the district boundaries on the basis of the decennial United States Census.[1] If the cycle were not put into place, then the boundaries would sometimes be four years out of date before being used for Senate elections. Rather, with the varied term, the boundaries are only two years out of date. Thus elections for Senate seats take place in years ending with a "1", "3", or "7" (i.e. next elections in 2027, 2031, and 2033).

Interim appointments are made to fill vacant legislative seats by the county committee or committees of the party of the vacating person (since a constitutional amendment passed on November 8, 1988). The office is on the ballot for the next general election, even if the other Senate seats are not up for election in that year (such as in years ending with a "5" or "9", such as 2009 or 2015). The sole exception to this is if the vacancy occurred within 51 days of the election, in which case the appointment stands until the following general election.[2]

Composition

AffiliationParty

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

Total
DemocraticRepublicanVacant
Begin 2018-2020 legislature2515400
End 2018-2020 legislature2613391
2020-2022 legislature2515400
2022-2024 legislature 2416400
2024-2026 legislature 2515400
Latest voting share

List of state senators

!District!Senator!Party!Assumed office!Counties represented!Residence
District 1RepublicanDecember 5, 2019Atlantic, Cape May, CumberlandVineland
District 2RepublicanNovember 8, 2021AtlanticEgg Harbor Township
District 3DemocraticJanuary 9, 2024Cumberland, Gloucester SalemPaulsboro
District 4DemocraticJanuary 9, 2024Atlantic, Camden, GloucesterWashington Township
District 5DemocraticDecember 15, 2014Camden, GloucesterBarrington
District 6DemocraticJanuary 3, 2009Burlington, CamdenVoorhees Township
District 7DemocraticJanuary 9, 2018BurlingtonPalmyra
District 8RepublicanJanuary 9, 2024Atlantic, BurlingtonSouthampton
District 9RepublicanJanuary 9, 2024OceanLacey
District 10RepublicanJanuary 10, 2012Ocean, MonmouthToms River
District 11DemocraticJanuary 9, 2018MonmouthLong Branch
District 12RepublicanJanuary 9, 2024Burlington, Middlesex, OceanOld Bridge Township
District 13RepublicanJanuary 9, 2018MonmouthLittle Silver
District 14DemocraticDecember 6, 2010Mercer, MiddlesexPlainsboro Township
District 15DemocraticJanuary 13, 1998Hunterdon, MercerLawrence Township
District 16DemocraticJanuary 11, 2022Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, SomersetSouth Brunswick
District 17DemocraticJanuary 8, 2002Middlesex, SomersetPiscataway
District 18DemocraticMay 9, 2016MiddlesexSouth Plainfield
District 19DemocraticJanuary 13, 1998MiddlesexWoodbridge
District 20DemocraticJanuary 9, 2018UnionUnion Township
District 21RepublicanJanuary 11, 2022Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, UnionWestfield
District 22DemocraticJanuary 13, 2004Somerset, UnionLinden
District 23RepublicanDecember 19, 2022Hunterdon, Somerset, WarrenLopatcong
District 24RepublicanJanuary 9, 2024Morris, Sussex, WarrenWantage
District 25RepublicanOctober 24, 2019Morris, PassaicBoonton Township
District 26RepublicanJanuary 8, 2008Morris, PassaicRockaway Township
District 27DemocraticJanuary 9, 2024Essex, PassaicWest Orange
District 28DemocraticSeptember 29, 2022Essex, UnionIrvington
District 29DemocraticJanuary 8, 2008Essex, HudsonNewark
District 30RepublicanOctober 14, 1993Monmouth, OceanLakewood Township
District 31DemocraticJanuary 9, 2024HudsonJersey City
District 32DemocraticJanuary 9, 2024HudsonJersey City
District 33DemocraticJanuary 8, 2008HudsonUnion City
District 34DemocraticJanuary 9, 2024EssexEast Orange
District 35DemocraticJanuary 10, 2012Bergen, PassaicNorth Haledon
District 36DemocraticMay 19, 2003Bergen, PassaicWood-Ridge
District 37DemocraticJanuary 11, 2022BergenEnglewood
District 38DemocraticApril 12, 2018BergenParamus
District 39RepublicanMarch 25, 2021BergenRiver Vale
District 40RepublicanOctober 5, 2017Bergen, PassaicTotowa

Committees and committee chairs

Committee chairs for the 2024-2026 Legislative Session are:[3]

List of Senate presidents

See main article: Political party strength in New Jersey.

The following is a list of presidents of the New Jersey Senate since the adoption of the 1844 State Constitution:[4]

Double dipping

Under a state law that remained in effect until 2008, members of the New Jersey Assembly and Senate were allowed to serve in either chamber, as well as any other government positions they might have held at the time, although those who were still doing so as of 2008 ended up getting "grandfathered":

Name, Party-County – Second Public Office (names in bold represent state Senators still in both local and state offices as of 2024):

Senators:

Special powers

Senatorial courtesy

See main article: Senatorial courtesy (New Jersey). Senatorial courtesy is a senate tradition that allows home county legislators to intercede to prevent consideration of a local resident nominated by the governor for a position that requires Senate confirmation.[11] Any of the senators from the nominee's home county can invoke senatorial courtesy to block a nomination, temporarily or permanently, without any obligation to justify the basis of their actions.[12]

Governor Corzine nominated Stuart Rabner on June 4, 2007, to be the next Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, replacing James R. Zazzali, who was nearing mandatory retirement age.[13] Shortly after the nomination, two members of the Senate from Essex County, where Rabner resides, blocked consideration of his confirmation by invoking senatorial courtesy. State Senator Ronald Rice had initially blocked the nomination, but relented on June 15, 2007, after a meeting with the governor.[14] Nia Gill dropped her block on June 19, 2007, but did not explain the nature of her concerns, though anonymous lawmakers cited in The New York Times indicated that the objection was due to Rabner's race and Governor Corzine's failure to consider a minority candidate for the post. Also in June 2007, Loretta Weinberg used senatorial courtesy privileges to hold up consideration of a new term in office for Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli.

Acting governor

Until 2010, in the event of a gubernatorial vacancy, the New Jersey Constitution had specified that the President of the Senate (followed by the Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly) would assume the role of Acting Governor and retain their role in the Senate (or Assembly). An Acting Governor would then assume the governorship while retaining their role in their house of the legislature.[15]

The lieutenant governor of New Jersey took office for the first time on January 19, 2010, following an election with the governor of New Jersey. The position was created as the result of a constitutional amendment to the New Jersey State Constitution passed on November 8, 2005. While the amendment itself took effect as of January 17, 2006, and made some interim changes to the succession to the governorship, the first lieutenant governor was not elected until November 3, 2009. The President of the Senate now serves as acting governor only in the absence of both the governor and lieutenant governor. For example, Nicholas Scutari became acting governor of New Jersey on June 4, 2022, as both Governor Phil Murphy and Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver were out of state on personal trips.[16] He again became acting governor on July 31, 2023 when Murphy was out of state and Oliver was in the hospital due to an illness, from which she died the following day.[17] Oliver's death led Scutari to serve as acting lieutenant governor until the vacancy was officially filled on September 8, 2023, when Tahesha Way was sworn in.[18]

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/our.asp Our Legislature
  2. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/lawsconstitution/constitution.asp New Jersey Constitution
  3. Web site: Senate Committees . New Jersey Legislature . New Jersey Office of Legislative Services . 14 January 2024.
  4. Book: Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey . 1977 . J.A. Fitzgerald .
  5. Johnson, Brent. "Top Dem could soon become longest-serving N.J. Senate president", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 18, 2019, updated January 14, 2020. Accessed January 16, 2022. "In January, he will tie Donald DiFrancesco, a Republican who held the position from 1992 to 2002, for the longest tenure in the job."
  6. [David Kocieniewski|Kocieniewski, David]
  7. Heininger, Claire. "Richard Codey ends run as N.J. Senate president", The Star-Ledger, January 12, 2010, updated April 1, 2019. Accessed January 16, 2022. "So it went Monday, Codey's last at the center of New Jersey politics. Starting today, the Essex County Democrat and former governor will become just another face in the crowd when South Jersey Sen. Stephen Sweeney succeeds him as Senate President following a nasty internal fight.... He led the Democrats' Senate caucus for 12 years and became Senate president in 2004."
  8. Reilly, Matthew. "Bernard Kenny honored as Senate president on last day in office", The Star-Ledger, January 7, 2008, updated April 2, 2019. Accessed January 16, 2022. "Retiring after a 21-year career in the New Jersey Legislature, Senate Majority Leader Bernard Kenny (D-Hudson) today took the gavel as Senate president for day. Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) relinquished his office for a day as a gesture to Kenny, who decided not to run for re-election to the Senate last November."
  9. Arco, Matt; and Sherman, Ted. "Scutari appears likely as next Senate president, sources say, with Sweeney's Election Day loss", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 5, 2021. Accessed January 16, 2022. "Sweeney is the longest-serving Senate president in state history, having held the post since 2010, but he lost his re-election campaign in a surprise upset to a little-known Republican, Edward Durr, the Associated Press projected Thursday."
  10. Racioppi, Dustin. "Nick Scutari, a 'poor kid from Linden,' selected to become NJ's next Senate president", The Record, November 12, 2021. Accessed January 16, 2022. "Fellow Democrats on Friday chose Nicholas Scutari to succeed Stephen Sweeney as New Jersey's next Senate president, the second-most powerful position in state government."
  11. Jones, Richard G. "Senator Drops Objections to Corzine Court Nominee", The New York Times, June 20, 2007. Accessed June 20, 2007. "Senator Gill had delayed Mr. Rabner's confirmation hearing by using "senatorial courtesy" — an obscure practice through which senators who represent the home county of nominees may block consideration of their confirmations."
  12. Carmiel, Oshrat. "Deadline looms for Molinelli's job", The Record (Bergen County), June 20, 2007. Accessed June 20, 2007. "Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli, whose term expired last month, may have to wait until the fall to be considered again for a second term if state Sen. Loretta Weinberg doesn't sign off on his nomination today.... Weinberg is invoking an unwritten practice called senatorial courtesy, which allows state senators to block consideration of gubernatorial nominees from their home counties without explanation. The courtesy tradition, as applied to Molinelli, requires each senator from Bergen County to sign off on his nomination before the Judiciary Committee can consider the nomination."
  13. http://www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070531/FRONT01/70531007/-1/UPDATES "Source: Corzine picks Rabner as chief justice, Milgram as AG"
  14. [Associated Press]
  15. Byrne, Brendan T. "Lt. Governor Is Not A Solution" (opinion commentary), The New York Times, August 29, 2004. Byrne, a former New Jersey governor, who opposed the creation of the lieutenant governor post, stated: "But what really troubles people in New Jersey is the fact that the senate president becomes acting governor while retaining his senate presidency." Retrieved August 30, 2004.
  16. Johnson, Brent. "N.J. Senate President Scutari gets first crack at taking over for Murphy as acting gov Saturday", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 3, 2022. Accessed March 12, 2024. "It was only six months ago that Nicholas Scutari was suddenly elevated to state Senate president, one of the most powerful positions in New Jersey government.... In a rare situation, Scutari will serve as acting governor of the Garden State on Saturday for the first time as both Gov. Phil Murphy and Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, both fellow Democrats, will be out of state on personal trips."
  17. Pizarro, Max. "Oliver ill, Scutari Serving as Acting Governor", Insider NJ, July 31, 2023. Accessed March 12, 2024.
  18. McCarthy, Mia. "What happens next for New Jersey after Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver's death", Politico, August 1, 2023. Accessed May 28, 2024. "Senate President Nick Scutari will serve as acting lieutenant governor until Murphy picks the next second-in-command."

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