New Jersey State Legislature

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
New Jersey State Legislature

Seal of New Jersey.png
General Information
Type:   State legislature
Term limits:   None
2013 session start:   January 10, 2013
Website:   Official Legislature Page
Leadership
Senate President:   Stephen Sweeney (D)
House Speaker:  Sheila Oliver (D)
Majority Leader:   Loretta Weinberg (D) (Senate),
Louis Greenwald (D) (General Assembly)
Minority leader:   Thomas Kean (R) (Senate),
Jon Bramnick (R) (General Assembly)
Structure
Members:  40 (Senate), 80 (General Assembly)
Length of term:   4 years (Senate), 2 years (General Assembly)
Authority:   Art Article IV, New Jersey Constitution
Salary:   $49,000/year
Elections
Last Election:  November 8, 2011
40 seats (Senate)
November 8, 2011
80 seats (General Assembly)
Next election:  November 3, 2013
40 seats (Senate)
November 3, 2013
80 seats (General Assembly)
Redistricting:  New Jersey Redistricting Commission has control

Contents

The New Jersey State Legislature is the state of New Jersey's legislative branch, seated in the New Jersey State House at the state's capital, Trenton. The Legislature is bicameral, consisting of two houses: the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate.

Overview

Legislative elections are held in November of every odd-numbered year. (The state is in this regard unusual, as most states hold legislative elections in even-numbered years, when Congressional elections are also held.)

The Legislature is empowered to make new law, subject to the Governor of New Jersey's power to veto a bill. However, the veto may be overridden by the Legislature if there is a two-thirds majority in favor of overriding in each House.

Furthermore, by a three-fifths vote, the Legislature may propose an amendment to the New Jersey Constitution. An amendment may also be proposed if the Legislature passes it by a majority in two consecutive years. Whichever manner is adopted, the Amendment must be approved in a referendum to become valid as a part of the Constitution. Another major legislative power is vested in the Senate, which has the sole authority to confirm or reject gubernatorial nominees for judicial and some executive positions.

Unlike most state legislatures, many New Jersey legislators also concurrently hold another office at the county or municipal level.

Sessions

Article IV of the New Jersey Constitution provides that each Legislature is constituted for a term of two years, split into two annual sessions. Because the Constitution also specifies that all business from the first year may be continued into the second year, the distinction between the two annual sessions is more ceremonial than actual. The two-year legislative term begins at noon on the second Tuesday in January of each even-numbered year, which for the 2010-2012 term was on January 12, 2010. At the end of the second year, all unfinished business expires.

Article IV also allows the Governor of New Jersey to call special sessions of the Legislature. Additionally, a special session can be called if a majority of each legislative house petitions the Governor requesting a special session.

2013

See also: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions

In 2013, the Legislature will be in session from January 10 to a date to be determined.

Major issues

The major issue for the Legislature is rebuilding the state after superstorm Sandy. Gun control is also expected to be addressed.[1]

2012

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the Legislature was in session from January 10 through a date to be determined by the Legislature.

2011

In 2011, the Legislature will be in session from January 12 through a date to be determined by the Legislature. [2]

2010

In 2010, the Legislature convened on January 12, and remained in session throughout the year.[3]

Senate

The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature. It consists of 40 Senators. Each member represents an average of 219,797 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[4] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 210,359.[5] Senators must be 30 years of age or older, must have lived in the state a minimum of four years, and must live in the district represented.

Senators serve four-year terms, except in the first term of a new decade, which only lasts for two years. 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. (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" (e.g., 2011, 2013 and 2017 this decade).

Interim appointments are made to fill vacant legislative seats by the county committee or committees of the party of the vacating person. The office is on the ballot for the next general election (regardless if all other Senate seats are up in that year, such as in years ending with a "5" or "9", such as 2015 and 2019 this decade), unless the vacancy occurred within 51 days of the election. Then the appointment stands until the following general election.

Party As of May 2013
     Democratic Party 24
     Republican Party 16
Total 40

General Assembly

The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. The Assembly consists of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years. Each member represents an average of 109,899 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[6] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 105,179.[7] To be eligible to run, a potential candidate must be at least 21 years of age, and must have lived in New Jersey for at least two years prior to the election. They also must be residents of their districts. Membership in the Assembly is considered a part-time job, and many members have employment in addition to their legislative work. Assembly members serve two-year terms, elected every odd-numbered year in November. Several members of the Assembly hold other elective office.

The Assembly is led by the Speaker of the Assembly, who is elected by the membership. The Speaker is the third in line after the Lieutenant Governor and President of the Senate to replace the Governor, should he prove unable to execute his duties. The Speaker decides the schedule for the Assembly, which bills will be considered, appoints committee chairmen, and generally runs the business of the Assembly.

Party As of May 2013
     Democratic Party 48
     Republican Party 32
Total 80

Legislators

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2013, members of the New Jersey Legislature are paid $49,000/year. There is no per diem.[8]

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

New Jersey legislators assume office at noon of the second Tuesday in January following the election.

Joint Legislative Committees

External links

References

  1. ↑ Wall Street Journal, "Sandy Sets New Agenda for Christie ," January 6, 2013
  2. ↑ 2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar, NCSL
  3. ↑ 2010 session dates for New Jersey Legislature
  4. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  5. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  6. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  7. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  8. ↑ NCSL.org, "2012 State Legislator Compensation and Per Diem Table," accessed March 18, 2013
v • d • e
State legislatures
Legislatures
Alabama (H, S) · Alaska (H, S) · Arizona (H, S) · Arkansas (H, S) · California (A, S) · Colorado (H, S) · Connecticut (H, S) · Delaware (H, S) · Florida (H, S) · Georgia (H, S) · Hawaii (H, S) · Idaho (H, S) · Illinois (H, S) · Indiana (H, S) · Iowa (H, S) · Kansas (H, S) · Kentucky (H, S) · Louisiana (H, S) · Maine (H, S) · Maryland (H, S) · Massachusetts (H, S) · Michigan (H, S) · Minnesota (H, S) · Mississippi (H, S) · Missouri (H, S) · Montana (H, S) · Nebraska · Nevada (A, S) · New Hampshire (H, S) · New Jersey (GA, S) · New Mexico (H, S) · New York (A, S) · North Carolina (H, S) · North Dakota (H, S) · Ohio (H, S) · Oklahoma (H, S) · Oregon (H, S) · Pennsylvania (H, S) · Rhode Island (H, S) · South Carolina (H, S) · South Dakota (H, S) · Tennessee (H, S) · Texas (H, S) · Utah (H, S) · Vermont (H, S) · Virginia (H, S) · Washington (H, S) · West Virginia (H, S) · Wisconsin (A, S) · Wyoming (H, S)
SLP badge.jpg
2013
Historical elections
2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2007
Features of
state legislatures
State senates
State houses
Leadership positions
Retrieved from "http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=New_Jersey_State_Legislature&oldid=1740210"
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Encyclopedia
Calendars
Get Involved
Donate
Toolbox