CAPITOL REPORT by Lisa Chapland, Esq. @Lisac1997
This is a status report provided by the New Jersey State Bar Association on recently passed and pending legislation, regulations, gubernatorial nominations and/or appointments of interest to lawyers, as well as the involvement of the NJSBA as amicus in appellate court matters. To learn more, visit njsba.com.Lame Duck Watch: Assembly Majority Leader Louis D. GreenwaldAs this session comes to a close, the New Jersey State Bar Association asked legislators to provide their insights on what to expect in this lame duck session. This week, the NJSBA spoke to Assembly Majority Leader Louis D. Greenwald. Here’s what he had to say.
What are your legislative priorities going into this lame duck session? Expanding access to the right of every New Jerseyan to vote. The fact is: voter participation is far too low, not just in New Jersey but across the country. With President Trump’s recent attack on our democratic voting process by creating the Election Integrity Commission, headed by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, one of the biggest vote suppressors in the nation, it’s important now more than ever that we bring greater voting access here in New Jersey. I’m committed to working on my legislation to modernize our outdated voting laws and focus on expanding access to ensure everyone has an opportunity to participate in our government. Next year will be a new administration. What do you see as important issues going into the next session? In light of the horrific acts of gun violence in Las Vegas, I think one of the most important issues that we can act on in the first 45 days, when Ambassador Murphy is elected governor, is sensible gun law reform. One of the most humbling meetings I’ve ever had in my career in the Assembly was meeting and getting to work with the parents of the children who were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. As I have continued to say, these horrific acts of gun violence will continue unless we enact meaningful reform, much like the Legislature proposed back in 2013, but Governor Christie vetoed. I am hopeful in the new session I can deliver on my promise to the parents of Sandy Hook, in memory of their children, and enact sensible gun violence reforms, so that what happened at Sandy Hook and in Las Vegas doesn’t happen here. Do you view criminal bail reform as an improvement, or does it need more work? I voted in favor of criminal bail reform, because we were seeing inequities in our justice system—where non-violent, low-risk defendants were spending long period of time in jail because of their inability to make bail, whereas offenders with financial resources obtained release periods prior to trial. As with all major statutory changes, the implementation is the hardest part, and it takes time to get it right. In just under a year, we're already seeing improvements with the number of non-violent defendants waiting trial behind bars dropping by almost a third. With this reduction in jail time, we’re saving taxpayer dollars and allowing for greater opportunity for rehabilitation. We should always be on the forefront of the most modern policies, especially on this issue, because it is an individual liberty and justice issue at its core. Does being an attorney give you a unique perspective as a legislator? Do you have any advice for attorneys who would like to become involved in holding public office or government? I would say serving in government has made me a better lawyer. It is because of the personal interactions I’ve had with people and how government affects them in a positive or negative way that inspires me every day to improve that experience as a legislator. One of the greatest things about our government in New Jersey is that we have a part-time Legislature. Unlike our representatives in Washington, where they cannot work while holding office, in New Jersey we have other jobs, which allow us to bring the experiences and stories from the people we interact and connect with on a daily basis back to the State House.