The New Jersey State Bar Association’s outside lobbyist, Patrick Stewart, of Public Strategies Impact, recently shed some light on the upcoming legislative session, new leadership and the governor’s second term.
The elections brought about some big surprises and not-so-big surprises. What caught your eye and what do you think the impact of those changes will be?
The biggest shocker was the Senate president losing in a race that nobody gave Sen. Edward Durr a chance of winning. Sen. Pres. Stephen Sweeney was the longest serving Senate president in the history of New Jersey. The Senate president’s running mate and Assemblyman John Burzichelli, former chairman of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, was also handed defeat. These two legislators were well respected in the State House and wielded much power. The Assembly Republicans picked up six seats in total and closed their gap on the Assembly Democrats by a 46-34 deficit.
With a smaller gap in the Democratic majority, look for a less progressive agenda from lawmakers who may have received a “wake up call” from New Jersey voters. On the Senate side, the Democratic majority dwindled to a 24-16 majority as the Republicans picked up one seat in the 2021 elections.
With Sen. Nicholas Scutari as the next Senate president, do you see any major policy shifts in the new session? If so, what are they?
I see a less active Senate. Scutari, who was formerly chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has a good relationship with the governor’s office and the speaker of the house. To start, he would be unified with both entities in pushing policy. Sweeney was very labor heavy in most of his policies. I see Scutari as being more socially conscious in moving his priorities.
With Sen. Tom Kean out next year and Assemblyman Jon Bramnick elevated to senator, what changes do you see in the Republican priority list in the upcoming session?
The reality of the Republicans still being in the minority seems to be boiling over. We have already some Republicans on the Assembly side take a stand against the vaccination mandate in the State House by disrupting a voting session. It seems they are taking cues from some of their constituents who voted out what seemed to be safe Democratic lawmakers. With more Republicans now in both houses, I expect more spirited debates and a little more fight, especially on the Assembly side.
As this is Gov. Phil Murphy’s second term, do you use any shift in his leadership in New Jersey? Are there any significant initiatives that you anticipate for New Jersey in this term?
Murphy said in his recent inauguration speech that in the next four years, his administration will continue following a “path of fiscal responsibility” by reducing debt obligations and improving the state’s bond rating. He suggested the state will make another full pension payment in the coming year. He also mentioned he wants to focus on property taxes. New Jersey has among the nation’s highest property taxes – average bills now top more than $9,000 a year – but annual growth has generally slowed since increases were legally capped about a decade ago.
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.