# 218th New Jersey Legislature

The 218th New Jersey Legislature began on January 9, 2018 following the 2017 Elections. The session started in the end of Chris Christie's governorship and continued in the first two years of Phil Murphy's governorship.

## Background

The elections were held on November 7, 2017 alongside the 2017 New Jersey gubernatorial election. Phil Murphy and Sheila Oliver were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor. In the elections for Senate republicans lost a net gain of one seat while in the Assembly elections republicans lost a net gain of two. In the only state senate election of 2019 incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Andrzejczak lost re-election to Republican Mike Testa.

## Party composition
### Assembly

| Affiliation | Affiliation | Members |
| | Democratic Party | 54 |
| | Republican Party | 26 |
| Total | Total | 80 |

### Senate

| Affiliation | Affiliation | Members |
| | Democratic Party | 25 |
| | Republican Party | 15 |
| Total | Total | 40 |

## Leadership
### Senate

| Position | Name | District |
| President of the Senate | Stephen M. Sweeney | District 3 |
| Majority Leader | Loretta Weinberg | District 37 |
| President pro tempore | Teresa Ruiz | District 29 |
| Deputy Majority Leaders | Sandra Bolden Cunningham Paul Sarlo | District 31 District 36 |
| Assistant Majority Leaders | James Beach Linda R. Greenstein | District 6 District 14 |
| Majority Conference Leader | Robert M. Gordon | District 38 |
| Majority Whip | | |
| Minority Leader | Thomas Kean Jr. | District 21 |
| Deputy Minority Leader | Robert Singer | District 30 |
| Minority Conference Leader | Steve Oroho | District 24 |
| Deputy Minority Conference Leader | Chris A. Brown | District 2 |
| Minority Whip | Joseph Pennacchio | District 26 |
| Deputy Minority Whip | Kristin Corrado | District 40 |
| Republican Budget Officer | Anthony Bucco | District 25 |

### Assembly

| Democratic Leadership | Republican Leadership |
| Senate President, Craig Coughlin Majority Leader, Louis Greenwald Speaker Pro-Tempore, Gordon M. Johnson Conference Chair, Shavonda E. Sumter | Minority Leader, Jon Bramnick Deputy Minority Leaders, Ronald S. Dancer, David W. Wolfe, Amy Handlin Minority Whip, Nancy Munoz Conference Chair, Tony Bucco |

## Members
### Senate

Senators for the 2018-19 legislative session are:
| District | Name | Party | Residence | First served |
| District 1 | Mike Testa | Rep | Vineland | 2019‡ |
| District 2 | Chris A. Brown | Rep | Ventnor City | 2018 |
| District 3 | Stephen M. Sweeney | Dem | West Deptford Township | 2002 |
| District 4 | Fred H. Madden | Dem | Washington Township (Gloucester) | 2004 |
| District 5 | Nilsa Cruz-Perez | Dem | Barrington | 2014† |
| District 6 | James Beach | Dem | Voorhees Township | 2009† |
| District 7 | Troy Singleton | Dem | Palmyra | 2018 |
| District 8 | Dawn Marie Addiego | Dem$^1$ | Evesham Township | 2010† |
| District 9 | Christopher J. Connors | Rep | Lacey Township | 2008 |
| District 10 | James W. Holzapfel | Rep | Toms River | 2012 |
| District 11 | Vin Gopal | Dem | Long Branch | 2018 |
| District 12 | Samuel D. Thompson | Rep | Old Bridge Township | 2012 |
| District 13 | Declan O'Scanlon | Rep | Little Silver | 2018 |
| District 14 | Linda R. Greenstein | Dem | Plainsboro Township | 2010‡ |
| District 15 | Shirley Turner | Dem | Lawrence Township (Mercer) | 1998 |
| District 16 | Christopher Bateman | Rep | Branchburg | 2008 |
| District 17 | Bob Smith | Dem | Piscataway | 2002 |
| District 18 | Patrick J. Diegnan | Dem | South Plainfield | 2016† |
| District 19 | Joe Vitale | Dem | Woodbridge Township | 1998 |
| District 20 | Joseph Cryan | Dem | Union Township (Union) | 2018 |
| District 21 | Thomas Kean Jr. | Rep | Westfield | 2003† |
| District 22 | Nicholas Scutari | Dem | Linden | 2004 |
| District 23 | Michael J. Doherty | Rep | Washington Township (Warren) | 2009‡ |
| District 24 | Steve Oroho | Rep | Franklin | 2008 |
| District 25 | Tony Bucco | Rep | Boonton Township | 2019† |
| District 26 | Joseph Pennacchio | Rep | Montville | 2008 |
| District 27 | Richard Codey | Dem | Roseland | 1982 |
| District 28 | Ronald Rice | Dem | Newark | 1986‡ |
| District 29 | Teresa Ruiz | Dem | Newark | 2008 |
| District 30 | Robert Singer | Rep | Lakewood Township | 1993† |
| District 31 | Sandra Bolden Cunningham | Dem | Jersey City | 2007† |
| District 32 | Nicholas Sacco | Dem | North Bergen | 1994 |
| District 33 | Brian P. Stack | Dem | Union City | 2008 |
| District 34 | Nia Gill | Dem | Montclair | 2002 |
| District 35 | Nellie Pou | Dem | North Haledon | 2012 |
| District 36 | Paul Sarlo | Dem | Wood-Ridge | 2003† |
| District 37 | Loretta Weinberg | Dem | Teaneck | 2005† |
| District 38 | Joseph Lagana | Dem | Paramus | 2018† |
| District 39 | Gerald Cardinale | Rep | Demarest | 1982 |
| District 40 | Kristin Corrado | Rep | Totowa | 2017† |
† First appointed to the seat ‡ Elected in a special election $^1$ Addiego had served as a Republican prior to 2019

#### Former members from this term

| District | Name | Party | Residence | First served | Left office | Cause | Replaced by |
| 38 | Robert M. Gordon | Dem | Fair Lawn | 2008 | April 4, 2018 | Appointed to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities | Joseph Lagana |
| 1 | Jeff Van Drew | Dem | Dennis Township | 2008 | January 2, 2019 | Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives | Bob Andrzejczak |
| 25 | Anthony Bucco | Rep | Boonton | 1998 | September 16, 2019 | Death (heart attack) | Tony Bucco |
| 1 | Bob Andrzejczak | Dem | Middle Township | 2019† | December 5, 2019 | Appointee defeated in special election for completion of unexpired term | Mike Testa |

#### Committees and Committee Chairs, 2018–2019 Legislative Session

Committee chairs are: (All are Democrats)
| Committee | Name of Committee Chair |
| Budget and Appropriations | Paul Sarlo |
| Commerce | Nellie Pou |
| Community and Urban Affairs | Troy Singleton |
| Economic Growth | Nilsa Cruz-Perez |
| Education | Teresa Ruiz |
| Environment and Energy | Bob Smith |
| Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens | Joe Vitale |
| Higher Education | Sandra Bolden Cunningham |
| Judiciary | Nicholas Scutari |
| Labor | Fred H. Madden |
| Law and Public Safety | Linda R. Greenstein |
| Legislative Oversight | Brian P. Stack |
| Military and Veterans' Affairs | Vin Gopal |
| Select Committee on Economic Growth Strategies | Bob Smith |
| Select Committee on NJ Transit | Steve Sweeney |
| State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation | James Beach |
| Transportation | Patrick J. Diegnan |

### Assembly

The Assembly has 80 members, two for each district. Membership of the General Assembly is as follows:
| District | Name | Party | Residence | First served |
| District 1 | R. Bruce Land | Dem | Vineland | 2016 |
| District 1 | Matthew W. Milam | Dem | Vineland | 2019 |
| District 2 | John Armato | Dem | Buena Vista Township | 2018 |
| District 2 | Vince Mazzeo | Dem | Northfield | 2014 |
| District 3 | John J. Burzichelli | Dem | Paulsboro | 2002 |
| District 3 | Adam Taliaferro | Dem | Woolwich Township | 2015 |
| District 4 | Paul Moriarty | Dem | Washington Township (Gloucester) | 2006 |
| District 4 | Gabriela Mosquera | Dem | Gloucester Township | 2012 |
| District 5 | Patricia Egan Jones | Dem | Barrington | 2015 |
| District 5 | William Spearman | Dem | Camden | 2018 |
| District 6 | Louis Greenwald | Dem | Voorhees Township | 1996 |
| District 6 | Pamela Rosen Lampitt | Dem | Cherry Hill | 2006 |
| District 7 | Herb Conaway | Dem | Delanco Township | 1998 |
| District 7 | Carol A. Murphy | Dem | Mount Laurel | 2018 |
| District 8 | Joe Howarth | Rep | Evesham Township | 2016 |
| District 8 | Ryan Peters | Rep | Hainesport Township | 2018 |
| District 9 | DiAnne Gove | Rep | Long Beach Township | 2009 |
| District 9 | Brian E. Rumpf | Rep | Little Egg Harbor | 2003 |
| District 10 | Gregory P. McGuckin | Rep | Toms River | 2012 |
| District 10 | David W. Wolfe | Rep | Brick Township | 1992 |
| District 11 | Joann Downey | Dem | Freehold Township | 2016 |
| District 11 | Eric Houghtaling | Dem | Neptune Township | 2016 |
| District 12 | Robert D. Clifton | Rep | Matawan | 2012 |
| District 12 | Ronald S. Dancer | Rep | Plumsted Township | 2002 |
| District 13 | Serena DiMaso | Rep | Holmdel Township | 2018 |
| District 13 | Amy Handlin | Rep | Middletown Township | 2006 |
| District 14 | Daniel R. Benson | Dem | Hamilton Township (Mercer) | 2011 |
| District 14 | Wayne DeAngelo | Dem | Hamilton Township (Mercer) | 2008 |
| District 15 | Verlina Reynolds-Jackson | Dem | Trenton | 2018 |
| District 15 | Anthony Verrelli | Dem | Hopewell Township (Mercer) | 2018 |
| District 16 | Roy Freiman | Dem | Hillsborough Township | 2018 |
| District 16 | Andrew Zwicker | Dem | South Brunswick | 2016 |
| District 17 | Joseph Danielsen | Dem | Franklin Township (Somerset) | 2014 |
| District 17 | Joseph V. Egan | Dem | New Brunswick | 2002 |
| District 18 | Robert Karabinchak | Dem | Edison | 2016 |
| District 18 | Nancy Pinkin | Dem | East Brunswick | 2014 |
| District 19 | Craig Coughlin | Dem | Woodbridge Township | 2010 |
| District 19 | Yvonne Lopez | Dem | Perth Amboy | 2018 |
| District 20 | Jamel Holley | Dem | Roselle | 2015 |
| District 20 | Annette Quijano | Dem | Elizabeth | 2008 |
| District 21 | Jon Bramnick | Rep | Westfield | 2003 |
| District 21 | Nancy Munoz | Rep | Summit | 2009 |
| District 22 | Linda Carter | Dem | Plainfield | 2018 |
| District 22 | James J. Kennedy | Dem | Rahway | 2016 |
| District 23 | John DiMaio | Rep | Hackettstown | 2009 |
| District 23 | Erik Peterson | Rep | Franklin Township (Hunterdon) | 2009 |
| District 24 | Parker Space | Rep | Wantage Township | 2013 |
| District 24 | Harold J. Wirths | Rep | Hardyston Township | 2018 |
| District 25 | Michael Patrick Carroll | Rep | Morris Township | 1996 |
| District 25 | Aura K. Dunn | Rep | Mendham Borough | 2019 |
| District 26 | BettyLou DeCroce | Rep | Parsippany-Troy Hills | 2012 |
| District 26 | Jay Webber | Rep | Morris Plains | 2008 |
| District 27 | Mila Jasey | Dem | South Orange | 2007 |
| District 27 | John F. McKeon | Dem | West Orange | 2002 |
| District 28 | Ralph R. Caputo | Dem | Bloomfield | 2008 |
| District 28 | Cleopatra Tucker | Dem | Newark | 2008 |
| District 29 | Eliana Pintor Marin | Dem | Newark | 2013 |
| District 29 | Shanique Speight | Dem | Newark | 2018 |
| District 30 | Sean T. Kean | Rep | Wall Township | 2012 |
| District 30 | Ned Thomson | Rep | Wall Township | 2017 |
| District 31 | Nicholas Chiaravalloti | Dem | Bayonne | 2016 |
| District 31 | Angela V. McKnight | Dem | Jersey City | 2016 |
| District 32 | Angelica M. Jimenez | Dem | West New York | 2012 |
| District 32 | Pedro Mejia | Dem | Secaucus | 2018 |
| District 33 | Annette Chaparro | Dem | Hoboken | 2016 |
| District 33 | Raj Mukherji | Dem | Jersey City | 2014 |
| District 34 | Thomas P. Giblin | Dem | Montclair | 2006 |
| District 34 | Britnee Timberlake | Dem | East Orange | 2018 |
| District 35 | Shavonda E. Sumter | Dem | Paterson | 2012 |
| District 35 | Benjie Wimberly | Dem | Paterson | 2012 |
| District 36 | Clinton Calabrese | Dem | Cliffside Park | 2018 |
| District 36 | Gary Schaer | Dem | Passaic | 2006 |
| District 37 | Valerie Huttle | Dem | Englewood | 2006 |
| District 37 | Gordon M. Johnson | Dem | Englewood | 2002 |
| District 38 | Lisa Swain | Dem | Fair Lawn | 2018 |
| District 38 | Chris Tully | Dem | Bergenfield | 2018 |
| District 39 | Robert Auth | Rep | Old Tappan | 2010 |
| District 39 | Holly Schepisi | Rep | River Vale | 2012 |
| District 40 | Christopher DePhillips | Rep | Wyckoff | 2018 |
| District 40 | Kevin J. Rooney | Rep | Wyckoff | 2016 |

#### Former members from this term

| District | Name | Party | Residence | First served | Left office | Cause | Replaced by |
| District 34 | Sheila Oliver | Dem | East Orange | 2004 | January 9, 2018 | Took office as Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey | Britnee Timberlake |
| District 15 | Elizabeth Maher Muoio | Dem | Pennington | 2015 | January 15, 2018 | Appointed State Treasurer of New Jersey | Verlina Reynolds-Jackson |
| District 36 | Marlene Caride | Dem | Ridgefield | 2012 | January 16, 2018 | Appointed Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance | Clinton Calabrese |
| District 32 | Vincent Prieto | Dem | Secaucus | 2004 | February 26, 2018 | Resigned to become President and CEO of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority | Pedro Mejia |
| District 38 | Joseph Lagana | Dem | Paramus | 2014 | April 12, 2018 | Appointed to the District's Senate seat | Lisa Swain Chris Tully |
| District 38 | Tim Eustace | Dem | Maywood | 2012 | April 13, 2018 | Resigned to become Deputy Director of the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission | Lisa Swain Chris Tully |
| District 22 | Jerry Green | Dem | Plainfield | 1992 | April 18, 2018 | Death (long illness) | Linda Carter |
| District 5 | Arthur Barclay | Dem | Camden | 2016 | June 18, 2018 | Resigned following arrest for simple assault | William Spearman |
| District 15 | Reed Gusciora | Dem | Trenton | 1996 | June 30, 2018 | Elected Mayor of Trenton | Anthony Verrelli |
| District 1 | Bob Andrzejczak | Dem | Middle Township | 2013 | January 14, 2019 | Appointed to the District's Senate seat | Matthew W. Milam |
| District 25 | Tony Bucco | Rep | Boonton Township | 2010 | October 24, 2019 | Appointed to the District's Senate seat | Aura K. Dunn |

#### Committees and Committee Chairs, 2018–2019 Legislative Session

Committee chairs are: (All are Democrats)
| Committee | Name of Committee Chair |
| Agriculture and Natural Resources | Eric Houghtaling |
| Appropriations | John Burzichelli |
| Budget | Eliana Pintor Marin |
| Commerce and Economic Development | Gordon M. Johnson |
| Consumer Affairs | Paul D. Moriarty |
| Education | Pamela R. Lampitt |
| Environment and Solid Waste | Nancy Pinkin |
| Financial Institutions and Insurance | John F. McKeon |
| Health and Senior Services | Herb Conaway |
| Higher Education | Mila Jasey |
| Homeland Security and State Preparedness | Valerie Vainieri Huttle |
| Housing and Community Development | Benjie Wimberly |
| Human Services | Joann Downey |
| Judiciary | Annette Quijano |
| Labor | Joseph V. Egan |
| Law and Public Safety | Adam Taliaferro |
| Military and Veterans' Affairs | Cleopatra Tucker |
| Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations | Joseph Danielsen |
| Regulated Professions | Thomas Giblin |
| Science, Innovation and Technology | Andrew Zwicker |
| State and Local Government | Vincent Mazzeo |
| Telecommunications and Utilities | Wayne DeAngelo |
| Tourism, Gaming and the Arts | Ralph Caputo |
| Transportation and Independent Authorities | Daniel R. Benson |
| Women and Children | Gabriela Mosquera |

## Vacancies
### Senate

| District | Original | Party | Period of vacancy | Appointee | Party of Appointee | Winner of Special Election | Winner's Party |
| 38th | Robert M. Gordon | Democratic Party | April 4, 2018 – April 12, 2018 | Joseph Lagana | Democratic Party | Joseph Lagana | Democratic Party |
| 1st | Jeff Van Drew | Democratic Party | December 31, 2018 – January 15, 2019 | Bob Andrzejczak | Democratic Party | Mike Testa | Republican Party |
| 25th | Anthony Bucco | Republican Party | September 16, 2019 - October 25, 2019 | Tony Bucco | Republican Party | TBD | TBD |

### Assembly

| District | Original | Party | Period of vacancy | Appointee | Party of Appointee | Winner of Special Election | Winner's Party |
| 34th | Sheila Oliver | Democratic Party | January 9, 2018 – January 29, 2018 | Britnee Timberlake | Democratic Party | Britnee Timberlake | Democratic Party |
| 15th | Elizabeth Maher Muoio | Democratic Party | January 15, 2018 – February 15, 2018 | Verlina Reynolds-Jackson | Democratic Party | Verlina Reynolds-Jackson | Democratic Party |
| 36th | Marlene Caride | Democratic Party | January 16, 2018 – February 8, 2018 | Clinton Calabrese | Democratic Party | Clinton Calabrese | Democratic Party |
| 32nd | Vincent Prieto | Democratic Party | February 26, 2018 – April 12, 2018 | Pedro Mejia | Democratic Party | Pedro Mejia | Democratic Party |
| 38th | Joseph Lagana | Democratic Party | April 12, 2018 – May 24, 2018 | Lisa Swain | Democratic Party | Lisa Swain | Democratic Party |
| 38th | Tim Eustace | Democratic Party | April 13, 2018 – May 24, 2018 | Chris Tully | Democratic Party | Chris Tully | Democratic Party |
| 22nd | Jerry Green | Democratic Party | April 18, 2018 – May 24, 2018 | Linda Carter | Democratic Party | Linda Carter | Democratic Party |
| 5th | Arthur Barclay | Democratic Party | June 18, 2018 – June 30, 2018 | William Spearman | Democratic Party | William Spearman | Democratic Party |
| 15th | Reed Gusciora | Democratic Party | July 1, 2018 – August 5, 2018 | Anthony Verrelli | Democratic Party | Anthony Verrelli | Democratic Party |
| 1st | Bob Andrzejczak | Democratic Party | January 14, 2019 – February 1, 2019 | Matthew Milam | Democratic Party | No special Election will be held | No special Election will be held |
| 25th | Tony Bucco | Republican Party | October 25, 2019 – November 25, 2019 | Aura K. Dunn | Republican Party | TBD | TBD |

## Governors

Outgoing Governor Chris Christie delivered is last State of the State on January 9, 2018. He touted his legacy as Governor, such as his response to Hurricane Sandy, among other things. On January 15, 2019 Governor Phil Murphy gave his first State of the State Address. In his address he called on the legislature to raise the minimum wage from $8 to $15, legalize recreational marijuana, and to act on tax reform. He also touted his achievements in his first year such as raising income taxes on people making more than $5 million a year, beginning to make community college tuition free, increasing funding to Planned Parenthood, and tighter gun laws. Again on March 5, 2019 Murphy addressed the Legislature to deliver his budget address. In the address he called for universal pre-k, eliminating tuition for community college, a millionaires tax, and increased spending. Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said they are opposed to Murphy's proposed tax increases. On June 20, 2019 the Assembly and Senate passed a budget without Murphy's millionaires tax. In the Senate, seven republicans, Declan O'Scanlon, Kip Bateman, Tom Kean, Kristin Corrado, Bob Singer, and Sam Thompson, voted for the budget. Murphy line-item vetoed the budget.