New Jersey Legislature facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New Jersey Legislature |
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|---|---|
| 216th New Jersey Legislature | |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses | Senate General Assembly |
| Leadership | |
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President of the Senate
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Stephen M. Sweeney, D
Since January 12, 2010 |
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Speaker of the General Assembly
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Vincent Prieto, D
Since January 14, 2014 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 120 |
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Political groups
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Democratic Party Republican Party |
| Elections | |
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Last election
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November 3, 2015 (only the New Jersey General Assembly was up for election) |
| Meeting place | |
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| New Jersey State House, Trenton, New Jersey | |
The New Jersey Legislature is the part of the government of New Jersey that makes laws. It is like the state's main law-making team. This group is made up of two main parts: the General Assembly and the Senate.
The Legislature meets in the New Jersey State House in Trenton, which is the capital city of New Jersey.
Contents
How the New Jersey Legislature Began
Early Days: The Colonial Period
The New Jersey Legislature started way back in 1702. Before that, New Jersey was split into two parts, East and West Jersey. The people who owned these parts, called Proprietors, gave their power to Queen Anne.
Queen Anne's government then joined the two parts into one big colony called the Province of New Jersey. This new royal colony got a new way of being governed, and that's when the Legislature began.
Later, on December 6, 1775, the governor at the time, William Franklin, stopped the Legislature from meeting. It never met again under his rule. On May 30, 1776, Governor Franklin tried to get the Legislature together, but instead, he was ordered to be arrested by a group called the Provincial Congress of New Jersey.
On July 2, 1776, this Provincial Congress approved a new constitution. This new constitution called for new elections. On August 13, a completely new Legislature was chosen by the people.
Changes Over Time: New Constitutions
The way New Jersey's government works has changed a few times. These changes happened when new state constitutions were written.
The Constitution of 1844
In 1844, New Jersey got a new constitution. This one allowed people to directly vote for the governor. It also gave the governor the power to say "no" to (or veto) laws passed by the Legislature.
The General Assembly grew to have 60 members. These members were elected every year. They were chosen based on the number of people living in each county. Even with these changes, the Legislature didn't meet very often. Its members changed a lot, and it wasn't the most powerful part of the state government back then.
The Constitution of 1947 and Modern Times
New Jersey's current constitution was put in place in 1947. This constitution gave the governor even more power to veto laws. It also allowed the governor to serve two terms in office. Many smaller government groups were combined into 20 main departments, all controlled by the governor.
The terms for Senators were made longer, lasting four years. Members of the Assembly got two-year terms.
In 1966, the Senate grew from 21 to 40 members. The General Assembly also got bigger, going from 60 to 80 members. After some important court decisions, the state's voting areas were redrawn. This created the current system for how legislative members are chosen.
Two other big changes have shaped the Legislature today. First, special groups within the Legislature, called committees, became much more important. Second, leaders in the Legislature started staying in their roles for longer periods of time.
How the Legislature Works
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What Powers Does the Legislature Have?
The Legislature has the power to create new laws. For a law to pass, most members in both the Senate and the General Assembly must vote for it. However, the Governor of New Jersey can still veto a bill, meaning they can reject it.
If the governor vetoes a bill, the Legislature can try to override the veto. To do this, two-thirds of the members in each house must vote to pass the law anyway.
The Legislature can also suggest changes to the State Constitution. They can do this with a three-fifths vote in each house. Another way is to get a majority vote for the change in two years in a row. The Senate has a special job too: it's the only group that can approve or reject people the governor wants to appoint for judge jobs or other important government roles.
Who Can Be a Member?
The rules for who can be a member of the Legislature are in the New Jersey State Constitution of 1947.
- To be in the General Assembly, you must be at least 21 years old. You also need to have lived in your district for one year and in New Jersey for two years. And, of course, you must live in the district you want to represent.
- To be a Senator, you must be at least 30 years old. You need to have lived in your district for two years and in New Jersey for four years. Like Assembly members, you must live in the district you represent.
The Legislature Today
The current group of lawmakers is called the 215th Legislature of the State of New Jersey.
Right now, the Democrats are the party with the most members in both the Senate and the General Assembly. In the Senate, there are 24 Democrats and 16 Republicans. In the General Assembly, there are 48 Democrats and 32 Republicans.
The Senate
The Senate is known as the "upper house" of the New Jersey Legislature. There are 40 people who serve as Senators. After the districts were redrawn, Senators serve for two years, and then for four-year terms after that.
The General Assembly
The General Assembly is the "lower house" of the New Jersey Legislature. There are 80 people who serve in the General Assembly. They serve for two-year terms.
See also
In Spanish: Legislatura de Nueva Jersey para niños
