New Jersey Senate facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Legislature
Type
Type	Upper House
Term limits	None
History
New session started	January 9, 2024
Leadership
President	Nicholas Scutari (D) Since January 11, 2022
President pro tempore	Shirley Turner (D) Since January 9, 2024
Majority Leader	Teresa Ruiz (D) Since January 11, 2022
Deputy Majority Leader	Paul Sarlo (D) Since October 29, 2008
Minority Leader	Anthony M. Bucco (R) Since July 1, 2023
Structure
Seats	40
Political groups	Majority      Democratic (25) Minority      Republican (15)
Length of term	4 years (with one two-year term each decade)
Authority	Article IV, New Jersey Constitution
Salary	$49,000/year
Elections
Last election	November 7, 2023
Next election	November 2, 2027
Redistricting	New Jersey Apportionment Commission
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber New Jersey State House Trenton, New Jersey
Website
New Jersey State Legislature

The New Jersey Senate is one of the two main parts of the New Jersey Legislature, which makes laws for the state. It's like the "upper house" of the state's government. The Senate has 40 members, called senators. Each senator represents a specific area, or "district," in New Jersey. These districts have about 232,225 people each, based on the 2020 census.

To be a senator, a person must be at least 30 years old. They also need to have lived in New Jersey for at least four years before they are elected. Senators serve for four years, but there's a special rule: every ten years, one term is only two years long. This "2-4-4" cycle helps make sure that the districts are fair and up-to-date with the latest population numbers from the United States Census. This means elections for Senate seats happen in years ending with a "1," "3," or "7."

If a senator leaves office early, a new person is chosen to fill their spot. This usually happens through a special election. The new senator serves until the next general election.

Who is in the Senate?

The New Jersey Senate has 40 members. These members belong to different political groups. The group with the most members is called the "majority," and the other is the "minority."

Meet Your State Senators

Each of the 40 districts in New Jersey has one senator. Here is a list of the current senators, their political group, when they started, and where they live. They represent different counties across the state.

What are Senate Committees?

Senators work in groups called "committees." Each committee focuses on a different topic, like education, health, or transportation. This helps them study issues in depth and prepare new laws. Each committee has a leader called a "chair."

Here are some of the committees and their chairs for the 2024-2026 term:

• Budget and Appropriations - Paul Sarlo
• Commerce - Nellie Pou
• Community and Urban Affairs - Troy Singleton
• Economic Growth - Nilsa Cruz-Perez
• Education - Vin Gopal
• Environment and Energy - Bob Smith
• Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens - Joe F. Vitale
• Higher Education - Joseph Cryan
• Judiciary - Brian P. Stack
• Labor - Joseph Lagana
• Law and Public Safety - Linda R. Greenstein
• Legislative Oversight - Andrew Zwicker
• Military and Veterans' Affairs - Gordon M. Johnson
• Rules and Order - Vacant
• State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation - James Beach
• Transportation - Patrick J. Diegnan

Who Leads the Senate?

The leader of the New Jersey Senate is called the "President of the Senate." This person is chosen by the senators themselves. The President helps guide discussions and makes sure the Senate runs smoothly.

Here are some of the past Presidents of the New Jersey Senate since 1844:

What is "Double Dipping"?

"Double dipping" is a term used when a person holds two government jobs at the same time. For example, a senator might also be a mayor of a town. Until 2008, New Jersey allowed senators to hold other government positions. Some senators who were doing this before 2008 were allowed to continue.

Here are some senators who have held two public offices:

• Paul Sarlo, a Democratic senator from Bergen County, is also the Mayor of Wood-Ridge.
• Brian Stack, a Democratic senator from Hudson County, is also the Mayor of Union City.

Special Powers of the Senate

The New Jersey Senate has some unique powers that help it do its job.

Senatorial Courtesy

The New Jersey Senate in session in 2013

"Senatorial courtesy" is a special tradition. It allows a senator to temporarily stop the Senate from voting on someone the governor has nominated for a job. This usually happens if the person nominated lives in that senator's home county. The senator doesn't have to explain why they are blocking the nomination.

For example, in 2007, two senators from Essex County used this rule to pause the nomination of Stuart Rabner to be the Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. They eventually allowed the vote to happen.

Acting Governor

The President of the Senate has an important role in case the Governor is not able to do their job. Before 2010, if the Governor's office became empty, the Senate President would become the "Acting Governor." They would do the Governor's job while still being the Senate President.

Now, New Jersey has a Lieutenant Governor. This position was created in 2005 and first filled in 2010. The Lieutenant Governor takes over if the Governor cannot serve. The President of the Senate only becomes Acting Governor if both the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor are unable to serve.

For example, Nicholas Scutari, the current Senate President, became acting governor for a short time in 2022 and 2023. This happened when both the Governor and Lieutenant Governor were out of the state or unable to serve.

Images for kids

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  The official seal of New Jersey.

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  The Senate Chamber in the New Jersey State House, where senators meet.

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  A diagram showing the setup of the New Jersey Senate.