SWEENEY APPLAUDS DEMOCRATIC RECAPTURE OF 3RD LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT

"Today’s victories, keyed by our sweeps in the hotly contested 3rd and 4th Legislative Districts, ensure Democrats will retain solid control of both the Senate and Assembly.

"One of the final bills passed by the Legislature at the end of my tenure as Senate President enshrined the protection of women’s access to healthcare, I am thankful that the voters in the 3rd district recognize the need to vote for people who believe in respecting women and believe in respecting a woman’s right to choose. Furthermore, these results recognize the success of our efforts to continue to enact policies that will create jobs and make New Jersey affordable, competitive, and prosperous for all of our citizens.

"Personally, I am particularly gratified to see my close friend and longtime colleague, John Burzichelli,  elected to the Senate, accompanied by his running mates, Gloucester County Commissioner Heather Simmons and Dave Bailey Jr.

"I am excited to see Paul Moriarty elected to the Senate and Cody Miller and Dan Hutchison to the Assembly in the 4th District, and to see Democrats win important county races in Gloucester County, South Jersey, and throughout the state.”

WE DON’T NEED THIS MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SALARIES | EDITORIAL

This Opinion Article was first featured on 9/4/2023 in the Star-Ledger Editorial Section of NJ.com

By Star-Ledger Editorial Board

It’s kind of stunning that we have more than 600 school districts in New Jersey – that’s more than the total number of municipalities, and certainly more than we need for kids.

Granted, California has even more than we do – over 1,000 districts – but we’re a contender after that. A bunch of other states, like Connecticut, have about 200 districts. Virginia has about the same population we do, but only 132 school districts. So why do we have so many in New Jersey?

Some are tiny, operating a single school that only goes up to 5th or 8th grade, yet still have their own central office staff, which drives up costs and just seems absurd on its face. If given the opportunity, we should merge as many of them as we can.

Not only is the bureaucracy cumbersome, but if we didn’t have so many districts, we wouldn’t have as ferocious a fight over whether a business or office park locates on one side of the border or the other. That fragmented system and fierce competition for tax ratables prevents us from building new housing and desegregating our schools, says Tim Evans, the director of research at NJ Future.

And merging school districts is more economical over the long-term, because you don’t need to negotiate separate teacher contracts or hire separate district attorneys. By including students from multiple schools, you can also offer better programming for kids, like Mandarin classes or universal pre-k.

No, this isn’t going to create major tax savings, if you retain roughly the same number of teachers at the same benefit levels; after all, about 70 percent of a typical school budget is salaries and benefits. But we’ll still take it over the alternative.

The savings can also vary: Salem County – where more than a dozen districts serve about 10,500 schoolchildren— could see an annual tax savings of about $6.8 million by consolidating into one regional district, a Kean University study calculates. A much smaller merger, like one just approved last month by voters in Atlantic Highlands and Highlands – which will combine their two elementary school districts and their shared 7-12 district, which only serve about 735 students in total – could save roughly $320,000 a year in taxes.

It’s the first successful merger in nearly a decade and the first under a new law that former Sen. Steve Sweeney got passed in January 2022, right before he left office, which offers financial incentives for some smaller school districts to consolidate.

Before they merged, these three districts were already sharing many services. But among other excesses, they still had three different school attorneys and auditors, separate contracts for services like speech therapy and three school physicians to coordinate with during the height of the pandemic. “You just realize the redundancy of some of this,” their shared superintendent, Tara Beams, told us. “You also realize it’s really difficult to expand programs because you’re still working within the small district.”

Now they can offer expanded services for special education and gifted students, she says. And while one of the two elementary districts previously qualified for universal pre-K and the other didn’t, now that they’re joining up, both can offer it. So it’s a good case for the benefits of regionalization.

Of course, it takes a lot of time and effort to do this; these three districts have been working towards a merger for decades, Beams said. They finally committed to pushing it forward after Kean University did its study in the Spring. Sweeney’s latest venture, the Rowan School Regionalization Institute, is staffed with academics and former school officials who will also support districts through this process, says Mark Magyar, the director of the Steve Sweeney Center for Public Policy at Rowan University.

“It’s not a panacea in terms of property taxes,” he acknowledges, but it’s about improving how we deliver education. And when you do find savings – whether through having one payroll, HR system or technology vendor, consolidating bus transportation or staggering classes – you can pump it right back into the school system.

The easiest path to a merger is when districts already share a high school, he notes; the various towns all root for that same high school football team and trust their kids to go there. For districts moving steadily in this direction, and establishing shared services, the rationale for merging extends well beyond any tax savings: It’s just the next logical step.

SWEENEY APPLAUDS MINIMUM WAGE TOPPING $15 AN HOUR

Former Senate President Steve Sweeney today applauded the upcoming increase in New Jersey’s minimum wage to $15.13 per hour, triggered by legislation and a constitutional amendment he sponsored.

“Raising the minimum wage was one of my top goals as Senate President,” said Sweeney. “I was proud to sponsor the $15 minimum wage law in 2019 and equally proud to sponsor the constitutional amendment that required annual increases beginning in 2014 to keep up with inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index. We have seen how important that is in this period of high inflation.

“Increasing the minimum wage not only provides an immediate pay raise for low-wage workers struggling to make ends meet, but ends up raising the pay for all workers as employers have to adjust their pay scales for higher-level jobs too,”  Sweeney noted.

Sweeney’s 2019 bill made New Jersey the second state in the nation after California to commit to a $15 minimum wage schedule. Enactment of the $15.13 wage on January 1, 2024, will give New Jersey the third-highest minimum wage in the nation after Washington State and California.

SWEENEY: “MY WORK REMAINS”

I dedicated my legislative career, and a great portion of my life to the 3rd district. The lack of services for individuals with disabilities was the driving force behind my passion to serve.  Serving the State of New Jersey as its Senate President was a true honor; each day brought new challenges, new friendships, and new demands for solutions. 

My passion for public office is driven by my daughter Lauren and our experience with how individuals with disabilities are treated. We were fortunate to obtain more funding for direct service providers, more life and job training, and more income flexibility to increase independence. Additionally, we succeeded in spreading unified sports an inclusive opportunity for athletes with special needs.

In addition to advancing opportunities for those with disabilities, we were fortunate to succeed on many fronts: 

• Codified Gay Marriage and the Right for a woman to make her own healthcare decisions.

• Eliminated cash bail.

• Provided opportunities for individuals with disabilities to be more independent.

• Grew jobs in new industries including renewable energies.

• Significantly increased support for public schools

• Made college more affordability.

• Created a truly fair minimum wage, gave all workers paid time off, and expanded paid family leave.

• Stabilized State Pension System

To this day I remain grateful-to my colleagues for entrusting me to lead the Senate - to the people of the 3rd district- to my family, for always standing by me. I have spoken to many of them over these last few months as I considered a potential return to the legislature. After great consideration I have decided not to return to the legislature, not because the work is done, quite the contrary. 

By no means does this mean my elected days are over, I remain committed to addressing these challenges. We must come together - combining leadership and experience to face the challenges of the Garden State. 

As I have done for the entirety of my career, including this last year, I remain committed to creating solutions, finding common ground and working across the partisan divide to bring New Jersey residents the quality of life they deserve. I remain committed to helping the Democratic Party increase its control in the legislature this year while winning county commissioner, mayor and council races up and down the state.

NEW JERSEY ECONOMIC OUTLOOK: CONTINUED STRONG PERSONAL INCOME GROWTH WOULD HELP CUSHION “ANY RELATIVELY MODEST AND SHORT” RECESSION

GLASSBORO – Coming off a year in which the state set new highs in jobs, output and income, New Jersey’s continued strong personal income growth in 2023 would serve to cushion any relatively short and modest recession, according to a report by Charles Steindel, a former chief economist for the New Jersey Treasury Department.

Dr. Steindel’s analysis, prepared for the Sweeney Center’s Multi-Year Budget Workgroup, cited the Federal Reserve’s interest rate increases, a drop in retail sales and industrial production in the latter part of 2022, an ongoing slippage in homebuilding and in housing sales, and layoffs by major companies as factors that are slowing economic growth in 2023.

“This independent five-year economic forecast by Dr. Steindel, who prepared economic projections for both Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, is an important addition to the public debate heading into the Governor’s Budget Address,” said Steve Sweeney, who chairs the Sweeney Center Advisory Board. “His projection that any recession would most likely be mild and short will be welcome news for the Legislature as it heads into its budget deliberations.”

The projections by Dr. Steindel, who also served as a senior vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, are in line with those put forward by the Multi-Year Budget Workgroup last June in its report, Comparing Multi-Year Revenue Forecasts With Current Services Budget Projections, which put the odds on a mild recession or slowdown at 80%.

The Multi-Year Budget Workgroup will update its five-year forecast of state revenue collections and whether those revenues would be sufficient to cover the cost of maintaining state services at current levels later this year after the state’s April income tax receipts are tallied.

RCSJ & INSPIRA BRING EXCELLENCE IN PATIENT CARE TO SOUTH JERSEY

The new, premier partnership is designed to educate and retain future healthcare professionals within the community.

This article first appeared in the West Deptford Patch on 4/25/2022

Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) and Inspira Health are bringing excellence in patient care to the South Jersey region thanks to a new alliance designed to educate and retain future healthcare professionals within the community.

On Friday, April 22, federal, state and local officials joined members of the education and healthcare communities to celebrate the creation of a partnership in education, employment and patient care. This latest EDs & MEDs collaboration provides priority clinical experience to support nursing, behavioral and allied health students at the College's Cumberland and Gloucester campuses, propelling local talent into healthcare careers.

Adding even more value to this already significant partnership is Inspira's generous $2 million gift to the College. The donation will support student scholarships for those pursuing healthcare occupations and fund future program development.

"Our premier partnership with Inspira Health aligns with the College's vision to prepare students for employment in areas of need and enhances the opportunity for clinical experience in the healthcare profession," stated Rowan College of South Jersey President Frederick Keating. "The College continues to expand and build robust partnerships within the education and medical communities. We thank Inspira for the generous financial and educational support provided to our students through scholarships, clinicals and job prospects."

"We are absolutely thrilled to enhance our partnership with Rowan College of South Jersey. Ultimately, this program will train the next generation of nursing and ancillary health professionals who will care for us, our loved ones, and our neighbors," said Inspira Health President /CEO Amy Mansue. "I am so grateful to Dr. Keating, the Rowan College and Inspira trustees, all the educators, and everyone — from both organizations — who worked so hard to make this possible."

RCSJ nursing and allied health students will study and train in two buildings displaying the Inspira name — the Inspira Health Nursing & Health Professions Center and the soon-to-be-completed Inspira Health Professions Center. In appreciation, RCSJ will provide all Inspira employees with a 50% discount on tuition and guarantee the best available price.

"Across Gloucester County we value partnerships. These partnerships continue to allow Gloucester County to be one of the fastest growing counties in the state. We are committed to growth and equal opportunity for all of our residents and students across southern New Jersey," said Director of the Gloucester County Board of Commissioners Frank J. DiMarco. "This specific partnership between Inspira and Rowan College of South Jersey is making education more accessible by allowing our local students to receive quality, affordable education right here at home.

Cumberland County Commissioner Director Darlene Barber agreed, "The dynamic partnership between RCSJ and Inspira provides an unprecedented opportunity for our residents to pursue their healthcare education and careers in one location at our Cumberland Campus."

Offering a selection of associate degrees, credit and non-credit certifications, more than 30 healthcare programs are available to RCSJ students and Inspira staff looking to advance or upskill their current roles. From Nursing to Nutrition, Physical Therapy to Radiography, Sonography to Peer Recovery, Phlebotomy to Mental Health, the College's relationship with Inspira serves to strengthen the knowledge and experience of RCSJ graduates entering the workforce.

"We are currently working together to create a first-in-the-region respiratory therapy program that will also include Rowan University," noted Mansue. This will be a model for future programs designed to meet the specific needs of our community."

"It's important to invest in EDs and MEDs because our future healthcare professionals are already right here in South Jersey, and it's time we keep our local talent here," said Steve Sweeney, former New Jersey Senate President, whose advocacy provided countless expansion projects for South Jersey's education and medical facilities. "Inspira's donation and partnership with Rowan College of South Jersey is not only going to provide jobs and help boost our local economy but will make a long-term investment into cutting-edge research and innovations that will be made right here in Gloucester and Cumberland Counties."

SWEENEY CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY LUNCHES MULTI-YEAR BUDGET PROJECT

The Sweeney Center for Public Policy at Rowan University today announced the formation of an expert Multi-Year Budget Workgroup to develop a five-year budget for the State of New Jersey based on consensus revenue projections put together by a team of economists.

“New Jersey fiscal policy has been hampered for decades by the failure to develop multi-year budget projections based on consensus revenue forecasting by independent economists,” said Steve Sweeney, the former Senate president who chairs the policy center’s advisory board.

“Multi-year projections need to be made public so they can be critiqued, inform citizens, and guide the governor and the legislature in the creation of sound, sustainable budgets that make New Jersey competitive, affordable and an even better place to live.”

The Multi-Year Budget Workgroup, which currently includes 25 budget experts and economists, held its first meeting today in Trenton and set a target to produce its first five-year baseline budget report by early June, with a more detailed budget that will include policy options next January.

“This is a particularly challenging time to embark on a multi-year budget because of the unprecedented one-time infusions of federal aid, the complex interplay of new borrowing and debt defeasance, and the impact of a volatile high-inflation economy on New Jersey’s particularly volatile tax base,” said Mark Magyar, the Sweeney Center’s interim director.

“But it is in times like these that long-term fiscal planning is needed the most. We need to know if we are facing a fiscal cliff, and if so, when.”

Senate Budget Chair Paul Sarlo, who has sponsored legislation calling for a multi-year budget, announced earlier this week that he wanted to take a two-year approach in developing the FY23 state budget.

Last year, the non-partisan Volcker Alliance gave New Jersey a “D” for budget forecasting based on the state’s failure to develop multi-year revenue and spending projections, which 22 states do, and implement consensus revenue forecasting, as 30 other states have done.

The last multi-year budget projections made public in New Jersey were the 2011 and 2012 “Facing Our Future” reports developed by a blue-ribbon panel under the auspices of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers. Richard Keevey and Ray Caprio, the Rutgers University professors who developed the fiscal projections for that report, are both serving on the workgroup, as is William Glasgall, deputy director of the Volcker Alliance.

Michael Vrancik, a 20-year Treasury veteran and school finance expert, is joining the Sweeney Center as a Policy Fellow to serve as coordinator of the Multi-Year Budgeting Workgroup.

“Treasury used to do five-year growth projections for the rating agencies, but stopped doing so more than 15 years ago,” Vrancik said. “The difference is that they were never made public.”

The Multi-Year Budgeting Workgroup currently includes 25 members, but it will be expanded in the weeks ahead as experts in particular areas of budget policy are added. The workgroup, which held its first meeting on March 31 at Thomas Edison State University in Trenton, includes:

• Steve Sweeney, general vice president of the International Association of the Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers union and former Senate president;

• Mark Magyar, interim director of the Sweeney Center for Public Policy, College of Humanities & Social Sciences, Rowan University, and former deputy director of New Jersey Senate Majority Office;

• Michael Vrancik, Sweeney Center Policy Fellow, former director of government relations for the New Jersey School Boards Association and former New Jersey Treasury Office of Management and Budget manager;

• Zoe Baldwin, New Jersey director for the Regional Plan Association;

• Deborah Bierbaum, senior tax policy adviser for Multistate and former New York State deputy commissioner of tax policy;

• Raphael J. Caprio, Ph.D., University Professor, Rutgers University, and director of the Rutgers Local Government Research Bureau;

• Janna Chernetz, New Jersey director for the Tristate Transportation Campaign;

• Lucille E. Davy, of counsel to Mason, Griffin & Pierson, P.C., and former New Jersey education commissioner;

• Matthew D’Oria, senior policy adviser to the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute’s Medicaid Policy Center and former New Jersey deputy health commissioner;

• Chris Emigholz, vice president of government affairs for the New Jersey Business and Industry Association and former New Jersey Senate Republican budget director;

• William Glasgall, senior director for public finance at The Volcker Alliance;

• Thomas J. Healey, president of Healey Development Company, Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and former assistant secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department;

• Stuti Jha, Ph.D., associate professor of economics, Rowan University;

• Kul Kapri, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics, Rowan University;

• Richard Keevey, senior policy fellow at Rutgers University and former assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, former undersecretary of U.S. Defense Department and former New Jersey state budget director and controller;

• Michael L. Lahr, Ph.D., director of Rutgers Economic Advisory Service;

• Eugene Lepore, executive director of the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities and former New Jersey Senate Democratic budget director;

• Yupeng Li, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics, Rowan University;

• Marcela Ospina Maziarz, vice president for community and government affairs at Thomas Edison State University and former New Jersey deputy health commissioner;

• Joel Naroff, Ph.D., president of Naroff Economics LLC;

• Marc Pfeiffer, assistant director of Rutgers University’s Bloustein Bureau of Local Government Research and former deputy director of New Jersey Division of Local Government Services;

• Sheila Reynertsen, senior policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective, w and author of a 2021 report calling for consensus revenue forecasting and a multi-year budget;

• David Rousseau, vice president of Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of New Jersey and former New Jersey state treasurer;

• Charles Steindel, Ph.D., resident scholar at Ramapo College’s Anisfield School of Business, former New Jersey Treasury Department chief economist and former senior vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; and

• Ralph Thomas, executive director of the New Jersey Association of Certified Public Accountants

For more information or to contact the Sweeney Center, call (856) 256-5868

ROWAN UNIVERSITY LAUNCHES SWEENEY CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY

Rowan University President Ali Houshmand today announced the formation of the Steve Sweeney Center for Public Policy at Rowan University to conduct evidence-based research, support workforce development and formulate answers to New Jersey’s most complex policy issues.

“The new policy center will tackle the toughest of issues and make its evidence-based research available to the public both for transparency and to enable greater citizen participation in state and local government issues,” said Houshmand. “We are pleased and honored that Senator Sweeney accepted our invitation to help guide the public policy center we envisioned. Having worked for decades with both Democratic and Republican administrations, he has built relationships across the aisle to develop policy and enact change to improve New Jersey.” 

Establishing the center makes it possible to respond to changes and needs apparent both now and on the horizon.

“New Jersey needs an independent bipartisan public policy center that brings together the best experts and rigorous researchers to develop pragmatic, short- and long-term solutions that improve our state’s competitiveness, grow our economy, develop our workforce, enhance our quality of life and make the state more affordable for everyone who wants to study, work, live and retire here,” said Sweeney, who will serve as chairperson of the Center’s advisory board. “We are going to do public policy in public. I am gratified that Rowan University shares this vision and honored that the policy center will bear my name.”

Well aware of the imperative to educate students in public policy, the University began to plan a graduate degree in the field in 2019 and began planning the formation of a policy center focused on New Jersey issues in 2021. Acknowledging the continued and urgent need to address policy with the benefit of interdisciplinary and evidence-based perspectives, Rowan’s Board of Trustees approved the degree program, and now the University is creating the center.

“Senator Sweeney’s interest in bringing light to important policy issues coincides perfectly with the University’s interest to further develop applied research and career-centered programming,” said Nawal Ammar, dean of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences, the academic division in which the center will be housed.

Mark Magyar, who served as Sweeney’s Senate policy director, has been appointed as founding director of the Sweeney Center. Magyar will teach an undergraduate course in state and local government in the fall and the graduate course in public finance next spring. An award-winning Statehouse reporter who also served as a senior policy adviser to Governor Christine Todd Whitman, Magyar taught labor studies at Rutgers University for 12 years.

“The Sweeney Center will develop achievable solutions to complex policy issues based on data-driven analysis, benchmarking, rigorous academic research, and convening working groups that bring together policy experts, stakeholders and advocates to reach consensus on recommendations,” said Magyar. “I am honored that Senator Sweeney and Dr. Houshmand entrusted me with this mission.”

“The Sweeney Center’s applied public policy research complements the academic work of our faculty, and I am excited to have Mark join the college leading the center as well as teaching as one of our faculty,” said Ammar.

Anthony Lowman, Rowan University provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, said the addition of the Sweeney Center for Public Policy would strengthen Rowan’s Public Policy program as it prepares to launch a master’s degree in public policy in September.

“Making the Sweeney Center an integral part of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences will provide strategic linkages for our faculty and afford valuable opportunities for our graduate and undergraduate students in all disciplines to work on interdisciplinary and cutting-edge public policy research projects with top public officials and thought leaders,” said Lowman.

The Sweeney Center will attract policy fellows who are among the leading experts in their fields to coordinate major policy research. “We plan to expand scholarship and research at the center through philanthropic efforts that support the center,” said Ammar. 

A top 100 national public research institution rapidly rising to Carnegie R1 status, Rowan University offers bachelor’s through doctoral and professional programs in person and online to 23,000 students.

The addition of the Sweeney Center will enhance the University’s public policy research capacity, where its eight colleges and eight schools have focused on practical research at the intersection of engineering, medicine, science, social and behavioral science and business while ensuring excellence in undergraduate education.

The Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship (RIPPAC) will continue with its mission to inform, engage and train Rowan students, faculty and the public in all issues related to politics, policy and active citizenship. 

Rowan, the fourth fastest-growing public research university in the nation, has earned national recognition for innovation; high-quality, affordable education; and public-private partnerships. With the opening of the School of Veterinary Medicine, Rowan will join Michigan State University as one of only two universities in the nation with medical schools granting M.D. and D.O. degrees and a veterinary school. Rowan is also home to South Jersey Technology Park.

To contact the Sweeney Center, call (856) 256-5868 or email sweeneycenter@rowan.edu or magyarm@rowan.edu. The website is http://chss.rowan.edu/sweeneycenter/.

SWEENEY & CHIARAVALLOTI: AN INSIDIOUS ASSAULT ON DEMOCRACY IS UNDERWAY | OPINION

By Stephen Sweeney and Nicholas Chiaravalloti for NJ.com

January 6th marked the one-year anniversary of the deadly insurrection on our nation’s capital. We all know how the foundation of our American ideals and government was besieged by domestic extremists that day.

But there’s been another quieter, insidious assault on democracy — and explicitly our constitution — being shopped from state-to-state right under our noses. Namely, the call for an Article V Convention, which could not only undermine but even rewrite the U.S. Constitution.

We’re happy to report that, here in New Jersey, the state Legislature did our part to preserve the democratic process and protect the rights of all Americans. Thankfully, our Senate and Assembly voted overwhelmingly to rescind all applications previously transmitted to Congress calling for a constitutional convention.

Leading the effort to trigger this dangerous convention is former right-wing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. He’s advocating for a federal balanced budget amendment (BBA), which would destroy the opportunity for nationwide emergency funding and possibly create economic problems throughout our country.

Moreover, well-funded, aggressive special interest groups have risen to misuse previous plenary applications introduced by state legislatures calling for an Article V Convention and opening the document for a rewrite. In other words, given the lack of BBA progress, pro-convention advocates are working hard to combine prior generic calls for a constitutional convention with single-subject applications to reach the 34-state threshold.

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For example, in New Jersey, between 1861 and 2015, the state submitted at least nine petitions for a constitutional convention. During President Abraham Lincoln’s first year in office, New Jersey passed a plenary application just as the Civil War began. At the start of the last century, the state passed another application calling for the direct election of senators. And in 1920, New Jersey passed one calling for the repeal of prohibition.

Amazingly, these out-of-date calls were all still on the books even though they are no longer relevant or needed. And any of these stale calls could have theoretically been combined with another state’s call to limit the role of the federal government — opening the floodgates. And that’s frightening.

The U.S. Constitution has been amended only 27 times, but never through a convention. In fact, the last convention was in 1787 – at which time the current document replaced the Articles of Confederation.

There’s no guidance in our constitution outlining protocols for a convention. So, it could – and would - become a complete runaway endeavor with no guardrails. Our three branches of government would have no authority. And there would be no jurisprudence, resulting in legal and political chaos.

Regardless of what issue a convention is officially called for, there are absolutely no rules limiting to one scope or subject. No one knows what could happen now when the political and social climate is more divisive than ever before.

At a time when extreme polarization exists and big money organizations buy influence for wealthy special interest groups, chaos would undoubtedly ensue. And lasting damage would be done. One far-right activist, Mark Meckler, once said his goal in calling a convention “is intended to reverse 115 years of progressivism.”

A constitutional convention would likely open up the entire document for a redraft. Americans could easily lose the right to free speech, freedom of religion, the right to privacy, to vote and so much more. Clearly, we are facing a dire threat to the very fabric of our country. A convention would grant states the opportunity to completely scrap our existing Constitution and rewrite it entirely anew. Any success in advocating for an Article V Convention would jeopardize all civil liberties and all restraints on presidential power. And this should concern Americans of all political stripes - be they conservative, liberal or moderate.

Rescinding all previous convention calls around the country is the best option to ensure a state is not unintentionally counted in efforts to hold a convention. We are proud that New Jersey is leading the firewall thwarting these ill-advised and dangerous efforts.

Stephen Sweeney formerly represented the 3rd Legislative District from 2002 - 2022 and also served as Senate President from 2010-2022.

Assemblyman Nicholas Chiaravalloti formerly represented the 31st Legislative District from 2016-2022 and served as the Assembly Majority Whip.

SWEENEY’S LEGACY: NEW LAWS SET TO AID PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

Lame-duck legislation caps Sweeney’s Senate career. ‘My legacy,’ he says

By Katie Crist for NJ Spotlight News

January 27, 2022

The pandemic has made it especially challenging for people with disabilities to complete their education or land a job, but now the state is expanding its assistance in one of Steve Sweeney’s last acts as Senate president — and fittingly so.

Gov. Phil Murphy recently signed a series of bills intended to help individuals with developmental disabilities, measures pushed by lawmakers in the last days of the lame-duck voting sessions.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, almost 20% of the U.S. population is considered disabled, but only 20% of disabled people participate in the workforce.

“Employment is so important for these individuals,” said Sweeney, the former Senate president, in an interview with NJ Spotlight News after leaving office. “It is the only way to alleviate the economic inequity they face.”

Sweeney, who has an adult child with a developmental disability, shepherded the bills through the legislative session’s final days as part of a package meant to boost education and workforce training for those with disabilities.

Priority task

After a shocking loss to a political novice in the recent election, Sweeney ended his Senate career with the January voting sessions and made it a priority, he said, to get these bills passed.

“It is very easy for them to be put on the back burner,” he said. “But I have made sure their issues were at the top of the pile.”

Of the bills that have been passed, there are several that Sweeney said will make a considerable difference in the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities. One of the new laws (S-4211/A-6228) will create county college-based adult centers to help people with developmental disabilities up to 24 years old transition out of other programs. The law also requires an annual appropriation of $4.5 million to jump-start these initiatives.

Sweeney said that many of these people are not able to reach their full potential as community members with maximum independence and productivity because the education and related services they were entitled to while in school, ended abruptly once they left the system. Sen. Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth), another sponsor, said the pandemic has severely stunted their ability to successfully become independent.

“The pandemic shined a light on many of the challenges they face,” O’Scanlon said. “It has opened peoples’ eyes and magnified the greater community’s awareness of this problem.”

“This virus has shown how vulnerable this community is,” Sweeney agreed.

In a joint statement, the Assembly sponsors of this bill, Assembly members Daniel J. Benson (D-Mercer, Middlesex), Pedro Mejia (D-Bergen), Shanique Speight (D-Essex) and Andrew Zwicker (D-Somerset) agreed that the pandemic has created a sense of urgency for legislation that supports this community.

“Disruptions to the school year have only added to the stress that many students with developmental disabilities feel as they age out of the public school system and are forced to adjust to a new normal,” they said. “We have the opportunity to provide these individuals with much-needed support that will put them in a better position to lead independent and rewarding lives through higher education or by joining the workforce.”

Fast-track employment

Another bill (S-3418/A-5294) that’s now law will provide fast-track hiring and advance employment opportunities for those with disabilities. This program will enable employers to hire, promote, retain and advance qualified individuals whose disabilities prevent them from participating in the competitive hiring and promotion process.

Sweeney stated that this law will help alleviate the high unemployment rate in this community. “People with disabilities are good employees,” he said. “They just want to live and work like you and me.”

A similar bill (S-3426/A-5296) will require the Division of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action and the Civil Service Commission to develop a “State as a Model Employer of People with Disabilities” or SAME program. The purpose would be to increase awareness of employment opportunities for people with disabilities and remove barriers to the application and hiring process.

“It is well-known that workers with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are hardworking individuals who consistently have a positive impact on all employees within a company,” said Christina M. Renna, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. “Employers of all sizes and industry types are more than willing to hire individuals with disabilities but have some uncertainties around the costs associated with training needs and other necessary accommodations. This legislation would help employers offset these costs, further incentivizing the business community to hire from within the IDD community of skilled workers.”

Holdovers for next sessions

Not every bill in this series received full approval. One in particular (S-3809/A-5986) was intended to provide a tax credit for corporations and businesses that employ people with developmental disabilities. It passed unanimously in the Senate but failed in the Assembly. Thus,  it will need to be reconsidered in the new legislative session.

O’Scanlon stated that he is ready to pick up Sweeney’s baton and continue the fight for individuals with disabilities. “The Murphy administration owes this community, and now we can make it up to them,” he said. “I am going to push for this.”

When he signed these bills into law, Murphy said that all New Jerseyans deserve equal access to community support and opportunities. “These essential measures recognize the significant contributions that disabled individuals provide to our economy, will expand access to training and new employment opportunities and positively impact the lives of many of our residents,” he commented.

The work of fighting for people like his daughter was the greatest honor of his Senate career, Sweeney said.

“It is my legacy,” he said. “It is my life.”

Other related bills Murphy signed into law include:

S-4102/A-6230 (Sweeney, Teresa Ruiz/Benson, Mejia, Zwicker): Establishes Direct Support Professional Career Development Program and appropriates $1 million to support DSP workers and encourage them to remain in the workforce.

S-4210/A-6062 (Sweeney, Linda R. Greenstein/Louis D. Greenwald, Angela V. McKnight, Raj Mukherji):  Requires EDA to establish a loan program to assist certain businesses with funding to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities.

S-3426/A-5296 (Speight, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, McKnight/Sean T. Kean, Schepisi): Provides employment by the state for certain people with disabilities.

S-3441/A-5336 (Benson, Roy Freiman, Vainieri Huttle/Patrick J. Diegnan, Fred H. Madden): Requires DHS to establish payment programs for purchase of transportation services from private-sector and government transportation providers.

SCUTARI, WEINBERG, GREENSTEIN, SWEENEY, GOPAL: FREEDOM OF REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE ACT SENDS MESSAGE TO NATION

Law enacted today codifies NJ Supreme Court rulings ensuring woman’s right to choose as a fundamental right under New Jersey Constitution

January 13, 2022

TRENTON – Senate President Nick Scutari, former Senate President Steve Sweeney, former Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, and Senators Linda Greenstein and Vin Gopal today lauded the enactment of the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, which codified state Supreme Court rulings guaranteeing a woman’s right to reproductive choice as a fundamental right under the New Jersey Constitution.

Sponsored by Senators Weinberg, Greenstein, Sweeney and Gopal, the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act guarantees “the fundamental right of reproductive autonomy” to all individuals present in New Jersey, including non-residents. The bill was signed into law by Governor Murphy today in Senator Weinberg’s hometown, Teaneck.

“Enacting the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act into statute will help protect the reproductive rights of women in New Jersey against the potential reversal by the United States Supreme Court,” said Senate President Nick Scutari (D-Union/Middlesex/Somerset). “It is rooted in the State Constitution, consistent with decisions by the New Jersey Supreme Court and written to safeguard the fundamental right of women to make their own decisions on reproductive care. We will not allow these rights to be lost to forces outside the state that run counter to the core beliefs of the people of New Jersey, including the principle of equal treatment for women by insurance companies. Coverage for contraceptives should be granted the same level of importance as other prescriptions. These laws enshrine protections and make progress for women in New Jersey.”

“With a woman’s right to choose under Roe v. Wade under attack in the U.S. Supreme Court, it is critical that we have enacted legislation rooted in the New Jersey Constitution that clearly and unequivocally protects freedom of reproductive choice, including the right to access contraception, the right to terminate a pregnancy, and the right to carry a pregnancy to term,” said former Senator Weinberg, the Bergen County Democrat who was the lead sponsor of the bill.

“January 22nd is the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. With the enactment of S49 into law, the Legislature and the Governor are sending a clear message to the nation that in New Jersey, a woman’s right to choose is, and will remain, a fundamental right,” said former Senator Sweeney, who pushed through the bill on his last day as Senate President. “I was proud to join Senator Weinberg in fighting to ensure that the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act would become law.”

“The Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act is a comprehensive bill that guarantees women will continue to have the right to make their own personal decisions on their reproductive care, regardless of how the U.S. Supreme Court rules. “I’m pleased to see this incredibly important legislation signed into law today,” said Senator Greenstein (D-Mercer/Middlesex).

“A person’s right of reproductive choice, in effect a right of control over one’s own body, remains a fundamental right enshrined in our Constitution,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). “This law, the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, will protect this basic freedom under New Jersey statute and ensure individual choice on when and whether to have children in a time and place that is compatible with their lifestyles and beliefs. Self-determination is one of the founding principles of this state and this nation. That principle should and must extend to any person in New Jersey regarding reproductive rights.”

The Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act enables all qualified health care professionals to provide pregnancy termination services. The bill authorizes the Department of Banking and Insurance to issue regulations requiring insurance companies to provide coverage for abortions upon completion of a study demonstrating the need for such coverage. The bill recognizes the right of religious employers to request an exemption from such coverage if it conflicts with their religious beliefs.

The Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act specifically cites the right to reproductive choice established by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Right to Choose v. Byrne (1981) and Planned Parenthood of Central New Jersey v. Farmer (2000); the cases asserted the “fundamental right of a woman to control her body and destiny.”

The legislation specifically recognizes that:

Governmental restrictions on reproductive choice, by their very nature, impinge on the constitutional right to reproductive autonomy, particularly when they fail to confer any benefits to patients in the form of improved health or safety. Moreover, restrictions of this nature often have a disparate impact that is predominantly felt by persons who already experience barriers to health care access, including young people, people of color, people with disabilities, people with low income, people living in rural areas, immigrants, and people who are transgender or non-binary.

The Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act emerged after weeks of negotiations that followed indications that the U.S. Supreme Court was preparing to restrict the federal right to reproductive choice established under the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The high court heard arguments in October on a Mississippi law that would ban the termination of pregnancies after 15 weeks.

SWEENEY PLEDGES TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR BIPARTISANSHIP, AFFORDABILITY, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND REFORM

January 10, 2022

TRENTON – Today the longest serving Senate President in the state’s history, Steve Sweeney, adjourned the Senate and on Tuesday the Senate will reconvene with a new Senate President for the first time in six sessions.  Senate President Sweeney reflected on his tenure as the second most powerful elected official for over a decade: 

“Twelve years ago, I took the oath of office for the first time as Senate President, pledging to prioritize fiscal responsibility and economic growth.Now that I have concluded this stage of service I can look back in pride of the legislative progress and accomplishments we have made in this time. Public pension reform, the reverse auction for pharmacy benefits, elimination of cash bail, and the school regionalization initiative we are launching are lasting reforms that have saved and will continue to save the state and our taxpayers billions of dollars.”

Even with the sense of accomplishment Senate President Sweeney possesses for his record on creating more government efficiency, it is his work delivering for individuals with disabilities that remains his number-one passion. Sweeney stated:

“I was originally motivated to get into politics after my daughter Lauren was born prematurely with Down syndrome. She was a gift to me in so many ways. Twenty years later, as Senate President, I was able to make sure that all New Jersey parents had the same opportunity to be with their loved ones in their time of greatest need when the paid family leave bill I sponsored and fought for was signed into law.  

“Providing for the needs of the disabilities community has continued to be a focus of my entire career in public life, and I am proud that this year we were finally able to make sure that the State met its statutory obligation to provide over 85 percent of the cost of Extraordinary Special Education for students with the greatest need, saving money for property taxpayers at the same time developmentally disabled students are offered equal educational opportunities.

“I know the disabilities community is worried that I am leaving, and I am grateful for the support they have provided all this time, I am confident that the work on behalf of the disabled and the fight for their rights will continue because I know that Senator Scutari will be picking up that mantle here in the Senate.”

Even after a decade-plus of service as Senate President, Steve Sweeney has made it clear he will continue to serve the public and remain engaged in the policies of importance. He may not now hold elected office, but he is not done serving the public or being a champion for good public policy.

“We have a long way to go to make New Jersey affordable and much more to do to make the lives of our residents more economically secure. We need to do more to cut the high cost of living in New Jersey, starting with the development of bold strategies to lower property taxes, promote economic growth and spur job creation so we can generate prosperity for all New Jerseyans. This is the cause that remains my commitment to progress and reforms. I may be stepping aside from the Senate Presidency, but I will step up to a new role with a voice that is just as strong. I am not going away.”

Senate President Sweeney then stepped down from the Senate Podium and on to the next stage of his career of public service.

SWEENEY, BEACH BILL TO EXPAND ELIGIBILITY TO BECOME A CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT APPROVED BY SENATE

January 10, 2022

Trenton – In an effort to expand the ranks of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), the Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Jim Beach that would establish a program to enable family members and others to train as CNAs and provide private duty nursing services to NJ FamilyCare or Medicaid enrollees under age 21. 

“For many families living with child with severe medical needs, caring for them can turn into a full-time job,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “In an effort to assist these families, by expanding the parameters to become a Certified Nursing Assistant, we can help these families earn compensation for the work that they are doing to care for a loved one. As we continue to recuperate from the losses felt early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative we do all that we can to bolster an overstretched direct-care workforce. By establishing this program, we will be able to expand who can become a CNA, fill staffing gaps and care for everyone in the way they deserve to be cared for.” 

The bill, S-3847 would require the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) to establish a program to allow a family member of an enrollee in Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare, or a third-party individual approved by the enrollee’s parent or guardian, to become qualified as a CNA. They would be able to provide CNA services to the enrollee through a private duty nursing agency, under the direction of a registered nurse. Specifically, an individual who becomes a CNA under the program would be reimbursed at a rate of at least $30 per hour. 

“Parents who care for a child with severe medical issues often take on a full-time workload caring for their kid without any compensation,” said Senator Beach (D-Burlington/Camden). “This bill is critical in order to provide them with some aid while also helping the currently overstretched healthcare workforce.”

Under the bill, the program would only apply to enrollees who are under 21 years of age and qualify for private duty nursing services under Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare. The DMAHS would be required to develop an assessment tool that would readily identify enrollees who meet the criteria for eligibility. 

In order to become a certified CNA, family members or approved third-party individuals would be required to complete all of the training, testing, and other qualification criteria that are required under state and federal law for certification as a CNA.  

The bill was approved by the Senate by a vote of 38-1. 

SENATE APPROVES SWEENEY BILL PROVIDING TAX CREDITS FOR EMPLOYING THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

January 10, 2022

Trenton – Tax credits would spur the employment of those with developmental disabilities, giving them the opportunity to gain the skills and experience to become model employees, under legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney that was approved by the Senate today.

The bill, S-3809, would allow individuals and businesses a 10 percent tax credit for employing persons with a developmental disability.

“This can open the doors of opportunity for those with disabilities, giving them the ability to gain the skills and experience to do the work they are fully capable of,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “It can be the first step towards gainful employment where they will become valued workers. When given the opportunity, they prove to be model employees.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, almost 20% of the U.S. population is considered disabled, but only 20% of disabled persons are participating in the workforce.

The legislation would allow taxpayers to claim a credit against their corporation business tax liability or gross income tax liability of 10 percent of the salary and wages paid to an employee with a developmental disability. The credit can be claimed annually for the same employee. It would be capped at $3,000 per worker, and the total credit would be capped at $60,000 per taxpayer per year.

An “employee with a developmental disability” is defined in accordance with state law and includes those whom the Division of Developmental Disabilities has declared eligible for its services.

New Jersey already allows taxpayers to claim a credit for the employment of certain persons with disabilities at an occupational training center or sheltered workshop. The bill expands the credit to any type of employment.

“It is well-known that workers with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are hardworking individuals, who consistently have a positive impact on all employees within a company,” said Christina M. Renna, President and CEO, Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. “Employers of all sizes and industry types are more than willing to hire individuals with disabilities, but have some uncertainties around the costs associated with training needs and other necessary accommodations. This legislation would help employers offset these costs, further incentivizing the business community to hire from within the IDD community of skilled workers.”

“NJBIA strongly supports this legislation providing tax credits to businesses which hire individuals with developmental disabilities, and we thank Senate President Sweeney for his sponsorship of the bill,” said Michele Siekerka, President and CEO, New Jersey Business & Industry Association. “Many businesses have hired individuals with disabilities because of the great value they bring to their workforce. But certainly, more can be – and should be – done to enhance these opportunities. New Jersey needs to capitalize on the momentum in this space and we believe the use of tax credits for those who employ those in the IDD community will help continue this forward motion.” 

The Senate vote was 39-0.

MARRIAGE EQUALITY NOW ENSHRINED IN STATE LAW

January 10, 2022

TRENTON – Legislation that would help preserve the rights of same-sex couples and LGBTQ families in New Jersey by putting into state statute protections for marriage equality established by court decisions was enacted into law today.

Sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney, outgoing Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg and Senator Vin Gopal, the law, S-3416, codifies into New Jersey statute the right of same-sex couples to marry.

“This is about acting to ensure equal treatment and civil rights for all New Jerseyans, including same-sex couples,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “Marriage equality respects the rights of loving couples who deserve to be treated equally. The courts have ruled that same-sex marriages are a fundamental right, but we want to put it into statute to protect against any backtracking by the U. S. Supreme Court. It is the right thing to do.”

A state statute would bring New Jersey law in line with the 2013 State Supreme Court decision in Garden State Equality v. Dow as well as the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell et al. v. Hodges, which held that same-sex marriage is a fundamental right and that all states are required to allow same-sex couples to marry.

“Devoted same-sex couples all across New Jersey are raising families as contributing members of their communities,” said Senator Weinberg (D-Bergen). “We fought to correct the injustice that denied these rights for too many loving couples for far too long. We don’t want to see those rights lost to an arch-conservative agenda of recent Supreme Court appointees.”

“Basic equal rights should not be denied to any class of citizen, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). “The law must protect all civil rights and continue to honor the union between two people who love each other. We need to make these rights more secure by writing them into law.”

The head of Garden State Equality, a leading advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights, expressed his organization’s support for the legislative action.

“With a conservative leaning Supreme Court we cannot afford to sit by in hopes the Justices will leave Obergefell v. Hodges intact,” said Christian Fuscarino, Executive Director, Garden State Equality. “I would like to thank Senate President Sweeney for prioritizing this bill and HIV decriminalization during lame duck. We thank the Senate for voting to codify marriage equality into law and ensure New Jersey not only continues to lead the nation on issues of equality, but safeguards them for decades to come.”

SWEENEY SAYING GOODBYE TO NJ SENATE AFTER STUNNING LOSS. BUT HE VOWS: “I’M NOT DONE”

By: Brent Johnson and Matt Arco for NJ.com

January 10, 2022

TRENTON – Stephen Sweeney said he doesn’t want any speeches in honor as he prepares to end his tenure as president of the New Jersey Senate at noon Tuesday.

The reason? For Sweeney, the hulking, suspender-wearing, sometimes-polarizing South Jersey Democrat who has helped shape Garden State politics the last 12 years, this goodbye is not a final goodbye.

“I’m not done,” he insisted about his career multiple times during an interview with NJ Advance Media at the Statehouse in Trenton last week.

The 62-year-old lawmaker is leaving the Senate after losing his seat in one of the most shocking defeats in New Jersey history, having fallen to Republican Ed Durr, a little-known truck driver with no elected experience, in November. It was so stunning even comedy shows like “Saturday Night Live” and “Last Week Tonight” poked fun at the results.

“Being the brunt of national jokes is not the kind of way I wanted to go out,” Sweeney, D-Gloucester, admitted.

Still, he stressed this is not retirement. Sweeney said he hasn’t ruled out challenging Durr to regain his Senate seat when it’s up again in two years. And he is even considered a likely candidate for governor in 2025.

“I’m not ruling out anything,” Sweeney said.

In the short term, though, Monday is Sweeney’s last voting session at the helm of the Senate. Tuesday at noon will officially mark the end of his reign as the longest-serving Senate president in New Jersey history, when state Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, will be sworn in as the chamber’s new leader.

The job has made Sweeney the second most powerful elected state leader, after the governor, in New Jersey. Armed with a blunt sense of humor and sometimes equally blunt temperament, Sweeney has helped usher in a wide array of legislation, from raising the state’s minimum wage to installing paid family leave to revamping school funding.

A self-described “centrist” Democrat, Sweeney both sparred and cut deals with former Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican he considers a friend. And in recent years, he worked with current Gov. Phil Murphy, a fellow Democrat, to enact a series of Democratic priorities, though he often publicly feuded with the more progressive governor.

Christie said Sweeney has been “about as good a tactical manager of his caucus that I’ve ever seen” and expects people will see how rare that talent is once he’s gone.

“If you made a deal with Steve, you didn’t have to hold your breath, most of the time, to see if Steve could deliver his caucus,” Christie told NJ Advance Media. “To me, that was Steve’s biggest strength. … We didn’t negotiate small things. ... And he was able to deliver every time he said he would.”

But one of Sweeney’s signature achievements — reforming public-worker pensions and benefits — made him an enemy of some union officials. And left-leaning advocates frequently criticized Sweeney and his childhood friend and ally George Norcross, a South Jersey Democratic powerbroker who oversees a large voting bloc in the state Legislature, for stalling progressive policies.

Some have even championed how both Sweeney and a handful of other South Jersey Democratic lawmakers lost to Republicans in November’s election.

Sue Altman, executive director of advocacy group New Jersey Working Families, said “we’re not thrilled” a Republican is taking Sweeney’s seat in South Jersey’s 3rd legislative district, but “we’re absolutely thrilled” his loss has “dislodged one of the biggest obstacles to progressive progress” in New Jersey.

“We believe his departure will leave space for new leadership, for new voices,” Altman said. “South Jersey Democrats are conservative and old-fashioned in their thinking, and it’s well past time they’ve been shown the door.”

Some have even quipped Sweeney might as well be a Republican.

Sweeney doesn’t sweat it.

“They’re phonies,” he said of his critics. “They don’t stand for anything for real. They cheered Ed Durr beating me. What Democrat would cheer that?”

“They don’t realize in order to get things done, you have to compromise,” Sweeney added. “How did they endorse Phil Murphy and not endorse me? Every bill progressive governor Phil Murphy signed into law was passed through my house. A lot of it with me sponsoring it. So what are they against? That I won’t do what I’m told? That I’m willing to find a solution to get the job done?”

“If you’re gonna back down whenever everybody else yells or hollers, then you’re gonna have nothing but paralysis.”

FOR HIS DAUGHTER

Sweeney, a native of Pennsauken and resident of West Deptford, is an ironworker by trade and has long been the leader of an iron workers union.

He said Democrats and Republicans both asked him to run for Gloucester County freeholder a quarter-century ago.

“If I had run as a Republican, my father would have shot me,” Sweeney said. “My father was a Roosevelt Democrat. I’m a centrist Democrat. My father, he made FDR look like a conservative.”

Sweeney was elected to the freeholder board in 1997. It was the start of a political career he said was inspired and has been shaped by his daughter, Lauren, who was born 28 years ago with Down syndrome.

“I just didn’t like the way people treated people with disabilities,” he said. “I’d walk into a restaurant and someone would stare at her. And me being Mr. Polished, I’d say, ‘She’s beautiful, isn’t she?’ And they’d say, ‘Oh yeah.’ I’d say, ‘She has Down Syndrome, not dumb syndrome. Don’t stare.’ She motivated me.”

Sweeney was elected to the state Senate in 2001, defeating Republican incumbent Raymond Zane. He then became Senate majority leader in 2008, at the time Democrat Jon Corzine was governor — a man Sweeney calls a “true gentleman.” In 2010, he became Senate president, wresting the post away from longtime President Richard Codey, D-Essex, a former governor.

Along the way, Sweeney has been bolstered by his longtime friendship and alliance with Norcross, a wealthy insurance executive from Camden known as maybe the most powerful non-elected official in New Jersey because of how he bankrolls candidates and corrals votes.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney is interviewed in Trenton last week.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

CHRISTIE AND PENSIONS

Soon after he ascended to the top of the Senate, Sweeney faced his biggest battle: a controversial bipartisan push to reform New Jersey’s perpetually underfunded public-worker pension system. He teamed with Christie, then the new Republican governor, to enact the agreement in exchange for reforming public workers’ health care benefits. The deal was feverishly opposed by many union leaders.

Sweeney — who said his career as a union leader made him a natural fit for the fight — still insists the move rescued the pension system and saved taxpayers money.

“So the people that view me as their enemy, someday maybe they’ll wake up and realize that we saved their pension,” he said.

Christie and Sweeney didn’t always get along. They had a long-running, high-profile clash about the political makeup of the state Supreme Court. And in 2011, after Christie vetoed programs Sweeney cared about from the state budget, Sweeney famously called him “a rotten prick.”

But he isn’t shy to say they’re friends, even if some people on the left lament how closely he worked with Christie.

“Do we judge somebody because they have Republican friends and Democrat friends?” Sweeney asked. “Christie came to see me two days after he was elected. And he said to me, ‘Are we gonna get anything done? Or are we just gonna do the politics?’ I was like, ‘Well, what do you want to do?’ He said, ‘I want to get some things done.’ I said, ‘If we can focus on areas of commonality, we can get some things done. And where there are things we can’t agree on, do your politics, just don’t make it personal.’”

MURPHY AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Then came Murphy, the proudly progressive Democrat who succeeded Christie in 2018. Murphy’s election cleared the way for Sweeney and the Legislature to enact many policies that got stonewalled under Christie — minimum wage, paid family leave, equal pay, restored Planned Parenthood funding.

But Murphy was often at odds with Sweeney and Norcross at the beginning of his term. They had especially bitter fights over tax increases and tax incentives.

Their most recent disagreement has come just days before Sweeney’s exit. The Legislature is set to allow many of Murphy’s remaining emergency COVID-19 powers and orders expire Tuesday — including the school mask mandate — despite the governor asking for an extension to help fight a new surge. Sweeney argued vaccinations are now readily available and the state has to “learn how to move forward” with the virus.

Asked what it’s been like to work with Murphy, Sweeney said it’s “a different style” from Christie.

“There’s nothing that was going on that Christie didn’t know about or didn’t know something about it,” Sweeney said. “And the Murphy administration is not in the weeds. It’s not a knock. It’s just a different style.”

For his part, Murphy said his administration has enjoyed “a really good working relationship” with Sweeney.

“The first year, we took a while to get used to each other and get into a rhythm,”the governor told NJ Advance Media. “But I think he’d also agree for the past two and a half, three years, we have been in that rhythm. That doesn’t mean we’re always gonna see something the same way.”

Looking back, Sweeney has a long list of other accomplishments he’s proud of: eliminating the estate tax, raising the threshold on retirees’ income taxes, increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit, reworking the state’s school funding formula, regionalizing schools, restructuring higher education, bail reform, ushering in the state takeover of Atlantic City, instituting legal sports betting, writing gay marriage into law, bringing offshore wind projects to South Jersey, increasing solar power.

He said he’s especially proud of the work he’s done to help the disabled, including expanding extraordinary special education aid, banning the word “retarded” in state government, and creating a state disability caucus.

And there’s another policy he said his daughter inspired: expanding paid family leave.

”She was 2 pounds” when she was born, Sweeney remembered. “We were 75 days in the neonatal unit. And you watch families come and go, and it was impossible. In the beginning, all your family’s around you, all your family’s supporting you. But eventually, your family goes back (home).”

Among his biggest disappointments? The fact he wasn’t able to gather enough votes to legalize marijuana legislatively. Voters eventually passed it in a 2020 referendum.

“It’s generational,” Sweeney said. “My members who were in their 70s, they were against it. And they’re the ones that grew up with it in the ‘60s. I thought they would be the easier ones to get.”

HIS FUTURE

Sweeney blames his loss to Durr on a “red wave,” a surge of Republican support that swept across the blue Garden State in November. Republicans flipped seven seats overall in the Democratic-controlled Legislature. And Murphy won re-election by a closer-than-expected margin of about 3 percentage points.

“There was just an anger,” Sweeney said. “People are angry. They’re flat-out angry. They’re angry at Democrats that they have complete control in Washington when they can’t get the simplest of things done.”

There has been talk of trying to win back Sweeney’s district by running progressive candidates in 2023. Sweeney hasn’t ruled out running for the seat himself.

For years, there has also been talk that Sweeney is a top candidate for the Democratic nomination to succeed Murphy as governor in 2025. (Murphy can’t run again because he’s limited to two consecutive terms.)

Sweeney’s loss hasn’t blunted those thoughts.

“It’s been talked about,” he said. “We’ll see where I’m at then.”

For now, Sweeney said he’s speaking with a few universities about starting a think tank. The goal, he said, is for it to be “as bipartisan and as diverse as possible,” focused on issues like the state’s affordability.

“What I do know is New Jersey is an amazing state, and it can be a lot more affordable,” he said. “This think tank is gonna give me the ability to really focus on things without worrying about partisan shit on either side and coming to the people of New Jersey with solutions. I think I’ve got enough of a profile and my word has been good and I’m pretty credible, that I can get people’s attention. And I plan to.”

Sweeney also said the state needs a new pension system, and he plans to hold Murphy to a vow the governor made that he would negotiate one.

But how he can do that without being Senate president anymore?

“I’ve got a lot of friends here still,” Sweeney said. “I don’t need a title to have a voice.”

SWEENEY, SINGLETON: CABINET - LEVEL DEPARTMENT NEEDED TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY AND EQUITY IN STATE GOVERNMENT

Senators also push legislation requiring NJ Division of Investment to expand pool to include ‘underrepresented’ investment advisers

January 10, 2022

TRENTON – Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Troy Singleton are pushing for the creation of a state Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, asserting that only a Cabinet-level agency would have the clout needed to break through the institutional barriers in state government that exclude underrepresented populations from true economic opportunity.

“Despite the best intentions, it is clear that past efforts to promote equity for people of color and others who have been denied equality of economic opportunity have fallen woefully short,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/ Salem/ Cumberland). “Only a Cabinet-level agency can ensure that New Jersey state government sets an example as a model of diversity, equity and inclusion for other employers. Our diversity is our strength, and we need to capitalize on it.”

Senators Sweeney and Singleton said introduction of their Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion legislation, along with a companion bill requiring the state Division of Investment to diversify its pool of investment advisers, set down a marker for the new Legislature to achieve.

“This proposal holds true the notion that affirmatively advancing equity and equal opportunity is a responsibility of our government,” said Senator Singleton, who will serve in Senate leadership as the Majority Whip in the next session. “This legislation brings both attention and intention to this ideal by taking our aspirational words of inclusion and turning it into a state department focused on bringing those words to fruition. This will afford our state with a workforce that is truly representative of the diverse mosaic that is our state’s population.”

The Rev. Dr. David Jefferson, Sr. Esq., Pastor of the historic Metropolitan Baptist Church in Newark and State Chair for the National Action Network, who worked on the development of the proposals, praised the two measures.

“Social justice cannot be fully achieved without economic justice,” said Pastor Jefferson. “Government has a moral responsibility to show the way by providing equal opportunities for everyone. We have to work to break down the barriers to economic equality that have blocked the way for communities of color for far too long. These are steps in the right direction that we must pursue with a continued commitment for progress. For too long New Jersey has lacked the leadership to provide economic empowerment for everyone and not just a few. ”

The first bill, S-4302, would establish the Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and require the development of both State government-wide and agency-specific strategic plans to address diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the State. Existing state government units with responsibilities in these areas would be transferred to the new department.

The Commissioner of the new Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion would be responsible for the following duties and functions:

• consulting and assisting on efforts by the Director of the Division of Investment in the Department of Treasury to use underrepresented financial businesses to provide brokerage and investment management services;

• consulting and assisting on diversity, equity, and inclusion in investments by the State, and its political subdivisions, in the allocation of loans and grants for business formation, and in the provision of low interest loans and down payment support for homeowners; and

• consulting and assisting on diversity, equity, and inclusion in procurement by the State and its political subdivisions.

Currently, 16 states have implemented policies considered relevant to the State as a Model Employer, including states as diverse as Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Minnesota, New York and Vermont.

The second bill, S-4303, also sponsored by Senators Sweeney and Singleton, would require the Division of Investment in the Department of Treasury to make more concerted efforts to use underrepresented financial institutions to provide brokerage and investment management services to the State.

“I am confident that under Senator Singleton’s leadership, these bills will become law in the next legislative session,” Senator Sweeney said.

DON’T COUNT HIM OUT: BATTERED SWEENEY PLOTS HIS NEXT MOVE

By: Matt Friedman and Katherine Landergan for Politico

January 9, 2022

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney was near the peak of his power before a virtually-unknown Republican, Ed Durr, left tire tracks across his political career.

It was October 2021, and Sweeney had already secured the support for an unprecedented seventh two-year term. He was rumored to be gearing up for a run for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2025.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Durr, a truck driver who barely spent any money on his campaign, narrowly defeated Sweeney in one of the biggest political upsets in New Jersey history.

The stinging defeat didn’t shake Sweeney for long.

“I’m not going away,” Sweeney told reporters when he conceded his race eight days after the election.

First he announced plans for a think tank. Then, he geared up to tackle some big issues in his final months, including passage of law protecting abortion rights.

By December, Sweeney, a high-ranking officer in the international Ironworkers union, was privately telling labor leaders he plans, afterall, to run for governor in 2025. (Sweeney denies he has said he’s running for governor, and instead says he is keeping his options open, and that includes another state Senate run.)

In another state, a run for governor might seem like a pipe dream after such a bitter loss. But New Jersey political insiders aren’t laughing off the idea: Sweeney has the backing of influential private sector unions, Democratic powerbroker George Norcross and strong relationships with other Democrats up and down the state.

Sweeney’s success in moving on from what happened in November could track with what happens this year, when 36 governors, every House member and much of the Senate are on the ballot.

His loss reflects a problem Democrats are facing all over the country: Voter anger fueled by culture wars and backlash to Covid restrictions is causing problems for them in corners they weren’t expecting, as Republican voters have been turning out in droves. In the months since his loss, Sweeney and his allies have tried to make sense of how a constituency he so easily won over four years prior voted him out of office.

“It’s life, it’s reality. I think I've done the best I can possibly do,” Sweeney said in an interview. “People are just angry right now. Very angry. This country is a disaster, unfortunately. It is really sad. We’re the greatest country in the world. And all it's about now is about stopping the other side of trying to get something done.”

On an election night with plenty of troubling signs for Democrats, Sweeney’s loss — and the losses of his two running mates in the state Assembly — was the most shocking in the country. More shocking even than Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s three-point win over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, when polls months earlier predicted a landslide. All of it was seen as an omen for this year’s midterm elections.

Sweeney’s internal polling showed him ahead by double digits, four years after he beat back a Republican who had the support of the state’s largest teachers union in what was likely the most expensive state legislative race in U.S. history. This race, by contrast, escaped even the notice of state Republicans.

“There were a lot of little things that simply added up and manifested themselves in a collective vote of anger,” said Assemblymember John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester), a running mate of Sweeney’s who lost the seat he held for 20 years. “It just bubbled up organically among people who were mad at Murphy for different reasons, mad at President Biden for different reasons, some still angry that the previous presidential election didn’t go Trump’s way. You stir all that together and you have motivation.”

Sweeney said he had two pollsters: one had him winning his district by 15 points, and Murphy losing the district by 7 or 8 points. The other pollster had him winning by 19, and Murphy losing by 10. Sweeney realized things had taken a turn when the turnout in his Republican-heavy district came in strong.

“We heard there was a large turnout in the vote, and I’m thinking ‘that can’t be good, honestly,’” he said.

At the end of the day, Sweeney says he thinks he served his people. Under his tenure they’ve built ports in his district and created jobs, grown a university, and made major tax policy changes that the voters wanted, such as lowering the retirement income tax and eliminating the estate tax.

He thinks the numbers reflect that. Ultimately, Sweeney lost in his district by 3 points. Murphy lost by 15.

“South Jersey always loves saying we don't get our share. They got their share with me,” Sweeney said of the region of the state he represents. “It was a tidal wave. It was a red tidal wave, no way to explain it.”

Now, Sweeney is wrapping up the two-year legislative session with some big ticket items: A bill that writes abortion rights into law in case the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, a bill codifying same sex marriage and legislation that gives tax breaks to Atlantic City casinos, an incendiary subject in Trenton.

He’ll close out the session, and his two decades as a senator, on Tuesday.

Sweeney, who is 62, has immediate plans for what’s next: creating a public policy think tank. He is in talks with universities and anticipates rolling out the project in the coming months. Sweeney wants the think tank to be an incubator for policy ideas, and will focus on how to make New Jersey more affordable.

Starting a think tank is also a tried and true way New Jersey politicians keep themselves relevant while not officially running for office. Before Murphy formally announced he was running for governor, he set up a think tank called New Start New Jersey that helped him lay the groundwork for a campaign.

For his part, Sweeney says the think tank will enable him to stay engaged on the issues, and continue to work on improving the state.

“I won't be a senator,” Sweeney said. “But that doesn't mean I can't have a voice.”

WEINBERG-GREENSTEIN-SWEENEY FREEDOM OF REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE ACT CLEARS COMMITTEE

Legislation codifies state Supreme Court rulings guaranteeing woman’s right to choose as fundamental right under New Jersey Constitution

January 6, 2022

TRENTON – The Senate Health Committee today approved legislation sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, Senator Linda Greenstein and Senate President Steve Sweeney that would codify state Supreme Court rulings guaranteeing a woman’s right to reproductive choice as a fundamental right under the New Jersey Constitution.

Today’s vote puts Senate Bill 49, the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, on track for approval by the full Senate Monday, the last day of the current two-year legislative session. The Assembly is also expected to vote on the bill Monday.

“With a woman’s right to choose under Roe v. Wade under attack in the U.S. Supreme Court, it is critical that we enact legislation rooted in the New Jersey Constitution that clearly and unequivocally protects freedom of reproductive choice, including the right to access contraception, the right to terminate a pregnancy, and the right to carry a pregnancy to term,” said Senator Weinberg (D-Bergen).

“January 22nd is the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. By signing S49 before that date, the Governor can send a message to the nation that in New Jersey, a woman’s right to choose is, and will remain, a fundamental right,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “I am proud to join Senator Weinberg in fighting for the votes needed to ensure that the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act becomes law.”

The Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act would guarantee “the fundamental right of reproductive autonomy” to all individuals present in New Jersey, including non-residents. It would enable all qualified health care professionals to provide pregnancy termination services.

The bill authorizes the Department of Banking and Insurance to issue regulations requiring insurance companies to provide coverage for abortions upon completion of a study demonstrating the need for such coverage. The bill recognizes the right of religious employers to request an exemption from such coverage if it conflicts with their religious beliefs.

“The Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act is a comprehensive bill that guarantees women will continue to have the right to make their own personal decisions on their reproductive care, regardless of how the U.S. Supreme Court rules,” said Senator Greenstein (D-Middlesex/Mercer). “We need to pass this legislation and get it signed into law.”

The Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act specifically cites the right to reproductive choice established by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Right to Choose v. Byrne (1981) and Planned Parenthood of Central New Jersey v. Farmer (2000); the cases asserted the “fundamental right of a woman to control her body and destiny.”

The legislation specifically recognizes that:

Governmental restrictions on reproductive choice, by their very nature, impinge on the constitutional right to reproductive autonomy, particularly when they fail to confer any benefits to patients in the form of improved health or safety. Moreover, restrictions of this nature often have a disparate impact that is predominantly felt by persons who already experience barriers to health care access, including young people, people of color, people with disabilities, people with low income, people living in rural areas, immigrants, and people who are transgender or non-binary.

The Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act emerged after weeks of negotiations that followed indications that the U.S. Supreme Court was preparing to restrict the federal right to reproductive choice established under the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The high court heard arguments in October on a Mississippi law that would ban the termination of pregnancies after 15 weeks.

PANEL APPROVES SWEENEY BILL PROVIDING TAX CREDITS FOR EMPLOYMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

January 6, 2022

Trenton – Tax credits would spur the employment of those with developmental disabilities, giving them the opportunity to gain the skills and experience to become model employees, under legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney that was approved by the Senate Budget Committee today.

The bill, S-3809, would allow individuals and businesses a 10 percent tax credit for employing persons with a developmental disability.

“This can open the doors of opportunity for those with disabilities, giving them the ability to gain the skills and experience to do the work they are fully capable of,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “It can be the first step towards gainful employment where they will become valued workers. When given the opportunity, they prove to be model employees.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, almost 20% of the U.S. population is considered disabled, but only 20% of disabled persons are participating in the workforce.

The legislation would allow taxpayers to claim a credit against their corporation business tax liability or gross income tax liability of 10 percent of the salary and wages paid to an employee with a developmental disability. The credit can be claimed annually for the same employee. It would be capped at $3,000 per worker, and the total credit would be capped at $60,000 per taxpayer per year.

An “employee with a developmental disability” is defined in accordance with state law and includes those whom the Division of Developmental Disabilities has declared eligible for its services.

New Jersey already allows taxpayers to claim a credit for the employment of certain persons with disabilities at an occupational training center or sheltered workshop. The bill expands the credit to any type of employment.

“It is well-known that workers with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are hardworking individuals, who consistently have a positive impact on all employees within a company,” said Christina M. Renna, President and CEO, Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. “Employers of all sizes and industry types are more than willing to hire individuals with disabilities, but have some uncertainties around the costs associated with training needs and other necessary accommodations. This legislation would help employers offset these costs, further incentivizing the business community to hire from within the IDD community of skilled workers.”

“NJBIA strongly supports this legislation providing tax credits to businesses which hire individuals with developmental disabilities, and we thank Senate President Sweeney for his sponsorship of the bill,” said Michele Siekerka, President and CEO, New Jersey Business & Industry Association. “Many businesses have hired individuals with disabilities because of the great value they bring to their workforce. But certainly, more can be – and should be – done to enhance these opportunities. New Jersey needs to capitalize on the momentum in this space and we believe the use of tax credits for those who employ those in the IDD community will help continue this forward motion.”