Category: State Government

Appeals Court Approves Gov. Christie’s Veto of Racing Commission

The Appellate Division has sided with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and his decision to veto the minutes of the state’s Racing Commission, which would have approved the distribution of $15 million to augment “purse monies” at New Jersey horse tracks. The veto was challenged by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association

Subs Appointed to New Jersey Supreme Court

New Jersey continues to be plagued by judicial vacancies, with two seats on the state’s highest court still unfilled. As a temporary fix, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner has elevated Judges Mary Cuff and Ariel Rodriguez to sit on the New Jersey Supreme Court starting October 1. As we have previously

New Jersey Judges Looking for Post-Retirement Employment Will Have to Comply With New Rules

Against the backdrop of a ballot question to force judges to pay more for their benefits, the New Jersey Supreme Court has approved amendments to the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey, which impose new ethics obligations on those New Jersey judges who begin to look

New Jersey Governor and Legislature Authorize Public Entities To Use Solar Energy Generation to Offset Overall Electric Bills

Legislation approved by the New Jersey Legislature on June 25, 2012 and expected to be signed by Governor Christie has removed what had been a major obstacle to the widespread installation of solar energy facilities by municipalities, school districts and other public entities. Until now, if a public entity wanted

New Jersey Legislature Approves Rutgers-Camden Merger Plan

The controversial Rutgers-Camden merger will likely become a reality, after a restructuring plan passed both houses of the New Jersey legislature last week. While the approved plan differs from the proposal first submitted by Gov. Chris Christie, it still won’t make everybody happy. Rather than a full merger, the final

Senator Loretta Weinberg Champions the Public’s Right for Transparency in Government

Legislative efforts to strengthen the state’s Open Public Meetings Act and the Open Public Records Act have met significant resistance from New Jersey municipalities. The amendments, proposed by Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck, are intended to update the New Jersey open records laws and bring them in line with

Who Were The People Responsible For NJ Congressional Redistricting in 2012?

Democrats in New Jersey experienced their greatest loss since the defeat of Governor John Corzine in this month’s primary.  Congressional redistricting resulted in a divisive Democratic Primary between two incumbent Congressmen in the 9th Congressional District and the expected loss of one Democratic member of Congress from the New Jersey

Stand Up and Be Counted: How Population Shifts Impact New Jersey Elections

While many don’t give a second thought to the government census forms that arrive in their mailboxes every ten years, they have a profound effect on our political representation. Both congressional apportionment and redistricting must be undertaken after each U.S. census to reflect population changes over the past decade. In