New Jersey

Dozens of new lawmakers sworn in as a new legislative session starts – New Jersey Monitor

Published

2 years ago

January 9, 2024

Dozens of new lawmakers sworn in as a new legislative session starts – New Jersey Monitor

A fresh-faced state Legislature was sworn in Tuesday, marking the start of a new two-year session that will continue to be shaped by the Democratic majority in both chambers.

More than a quarter of the lawmakers are new to the Statehouse, and six members moved from the Assembly to the state Senate. Democrats retain a 25-15 majority in the Senate and now hold a 52-28 majority in the Assembly, up from 46-34 in the last session.

Senate President Nicholas Scutari swore in all 40 senators Tuesday in Trenton.

“It’s sad to see some legendary figures leave, but I think we’re going to do an outstanding job,” he said. “It’ll probably be easier to manage because we’ll have more people here that I can reliably know are going to be in the chamber.”

The Senate’s 10 new members bring an exciting “new energy in the chamber,” Scutari said.

Down the block at the War Memorial, Assembly leaders swore in 79 members, welcoming 27 first-term members.

Assemblyman James Kennedy (D-Union) missed the ceremony because he collapsed shortly before it started, prompting a bipartisan medical response. Democratic Assemblyman Herb Conaway Jr., a physician, and Republican Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, a nurse, hurried to his aid. Officials halted the event, dropped the stage’s red curtain, and then resumed 10 minutes later with Kennedy missing from the proceedings.

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex) later told the audience Kennedy had a minor medical emergency but would recover and asked for prayers. Kennedy never returned to the stage; Rhonda Schaffler, a spokeswoman for Assembly Democrats, said only that “a member required medical attention, and we are respecting the member’s privacy at this time.”

New boss, same as the old boss

The Legislature’s top leadership remained as-is, with Scutari (D-Union) leading the upper chamber and Sen. Tony Bucco (R-Morris) leading the Republican caucus. In the Assembly, Coughlin will serve a fourth term at the helm of that chamber, becoming the longest-serving Assembly speaker in state history. Assemblyman John DiMaio (R-Warren) will continue as the leader of the Republican minority, as he has since 2022.

Gov. Murphy urges action on affordable housing, medical debt relief in annual address

Republicans remain the minority in both houses after Democrats made gains in the November election. Bucco said he doesn’t see the shrinking minority as an obstacle, stressing the importance of bipartisanship to pass worthwhile policy.

Coughlin applauded the diversity of the newcomers, who will enter a Legislature whose demographics skew white, male, and older. There is one fewer Black lawmaker and two fewer women than in the previous session.

Affordability, education, and other priorities

Scutari touted the work the Senate achieved under his leadership — lowering prescription drug costs, establishing the child tax credit, rebate checks for homeowners and renters, and investing in school construction. He also suggested he’d be open to extending the corporate business tax surcharge to fund NJ Transit, prompting applause from some in the audience. The surcharge expired in December.

But issues relating to affordability is “our number one, our number two, and our number three priorities,” Scutari added. It was a sentiment echoed in speeches from both parties and both chambers throughout the day.

“We have a workforce shortage in our state, and we have the best public education system in the country. But the brain drain continues because young talent — both homegrown and out of state — simply cannot afford to live here,” Assemblyman Louis Greenwald (D-Camden) told the crowd packed into the War Memorial.

Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), elected again as the chamber’s majority leader, shouted out the children who attended Tuesday’s ceremony with their parents.

“Today in this chamber, I heard the most beautiful noises ever — children crying, making noises, clapping. And that’s what it’s all about. We’re here to serve,” she said.

Sen. Britnee Timberlake, an Essex County Democrat moving up from the Assembly, was sworn in with two of her kids in her arms.

“I’m a mommy first,” she quipped as members of the Legislature clapped.

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New Jersey

Nightmare at NY Penn as train fire halts NJ Transit, Amtrak service for hours

Published

6 hours ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

Nightmare at NY Penn as train fire halts NJ Transit, Amtrak service for hours

New Jersey and New York City commuters are facing extensive delays in and out of New York Penn Station Friday, with intensifying ripple effects, after an Amtrak work train car on one of the hub’s tracks caught fire.

The FDNY says it was called to the Midtown scene on 31st Street, between Seventh and Eighth avenues, around 1:30 a.m. Nearly 100 personnel responded. Five civilians were evaluated at the scene by EMS, officials say.

It’s not clear what sparked the fire involving Amtrak’s contractor maintenance vehicles in one of the Hudson River Tunnels. It was knocked down well before 6 a.m., but service on New Jersey Transit, Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and more was expected to see heavy impacts well into the morning rush, with Hudson River trains operating at reduced capacity. Amtrak said it didn’t expect to lift its suspension until at least noon.

Travel Advisory: Due to unforeseen track and signal maintenance resulting from a now extinguished fire in the New York area, all services traveling south of New York (NYP) are temporarily suspended. This suspension is anticipated to be in place until noon at a minimum. Services…
— Amtrak Northeast (@AmtrakNECAlerts) May 29, 2026
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New Jersey Transit and LIRR also announced delays and cancellations. Cross-honoring and diversion programs were in effect as the situation developed. Complete LIRR service at NY Penn had resumed by around 7 a.m., Friday said, though equipment issues were causing cancellations. Get the latest transit information here.

Video from outside Penn Station showed smoke billowing in the pre-dawn hours, as emergency personnel stood by with stretchers awaiting any potential victims.

Amtrak is investigating the cause of the fire.

“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause,” the agency’s latest announcement said, pledging to provide updates as new information becomes available.

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New Jersey

Violence reported at Delaney Hall in N.J. Calls to shut it down are growing

Published

18 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Press Room

Violence reported at Delaney Hall in N.J. Calls to shut it down are growing

How are detainees at Delaney Hall being treated?

A statement issued by DHS said detainees receive comprehensive medical care and all are treated well.

“They are provided with 3 meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap, and toiletries. Illegal aliens also have access to phones to communicate with their family members and lawyers. Certified dieticians evaluate meals,” the department wrote.

The release accused Sherrill, Booker and U.S. Sen Andy Kim, as well as U.S. Reps. Rob Menendez, Nellie Pou, LaMonica McIver, Frank Pallone and Analilia Majia, of continuing “to peddle falsehoods about ICE facilities,” and “spreading smears about ICE law enforcement and the Delaney Hall ICE facility in New Jersey.”

Sinha said the assertion that individuals being arrested and taken to Delaney Hall are dangerous criminals is false.

“This is an administration that has repeatedly lied to us about what’s going on in immigration enforcement and immigration detention facilities,” Sinha said.

He added while Sherrill does not have the legal authority to enter Delaney Hall unannounced, that fact that she was denied entry is concerning.

“The federal government has denied her repeatedly, and it makes you question, ‘What is the federal government trying to hide?’” he asked. “They have no allegiance to any rule of law or semblance of democracy; they’re trying to rewrite the Constitution for people who are noncitizens.”

On Thursday, Sherrill issued a statement saying the New Jersey Department of Health attempted to conduct a inspection of Delaney Hall, but officials were only allowed to inspect only a limited part of the facility.

“We will review and share the department’s findings from the limited portion it was allowed to inspect, and we will continue to pursue all appropriate avenues for demanding transparency and ensuring humane conditions for the individuals being held at the facility,” she said in the statement. “As I’ve said repeatedly, refusing to provide full access raises serious questions about what ICE is trying to hide from public view.”

Sinha said a hunger strike among those inside the facility is continuing because they are being given spoiled food and inadequate medical care in deplorable conditions.

“People shouldn’t have to starve themselves to make their dignity known; people shouldn’t have to starve themselves to have their rights protected, but that’s what’s happening here,” he said.

Reports of escalating violence

Late Thursday afternoon there were reports of violence escalating within Delaney Hall.

Nedia Morsy, the director of Make the Road New Jersey, an immigration advocacy group, issued a statement saying multiple sources within the facility reported ICE agents attacking detainees and causing serious injuries.

“Right now there are ICE agents inside of Delaney Hall violently beating the hunger strikers,” Morsy said in the statement. “Someone will be killed if no one intervenes and shuts this down. These masked agents are acting as if they’re above the law. This is a modern-day concentration camp, and history will not forgive silence in this moment. We need to shut down Delaney Hall and free everyone inside.”

Resistencia en Accion, another immigrant rights group, also released a statement, calling for violence against detainees to end.

“We express our utmost disgust with the violence perpetrated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents today, May 28. Reports at approximately 1:40 p.m. reveal that ICE agents attacked the hunger strikers inside with batons and tear gas. Family members outside received calls from inside, confirming that there were people screaming, and according to their loved ones inside, unconscious detainees and blood on surfaces. ICE is the sole responsible actor for the escalation that has led to several wounded people inside and outside this week,” the statement reads.

WHYY News reached out to DHS late Thursday seeking comment about the reports of violence at Delaney Hall. A written statement was emailed to WHYY that said ICE agents had responded to a physical altercation involving detainees.

“In accordance with established ICE policies and their training, staff used the minimum amount of force to safely deescalate the situation,” DHS wrote. “Following the incident, all affected detainees were promptly evaluated by on-site medical personnel and were cleared with no serious injuries.”

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