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.

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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.