1. NJ Legislature
A Quick Primer

2. 40 Legislative Districts Current Map 2011-2020 For Each District:
1 Senator
2 Assembly Members
Fun fact: Every ten years, after the Federal census, the boundaries of the 40 districts are redrawn to maintain an equal population in each district.

3. Elections
Legislative elections are held in November of each odd-numbered year. Members of the Assembly serve two-year terms. Senators serve four- year terms, except for the first term of a new decade, which is only two years. This "2-4-4" cycle allows for elections from new districts as soon as possible after each reapportionment.
Public Service Announcement: Every member of the legislature is up for reelection this year, so plan to vote!!

4. Forty Districts - Two Houses
Assembly (Lower House)
80 Members
Currently – 52 Democrats and 28 Republicans
Speaker of the Assembly is Vincent Prieto
25 Committees
Senate (Upper House)
40 Members
Currently – 24 Democrats and 16 Republicans
President of the Senate is Stephen Sweeney
16 Committees

7. Committees: Who? What? Why? When?
Legislative leadership selects members of the committees
Every member except for President and Speaker is assigned to committees
Majority party always chairs committees and has majority of members
Grouped by subject matter
The first place bills are considered (usually)
Open for public to attend and comment
Meet on Mondays and Thursdays when legislature is in session

8. Legislative sessions
Each session is two years long. The current session began on January 12, (second Tuesday in January) and will end in January It is currently the 217th Legislative Session. All unfinished business at the end of a session expires.
Fun historical fact: The first session of the Legislature convened on August 27, 1776.

9. Bills, Bills, Bills … (not the kind you pay)
216th Legislature,
Final Statistics for All Bills ( )
Total
Ratio
Bills Introduced or Proposed
9076
100.00%
Bills Passed in 1st House
1135
12.51%
Bills Passed in 2nd House
609
6.71%
Bills Sent to Governor
583
6.42%
Bills Signed into Law
419
4.62%

10. Some legislators have juice ….
Senate President Stephen Sweeney
Efficiency
Overall
Track Record As Prime Sponsor ( )
Total
Ratio
Rank
Bills Introduced or Proposed
162
100.00% —
1.78% 52
Bills Passed in 1st House 80
49.38% 3
0.88% 19
Bills Passed in 2nd House 57
35.19%
0.63% 15
Bills Sent to Governor 51
31.48%
0.56% 17
Bills Signed into Law 25
15.43%
0.28% 33

11. And others, not so much Assemblyman Brian Rumpf Efficiency Overall
Track Record As Prime Sponsor ( )
Total
Ratio
Rank
Bills Introduced or Proposed
113
100.00% —
1.25% 74
Bills Passed in 1st House 3
2.65%
125
0.03%
122
Bills Passed in 2nd House
0.00%
Bills Sent to Governor
Bills Signed into Law

12. So who is looking out for higher education and financial aid issues?
How do we find out about bills which will affect us?

13. To the Rescue!!
There are three organizations in New Jersey which track legislation which affects higher education:
The NJ Council of County Colleges
The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in NJ
The NJ Association of State Colleges and Universities

17. “So, what exactly do you do?” (says everyone I meet)
Identify and track introduced legislation which might impact higher education
Monitor the bill’s progress, alert our institutions if it might move or is moving (i.e.- scheduled to be heard in committee)
Share the bill with our institutions (usually government relations, sometimes the Presidents)
Review and synthesize feedback to formulate a position
Contact other sectors if bill affects them and coordinate if possible
If we decide our position should be public, prepare testimony and appear before the committee

18. The moral of the story: A Saturday morning cartoon perfectly sums up my professional career

19. Thank you!!