SENATE RESOLUTION No. 7

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Senator MacINNES

A Senate Resolution amending Rule 150.

    Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

    1. Rule 150 of the Rules of the Senate is amended to read as follows:

    150. When nominations shall be made by the Governor to the Senate, they shall, [unless otherwise ordered by the Senate President] upon transmittal by the Governor, be referred to the Judiciary Committee or other reference committee, as appropriate. If referred to another appropriate committee, they shall be referred thereafter to the Judiciary Committee.

    All nominations for the position of county prosecutor and all nominations which propose the reappointment of a judge of the Superior Court or a justice of the Supreme Court shall be approved or disapproved by the Senate in open session with a quorum of its members present within 90 days after the nomination has been received by the Senate, unless the nomination has been disapproved by a committee of the Senate in open meeting with a quorum of its members present. If the Senate is in temporary adjournment on the ninetieth day, the Senate shall approve or disapprove the nomination and appointment on the day it next reconvenes.

    2. This resolution shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This resolution would amend the Senate Rules to require that all renominations to the Supreme Court or Superior Court or nominations to the position of county prosecutor be considered by the Senate within ninety days of receipt of the nomination by the Governor.

    The adoption of this resolution would have the effect of prohibiting a member of the Senate from exercising senatorial courtesy over the reappointment of a Supreme Court justice or a Superior Court judge, or the nomination of a county prosecutor.

Amends a Senate rule to eliminate courtesy on renomination of judges or prosecutorial nominees.