Requires members of Legislature to host town hall meetings.

S4472

SENATE, No. 4472

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JUNE 18, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� JON M. BRAMNICK

District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires members of Legislature to host town hall
meetings.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
requiring
members of the Legislature
to host town hall meetings and supplementing Title 52 of
the Revised Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� a.� Each member of the Senate
and General Assembly shall hold at least two town hall meetings annually, with
at least one of the two town hall meetings each year to be held in the member�s
legislative district.� The purpose of the town hall meetings required by this
section shall be for members of the Legislature to receive comments, and to
receive and answer questions, directly from their constituents and other
members of the public on any issue or policy matter. �Members of the
Legislature may hold a joint town hall meeting with other legislators or other
elected officials.�

���� b.� Each town hall meeting required
to be held pursuant to this section shall be open to the public and shall be
held in a location that is convenient for members of the public and accessible
to individuals with disabilities.� Each town hall meeting shall provide at
least one hour for a legislator to receive comments and answer questions from
members of the public, except that a town hall meeting with four or more
legislators shall provide at least two hours. �

���� c. At least seven calendar
days prior to a town hall meeting to be held as required by this section, the
member or members of the Legislature holding the town hall meeting shall publish
an official public notice of the date, time, and location of the town hall
meeting. �

���� 2. �This act shall take effect
immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires members of
the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly to hold at least two town hall
meetings annually.� Under the bill, at least one town hall meeting will be in
the legislator�s district.� The bill requires meetings to be held in locations
that are convenient for members of the public and accessible to individuals with
disabilities and provide legislators at least one hour to receive comments and
answer questions from the public.� Legislators may host joint town hall
meetings with other legislators or other elected officials and any meeting with
four or more legislators will be at least two hours in duration.� The member or
members of the Legislature holding the town hall meeting will publish an
official public notice at least seven calendar days prior to the town hall
meeting.

���� It is the Sponsor�s intent
that, by requiring legislators to hear directly from their constituents and
other members of the public, the Legislature will be more responsive and
accountable. Currently, members of the public have opportunities to speak to other
elected officials by attending a meeting of their county commissioners and
municipal council, but they cannot speak before the Legislature. The town hall
meetings required under the bill would therefore establish an important forum
for the free exchange of ideas with, and public accountability of, members of
the State Legislature.