Amends Constitution to require each House of Legislature to convene four times annually solely to debate State issues and policies.

SCR71

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 71

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JANUARY 28, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� JON M. BRAMNICK

District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)

SYNOPSIS

���� Amends Constitution to require each House of
Legislature to convene four times annually solely to debate State issues and
policies.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A
Concurrent Resolution
proposing to amend
Article IV, Section I of the New Jersey Constitution by adding a new paragraph.

����
Be It
Resolved
by the Senate of the State of New
Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):

����
1.��� The following proposed amendment to the
Constitution of the State of New Jersey is agreed to:

����������������������������������� PROPOSED
AMENDMENT

���� Amend Article IV, Section I by adding a new
paragraph 5 to read as follows:

���� 5.��� Each house of the Legislature shall
convene a meeting in each quarter of each legislative year solely for the
purpose of debating issues and policies relevant to the government of the
State, the people of the State, and the operations of the Legislature.� During
each meeting, members may pose questions to other members on these matters.�
The presiding officer of each house shall set the agenda for each meeting, but
members shall be permitted to raise an issue or policy relevant to the
government of the State, the people of the State, and the operations of the
Legislature that is not on the agenda for that meeting.

���� 2.��� When this proposed
amendment to the Constitution is finally agreed to pursuant to Article IX,
paragraph 1 of the Constitution, it shall be submitted to the people at the
next general election occurring more than three months after the final
agreement and shall be published at least once in at least one newspaper of
each county designated by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the
General Assembly and the Secretary of State, not less than three months prior
to the general election.

���� 3.��� This proposed amendment
to the Constitution shall be submitted to the people at that election in the
following manner and form:

���� There shall be printed on each
official ballot to be used at the general election, the following:

���� a.���� In every municipality
in which voting machines are not used, a legend which shall immediately precede
the question as follows:

���� If you favor the proposition
printed below make a cross (X), plus (+), or check (
a
) in the square opposite the word "Yes." If you are
opposed thereto make a cross (X), plus (+) or check (
a
) in the square opposite the
word "No."

���� b.��� In
every municipality the following question:

CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT TO REQUIRE EACH HOUSE OF THE LEGISLATURE TO MEET QUARTERLY AND
DEBATE STATE ISSUES AND POLICIES

YES

���� Do you approve amending the
Constitution to require each House of the Legislature to have meetings
quarterly during which the members would debate State issues and policies?�

���� Each House would be required
to hold four such meetings a year.

INTERPRETIVE
STATEMENT

NO

���� This amendment would require
each House of the Legislature to meet four times a year to debate State
issues and policies.�

���� The sole purpose of each
meeting would be to allow legislators to debate issues
a
nd policies relevant to
the government of the State, the people of the State, and the operations of
the Legislature.

���� During each meeting, members
could ask and respond to questions.� ���

���� The Houses of the
Legislature are the Senate and General Assembly.

STATEMENT

���� This proposed constitutional
amendment is intended to provide opportunities for free and open debate and
dialogue in the Legislature, similar to debates in parliamentary systems of
government.

���� This proposed constitutional
amendment would require e
ach
House of the Legislature to
convene a meeting in each quarter of each legislative year solely for the
purpose of debating issues and policies relevant to the government of the
State, the people of the State, and the operations of the Legislature. During the
meeting, members could ask and respond to questions.� The presiding officer of
each House will set the agenda for each meeting, but members will be permitted
to raise an issue or policy relevant to the government of the State, the people
of the State, and the operations of the Legislature that is not on the agenda
for that meeting.