By Stephen Appezzato
As the dust settled on another election cycle and the holiday season, January saw lawmakers return to Trenton and Washington, keen on tackling existing and new issues in the year ahead.
Throughout the legislative process, state and federal representatives work hard behind the scenes to review, draft and pass legislation that improves the lives of their constituents. With the start of the new year, The Two River Times pulled the curtain back and asked state and federal representatives what matters they look forward to accomplishing this year and what topics they oversee on their respective committees.
United States Congress
U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat, has been a member of the United States Senate since 2013. He serves on the Foreign Relations, Judiciary, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry committees. Issues Booker focuses on include health care, criminal justice, foreign policy and national security, human rights, the economy and education.
U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, also a Democrat, was elected to his first term in the Senate in November, filling the seat left open when former Sen. Robert Menendez resigned. Kim previously served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey’s 3rd District.
In the Senate, he is a member of the following committees: Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and the Special Committee on Aging. According to his Senate website, Kim is “focused on combating corruption and ensuring our democracy is reflective of all American voices, on building an economy where everyone can afford to provide a better future for the next generation, and in making America more secure by growing our competitiveness.”
Kim is the first Korean American elected to the United States Senate and New Jersey’s first Asian American senator.
For U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6), continuing to serve on the House Energy and Commerce Committee is an “immense privilege and responsibility.”
“My committee oversees a wide range of critical issues that touch the lives of every New Jersey resident – from health care and environmental protection to energy, telecommunications, and consumer safety. Its broad jurisdiction makes it one of the most impactful committees in Congress,” he said.
Pallone is ranking member of the committee, meaning he is the highest-ranking and longest-serving Democrat. Because of its wide jurisdiction, members are not allowed to serve on any other committees, he explained.
As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Pallone said he has a central role in drafting and advancing major legislation, like the Affordable Care Act, Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. “These bills have expanded access to quality health care, lowered prescription drug costs, tackled the climate crisis, and invested in our nation’s infrastructure, directly improving the lives of New Jerseyans and Americans across the country,” he said.
In addition to his role with Energy and Commerce, Pallone also sits on caucuses like Armenian Issues, Sri Lanka, Coastal Communities and Recycling. Unlike committees, which are tasked with considering laws, conducting hearings, investigations and other matters for legislators, caucuses are more informal, serving as a means for lawmakers to discuss issues and perform legislative research and policy planning, among other goals.
“It’s an honor to continue serving my constituents and the nation in this capacity,” Pallone said.
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4) has served in the House since 1980. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs; chairman of the Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights & International Organizations; a member of the Subcommittee on Africa; co-chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission; and chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.
Smith has sponsored or co-sponsored thousands of bills during his tenure. Last month, the latest iteration of the nearly two-decade-old Autism CARES Act, sponsored by Smith, was signed into law. The comprehensive $1.95 billion legislation provides funds for autism research, services, training and monitoring.
Smith was also vocal last month in demanding the federal government do more to investigate drone sightings in New Jersey.
New Jersey Legislature
State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-11) chairs the Senate Education Committee, is a member of the Judiciary Committee and serves as the Senate Majority Conference Leader. According to his website, with the introduction of legislation to make the state school funding formula more transparent, equitable and predictable, fixing school funding remains a top priority for Gopal. Last year, faults with the state school funding formula were glaring as the Red Bank Borough, Long Branch and Asbury Park School Districts were sideswiped by funding cuts.
Earlier this week, after Gov. Phil Murphy’s State of the State address, Gopal offered his thoughts on education issues, including a school cell phone ban and funding for districts without kindergarten classes.
“As Senate Education Chairman, I am committed to working with school administrations and stakeholders to enforce a full ban on cell phones during school hours,” Gopal said. “Classrooms must remain spaces for learning and growth – not digital distractions that harm students’ mental health and development.”
For state Sen. Declan O’Scanlon (R- 13), bills are already “in the hopper” to tackle a wide range of issues this year.
O’Scanlon serves on the Joint Budget Oversight, Senate Budget and Appropriations, and Senate Law and Public Safety committees, where he sees a wide range of legislation.
“The Senate budget and oversight committee is interesting, almost everything or a version of almost everything passes through that committee,” he said.
As one of the most critical committees in the state house, O’Scanlon said it handles the budget, as well as “almost anything that spends money.”
Looking to 2025, O’Scanlon said his first priority is addressing “the mess that New Jersey’s budget is in.”
“We have a $41⁄2 billion structural deficit, which is terrifying,” he said, adding that such a deficit should not exist.
O’Scanlon sees to a range of matters on his other committees, like victim’s rights and combating domestic violence; suicide prevention; driving matters, like pushing for multiyear vehicle registration; and addressing loopholes where some elected officials who commit crimes still manage to collect pensions.
“That still happens, unfortunately,” he noted.
“The big ones are the budget, and then a whole batch of smaller initiatives that collectively still dramatically impact people’s lives,” he said.
In the state Assembly, bringing her medical experience to the table, Assemblywoman Margie Donlon, M.D. (D-11) will again serve on the Assembly Health Committee, in addition to the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee.
Fellow District 11 assemblywoman and running mate Luanne Peterpaul continues to serve on the Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee and Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee.
On Dec. 31, Donlon, Peterpaul and Gopal’s bill preserving access to telemedicine and telehealth was signed by Murphy, ensuring insurance companies continue to reimburse telehealth services at the same rate as in-person visits through July 1, 2026.
In District 13, Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger (R) will continue to serve on the Assembly Ballot Design; Budget, Environment, Natural Resources and Solid Waste; Higher Education and Regulated Professions committees throughout 2025, while Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn (R) looks forward to addressing a wide range of topics, like pandemic-related learning loss among students through her role on the Joint Committee on Public Schools, introducing legislation to regulate artificial intelligence by protecting privacy rights while promoting research, and reviewing public safety legislation as a member of the Judiciary Committee.
For 2025, Flynn said she will also work with her colleagues on the Judiciary Committee to advance laws to strengthen public safety and combat human trafficking ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. MetLife Stadium is hosting eight matches throughout the tournament, including the World Cup Final.
“High-profile events like this historically led to increased criminal activity, including human trafficking. This is unacceptable,” she said.
Another focus of the Judiciary Committee is advancing the Penalty Box Act to address assault and harassment in youth sports. Despite the state Assembly passing the act, the Senate did not last term. Flynn said the Judiciary Committee has restarted the effort this year to create a safer sports culture in New Jersey.
Serving on the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee, Flynn also helps review laws covering banking, finance and insurance. For 2025, major focuses will be preventing legislation that would increase car and home insurance costs and addressing the rising costs of health care and prescription drugs. Flynn also serves on the Assembly Housing Committee.
The article originally appeared in the January 16 – 22, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
