“What leadership in both houses is willing to do is get a list together of bills, obviously, we would like to move and get his support for,” Sweeney said at the Statehouse Thursday after winning a record sixth-term as Senate president. But in a brief interview last week, he made it clear he wants to weld together the things he wants to do with what Murphy wants to get done. Sweeney, who is not shy about taking tough public positions that are counter to the governor, is avoiding saying much about the lame duck session and what he hopes to get done. And there are other thorny issues that could bubble up, like reauthorization of the Schools Development Authority and tougher restrictions on ammunition sales, both of which have divided Murphy and Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester). There are also a number of gubernatorial nominees awaiting approval. Then there are proposals that are a priority to one side but not the other.Īmong the issues likely to be discussed: The renewed marijuana legalization effort, a new corporate tax incentive program, a ban on single-use plastic bags, driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants, criminal expungement reforms, an overhaul of teacher health benefits, new restrictions on vaping, voting by those on parole or probation and fixes for the state’s aging water infrastructure.
The governor and legislative leaders agree some issues should be addressed, even if they don’t agree on the details. Privately, Murphy’s aides and legislative staffers have been preparing for some time to tackle a long list of high-profile and, in many cases, contentious bills that have been floating around for some time. I would expect that the lame duck period will also be productive, as our administration has been up until now.” It’s not like we’ve been sitting around for the lame duck to come to do something. I’ve signed over 450 bills, 88 or 89 executive orders. “Lame duck, by the way? I’ll take mine medium rare,” Murphy joked last week. He’s also quick to say he’s gotten plenty done already, so the next two months won’t be any different. Murphy says he expects to get plenty done by the time the new legislative session starts in mid-January, when he’ll deliver his State of the State address.
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