Legislative Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution
The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.
Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)
Legislative Scorecard
Based on the U.S. Constitution
NJ Scorecard 2023
The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.
Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the New Jersey Legislature in 2023 and ranks their assemblymen and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
The selected votes may not be representative of legislators’ overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.
Senate
1. Sound Money
A5294 Sound Money (Passed 36 to 0 on 1/8/2024). Exempts sales of investment metal bullion and investment coins from sales and use tax.
2. Welfare Increase
A5086 Welfare Increase (Passed 39 to 0 on 2/2/2023). Increases the minimum monthly benefit under State SNAP Minimum Benefits Program from $50 to $95 and authorizes Department of Human Services (DHS) to increase program benefit amount.
3. Sustainable New Jersey Fund
S2857 Sustainable New Jersey Fund (Passed 35 to 1 on 6/30/2023). Establishes the "Sustainable New Jersey Fund" in the Department of Environmental Protection to support certain sustainability initiatives and allocates $1 million for enforcement.
4. Green Tax Credits
Ab5651 Green Tax Credits (Passed 21 to 14 on 6/30/2023). Supports New Jersey's offshore wind projects by allowing owners and investors of these wind projects to keep certain federal tax benefits.
5. State Abortion Information
S3275 State Abortion Information (Passed 23 to 11 on 6/30/2023). Requires the establishment of a new state website with information on "rights" related to "health benefits" coverage for reproductive "health care" services, meaning abortion services.
6. Electric School Bus Program
S3044 Electric School Bus Program (Passed 22 to 12 on 12/21/2023). Makes supplemental appropriation of $15 million to the Department of Environmental Protection for implementation of the Electric School Bus Program.
| Name | Party | District | Score | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Beach | D | SD-006 | 0% | . | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jon Bramnick | R | SD-021 | 40% | + | - | - | + | - | . |
| Anthony M. Bucco | R | SD-025 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
| Renee Burgess | D | SD-028 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Richard Codey | D | SD-027 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Christopher Connors | R | SD-009 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
| Kristin Corrado | R | SD-040 | 60% | + | - | - | + | . | + |
| Nilsa Cruz-Perez | D | SD-005 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Joseph Cryan | D | SD-020 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sandra Cunningham | D | SD-031 | NA | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| Patrick Diegnan | D | SD-018 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Michael Doherty | R | SD-023 | NA | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| Edward Durr | R | SD-003 | 83% | + | - | + | + | + | + |
| Nia Gill | D | SD-034 | NA | . | - | . | . | . | . |
| Vin Gopal | D | SD-011 | 33% | + | - | - | + | - | - |
| Linda Greenstein | D | SD-014 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| James Holzapfel | R | SD-010 | NA | + | - | . | . | . | . |
| Gordon Johnson | D | SD-037 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Joseph Lagana | D | SD-038 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fred Madden | D | SD-004 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Declan O'Scanlon | R | SD-013 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
| Steven Oroho | R | SD-024 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
| Joseph Pennacchio | R | SD-026 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
| Vincent Polistina | R | SD-002 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
| Nellie Pou | D | SD-035 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ronald Rice | D | SD-028 | NA | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| Teresa Ruiz | D | SD-029 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Nicholas Sacco | D | SD-032 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Paul Sarlo | D | SD-036 | 20% | + | - | - | - | - | . |
| Holly Schepisi | R | SD-039 | 60% | + | - | - | + | . | + |
| Nicholas Scutari | D | SD-022 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Robert Singer | R | SD-030 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
| Troy Singleton | D | SD-007 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Robert Smith | D | SD-017 | 33% | + | - | . | . | . | - |
| Brian Stack | D | SD-033 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jean Stanfield | R | SD-008 | 50% | . | - | - | + | + | . |
| Douglas Steinhardt | R | SD-023 | 60% | + | - | - | . | + | + |
| Michael Testa | R | SD-001 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
| Samuel Thompson | R | SD-012 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Shirley Turner | D | SD-015 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Joseph Vitale | D | SD-019 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| Andrew Zwicker | D | SD-016 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
Average Constitutional Score by Party
| Party | Score |
|---|---|
| Democrat | 17.8% |
| Republican | 60.4% |