Government Relations
Rocky at the State House

State Relations

The government of the State of New Jersey, like that of the United States, is divided into three branches: the legislative, the executive and the judicial. The principal function of the Legislature is to enact laws. The Executive branch, comprised of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and State agencies, carries out the programs established by law. The Judiciary, which includes all courts, punishes violators and settles controversies and disputes. The Supreme Court is the final authority on the meaning and constitutionality of laws.

State Legislative Process

NJ Executive Branch

Governor Phil Murphy

Governor Philip Murphy

Philip Dunton Murphy is an American financier, diplomat and politician currently serving as the 56th Governor of New Jersey. Murphy was the United States Ambassador to Germany from 2009 to 2013 during which time he dealt with fallout from the United States diplomatic cables leak matter. He served as finance chairman for the Democratic National Committee in the mid-late 2000s under Howard Dean. Prior to that, Murphy had a 23-year career at Goldman Sachs.

Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver

Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver

Sheila Y. Oliver has served as the second Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey since 2018. Oliver previously served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2004 to 2018, where she represented the 34th legislative district while also serving as the Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly for two terms, from January 12, 2010, to January 14, 2014, as a member of the Democratic Party.

Secretary of Higher Education Brian Bridges, Ph.D.

Brian Bridges, Ph.D. currently serves as New Jersey’s Secretary of Higher Education, where he is responsible for the policy development and coordination of higher education activities for the state.

NJ Legislative Branch

Senator Nick Scutari headshot

Senate President Nicholas P. Scutari

Nicholas P. Scutari serves as the President of the New Jersey Senate. He has served in the New Jersey State Senate since 2004, where he represents the 22nd Legislative District. On January 11, 2022, Scutari was elected the 115th President of the New Jersey State Senate, replacing former Senator Stephen Sweeney.

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin

Craig J. Coughlin has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2010, where he represents the 19th Legislative District. He has served as the Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly since 2018.

District 34: (district covers Bohn, Freeman, Russ and Stone)

Senator Nia H. Gill Esq. (D)

Senator Nia Gill

Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin (D)

Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin (D)

Assemblywoman Britnee N. Timberlake (D)

Assemblywoman Britnee N. Timberlake (D)

District 40: (district covers Hawks Crossing, Machuga, Sinatra, The Village and Blanton)

Senator Kristin M. Corrado (R) (Deputy Whip)

Senator Kristin M. Corrado (R) (Deputy Whip)

Assemblyman Christopher P. DePhillips (R)

Assemblyman Christopher P. DePhillips (R)

Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney (R)

Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney (R)

NJ Judicial Branch

  • NJ Courts: Covers all NJ courts, including legal forms, child support resources, finding an attorney, court opinions and other information.
  • NJ Digital Legal Library
  • NJ Attorney Index:  Search for attorneys who have been admitted to practice in New Jersey. Information about attorneys, such as date of admission, status to practice law in New Jersey, and county and municipality of the business office of practicing attorneys
  • Boards, Commissions, Authorities
    • Board of Public Utilities > Regulatory authority with a statutory mandate to ensure safe, adequate and proper utility services at reasonable rates for customers in New Jersey.
    • Civil Service Commission > The Commission is an independent body that hears and rules on appeals filed by State, county and municipal civil service employees, candidates for employment and appointing authorities.
    • Economic Development Authority > The EDA can assist businesses with access to capital, including tax-exempt and taxable bond financing, loans, loan guarantees, and business and tax incentives.
    • Election Law Enforcement Commission > Dedicated to administering “The New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act,” “The Gubernatorial, Legislative Disclosure Statement Act,” “Legislative and Governmental Process Activities Disclosure Act,” and various portions of the “Uniform Recall Election Law.”
    • Interstate Environmental Commission > Established in 1936, the Commission is a tri-state water and air pollution control agency for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Mission is to protect and enhance environmental quality through cooperation, regulation and communication between government officials and citizens in the tri-state region.
    • New Jersey Apportionment Commission > Charged with redrawing the lines of the State’s 40 legislative districts, from which the 40 Senators and 80 members of the General Assembly are elected.
    • NJ Higher Education > Serves as the principal advocate for an integrated system of higher education which provides a broad scope of higher education programs and services. The system includes both 31 public and 35 independent institutions and enrolls over 440,000 full- and part-time credit-seeking students statewide.
    • NJ Transit > Public transportation corporation covering NJ, New York and Philadelphia.
    • Port Authority of New York and New Jersey > A bi-state authority, established in 1921that runs most of the regional transportation and infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports and seaports within the Port of New York and New Jersey.
    • State Commission of Investigation > Maintains a constant vigil against the intrusion of organized crime into society; to identify and expose corruption and governmental laxity; to shed light on waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayers’ dollars; and to recommend new laws and other remedies to protect the integrity of the governmental process on behalf of the citizens of New Jersey.
    • State Ethics Commission > Created in 1973 to administer and enforce the New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law; it also administers and enforces several sections of the Casino Control Act.
    • Turnpike Authority > Locate the Authority’s annual reports, accident reports, among other topics of interest.  Includes Garden State Parkway.
    • Victims of Crime Compensation Board > Provides compensation to innocent victims of violent crime for some expenses they suffer as a result of the crime.
  • County and Local Government Leadership