Bill Text: NJ ACR81 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends State Constitution to require two-thirds majority vote of Legislature to advance certain legislation during lame duck session.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 5)

Status: (Introduced) 2026-01-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [ACR81 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2026-ACR81-Introduced.html

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ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 81

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman PAUL KANITRA

District 10 (Monmouth and Ocean)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Amends State Constitution to require two-thirds majority vote of Legislature to advance certain legislation during lame duck session.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

  

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

 

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

 

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

 

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

 

     Amend Article IV, Section IV by adding a new paragraph 10 to read as follows:

     10.  a.  Between the earliest day on which, by law, a legally qualified voter of this State may cast a ballot at the general election for members of the General Assembly held in the year of the second annual session of a Legislature and the commencement of the next succeeding Legislature, each house shall determine, by a vote of two-thirds of all the members thereof, the bills and joint resolutions to be read or otherwise acted upon in the respective house on any day.  Such determination shall be made by yeas and nays, and the names of the members voting for and against shall be entered on the journal or minutes of each house.

     No bill or joint resolution shall be read a third time during such time period unless included among the bills and joint resolutions so determined.  A bill or joint resolution not so included may be read a third time in either house upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the members of the respective house.  That vote shall likewise be by yeas and nays, and the names of the members voting for and against shall be entered on the journal or minutes of each house.

     b.    This paragraph shall not apply to the reconsideration of bills returned to the Legislature by the Governor with a statement of his objections; however, the requirements herein shall apply to the amendment and reenactment of bills returned to the Legislature by the Governor with a statement of his objections and recommended amendments between the earliest day on which, by law, a legally qualified voter of this State may cast a ballot at the general election for members of the General Assembly held in the year of the second annual session of a Legislature and the commencement of the next succeeding Legislature.

 

     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 REQUIRING TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY VOTE DURING LAME DUCK SESSION OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE
	YES	Do you approve amending the Constitution to require a two-thirds majority vote of the General Assembly and the Senate to move or pass certain legislation during a lame duck session?      A lame duck session happens at the end of the second year of a Legislature.  It begins on the first day that voters are eligible to vote at a general election for members of the General Assembly.  It ends when the new Legislature begins on the second Tuesday in January following the election.     A two-thirds majority of the General Assembly and the Senate will be required to move or pass any bill or joint resolution during this time.  A two-thirds majority will also be required to reenact a bill conditionally vetoed by the Governor during this time.  This means 27 votes in the Senate and 54 votes in the General Assembly.

 

		INTERPRETIVE STATEMENT
	NO	This constitutional amendment would require a two-thirds majority vote of the General Assembly and Senate to move or pass bills and joint resolutions during a lame duck session.      A two-thirds majority vote would also be required to reenact any bill conditionally vetoed by the Governor during a lame duck session.  A bill is conditionally vetoed when the Governor returns the bill to the Legislature with proposed amendments.  The Legislature can reenact the bill by adopting the proposed amendments.     A lame duck session happens at the end of the second year of a Legislature.  It begins on the first day that voters are eligible to vote at a general election for members of the General Assembly.  It ends when the new Legislature begins on the second Tuesday in January following the election.     Currently, bills and joint resolutions require a majority vote to pass.  Bills that are conditionally vetoed also require a majority vote to be reenacted.  This means 21 votes in the Senate and 41 votes in the General Assembly.     This amendment would require a two-thirds majority vote to move or pass bills and joint resolutions, and to reenact conditionally vetoed bills, during the lame duck session.  This means 27 votes in the Senate and 54 votes in the General Assembly.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This concurrent resolution proposes to amend the State Constitution to require that bills and joint resolutions receive a two-thirds majority vote in order to advance during a lame duck session of the Legislature.  The amendment would also require a two-thirds majority vote to amend and reenact a bill which has been conditionally vetoed by the Governor.

     As defined by the amendment, a lame duck sessions begins on the first day that voters can cast a ballot at the November general election for members of the General Assembly, and ends when the new Legislature begins on the second Tuesday in January following the election.  A lame duck session only occurs in the second year of a Legislature.

     Currently, bills and joint resolutions require a majority vote of the Senate and General Assembly to pass.  A simple majority is also required to amend and reenact a bill conditionally vetoed by the Governor.  This means 21 votes in the Senate and 41 votes in the General Assembly.  This amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote to undertake these legislative actions during the lame duck session.  This means 27 votes in the Senate and 54 votes in the General Assembly.