Bill Text: NJ SCR141 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Constitutes special committee of Senate and General Assembly entitled "New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Legislative Investigatory Committee."

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Introduced) 2026-10-08 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [SCR141 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2026-SCR141-Introduced.html

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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 141

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED OCTOBER 8, 2026

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  ANTHONY M. BUCCO

District 25 (Morris and Passaic)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Constitutes special committee of Senate and General Assembly entitled "New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Legislative Investigatory Committee."

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  

A Concurrent Resolution constituting a special committee of the Senate and General Assembly entitled the "New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Legislative Investigatory Committee."

 

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

 

     1.    There is constituted a special committee of the Senate and General Assembly entitled the "New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Legislative Investigatory Committee," comprised of 16 members.  Four members shall be appointed by the Senate President, four members shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, four members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and four members shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly.  Not more than eight members shall be of the same political party.  There shall be two co-chairs of the special committee appointed jointly by the Senate President and Assembly Speaker from among the appointed members, who shall not be of the same political party.  There shall be two vice co-chairs of the special committee, appointed jointly by the Senate President and Assembly Speaker from among the appointed members, who shall not be of the same political party.

 

     2.    a. The New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Legislative Investigatory Committee shall review:

     (1)   the facts and circumstances relating to allegations of misconduct involving former Lieutenant Governor and former Secretary of State Dr. Dale G. Caldwell, including allegations of sexual harassment, other inappropriate behavior toward women, or related ethics violations made against former Lieutenant Governor and former Secretary of State Dr. Dale G. Caldwell;

     (2)   the timeline of events regarding the allegations and the investigations made concerning former Lieutenant Governor and former Secretary of State Dr. Dale G. Caldwell's conduct prior to and after his assumption of public office;

     (3)   the adequacy and implementation of policies and procedures for receiving, referring, investigating, and resolving allegations of misconduct against senior executive branch officials, including the Lieutenant Governor;

     (4)   the scope, independence, methodology, timeliness, completeness, findings, and costs of any investigation undertaken by or on behalf of the executive branch concerning those allegations, including the selection and retention of outside counsel, preservation of relevant records, identification and interviewing of material witnesses, and disclosure and implementation of investigative findings, subject to applicable laws and privileges; and

     (5)   whether changes to law, policy, or procedure are warranted to prevent and address similar misconduct by senior executive branch officials, strengthen accountability, and protect complainants and witnesses against retaliation.

     b.    The committee shall issue an interim report to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) within 90 days after the effective date of this resolution and shall issue a final report of its findings to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) within 180 days after the effective date of this resolution.  The final report shall include recommendations for legislative or administrative reforms to prevent and address sexual harassment, misuse of public office for personal benefit, and other ethics violations by senior executive branch officials, and to improve the reporting, investigation, and resolution of allegations of such conduct.

 

     3.    For the purposes of carrying out its charge under this resolution, the New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Legislative Investigatory Committee shall have all the powers conferred under the laws and the Constitutions of the State of New Jersey and of the United States, including, but not limited to, the following powers, provided that no subpoena shall be issued by the committee without the written consent of both co-chairs, both vice co-chairs, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Minority Leaders of the Senate and the General Assembly:

     a.     the powers conferred pursuant to chapter 13 of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes, including, but not limited to, the power to issue subpoenas to compel attendance and testimony of persons and the production of books, papers, correspondence, other documents and materials, and electronic records and data;

     b.    to hold hearings, take testimony under oath, and receive documentary or physical evidence relating to the matters and questions it is authorized to investigate or study;

     c.     to use any and all reasonable means of interviewing or fact gathering, including, but not limited to, preliminary conferences or interviews;

     d.    to convene a meeting or hearing to determine the adequacy of the return and rule on the objection if a return on a subpoena or order for the production of documentary evidence is incomplete or accompanied by an objection;

     e.     to utilize the powers provided under R.S.52:13-3 or hold individuals or entities in contempt of the committee;

     f.     to make findings and reports to the Senate and General Assembly of any recommendations that the committee may consider appropriate with respect to the willful failure or refusal of any person to appear before it, to answer questions or give testimony during an appearance of that person as a witness, or to produce before the committee any books, papers, correspondence, other documents and materials, and electronic records and data that the committee may request;

     g.    to respond to any judicial or other process, or to make application to the courts of this State, or any other state, or the United States;

     h.    to report possible violations of any law, rule, regulation, or code to appropriate federal, State, or local authorities; and

     i.     to adopt additional rules or procedures not inconsistent with this resolution.

 

     4.    a.  The New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Legislative Investigatory Committee shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of the State of New Jersey, any political subdivision of the State, and any agency thereof, as may be required and as may be available to it for that purpose, and to employ any other services as may be deemed necessary, in order to perform the duties provided herein, and within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for that purpose.

     b.    The New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Legislative Investigatory Committee, upon the joint written recommendation of the co-chairs and the written approval of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly, shall be entitled to call to its assistance, employ, and avail itself of the services of one or more special counsel retained to assist the committee.

 

     5.    This concurrent resolution shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This concurrent resolution constitutes a special committee of the Senate and General Assembly entitled the "New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Legislative Investigatory Committee."

     The committee will review:

     the facts and circumstances relating to allegations of misconduct involving former Lieutenant Governor and former Secretary of State Dr. Dale G. Caldwell, including allegations of sexual harassment, other inappropriate behavior toward women, or related ethics violations;

     the timeline of events regarding the allegations and the investigations made concerning former Lieutenant Governor and former Secretary of State Dr. Dale G. Caldwell's conduct prior to and after his assumption of public office;

     the adequacy and implementation of policies and procedures for receiving, referring, investigating, and resolving allegations of misconduct against senior executive branch officials, including the Lieutenant Governor;

     the scope, independence, methodology, timeliness, completeness, findings, and costs of any investigation undertaken by or on behalf of the executive branch concerning those allegations, including the selection and retention of outside counsel, preservation of relevant records, identification and interviewing of material witnesses, and disclosure and implementation of investigative findings, subject to applicable laws and privileges; and

     whether changes to law, policy, or procedure are warranted to prevent and address similar misconduct by senior executive branch officials, strengthen accountability, and protect complainants and witnesses against retaliation.

     Upon the conclusion of its review, the committee will issue an interim report to the Legislature within 90 days after the effective date of this resolution and will issue a final report of its findings to the Legislature within 180 days after the effective date of this resolution.  The final report will include recommendations for legislative or administrative reforms to prevent and address sexual harassment, misuse of public office for personal benefit, and other ethics violations by senior executive branch officials, and to improve the reporting, investigation, and resolution of allegations of such conduct.

     The committee will consist of 16 members.  Four members will be appointed by the Senate President, four members will be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, four members will be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and four members will be appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly.  Not more than eight members will be of the same political party.  There will be two co-chairs and two vice co-chairs of the special committee appointed jointly by the Senate President and Assembly Speaker from among the appointed members.  The two co-chairs will not be members of the same political party and the two vice co-chairs will not be members of the same political party.

     The committee will have a number of powers granted to it for the purposes of its investigations, including, but not limited to, the power to:

     issue subpoenas to compel attendance and testimony of persons and the production of documents and materials;

     hold hearings, take testimony under oath, and receive documentary or physical evidence;

     use any and all reasonable means of interviewing or fact-gathering;

     convene a meeting or hearing to determine the adequacy of the return of requested documentary evidence, and rule on whether documentary evidence requested by a subpoena is incomplete or accompanied by an objection;

     hold individuals or entities in contempt of the committee;

     respond to any judicial or other process, or to make application to the courts of this State, or any other state, or the United States; and

     report possible violations of any law, rule, regulation, or code to appropriate federal, State, or local authorities.

     On September 24, 2026, Governor Sherrill released a report of an investigation into allegations concerning Dr. Dale G. Caldwell.  On September 25, 2026, the Governor announced that she had accepted his resignation as Lieutenant Governor.  His departure does not resolve the need for legislative review of the executive branch's handling of the allegations or consideration of reforms to prevent and address similar misconduct.