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Here you will find a quick lowdown on the legislative process as well as bills that need your action. If you have any questions, please feel free to email us.
NJARA regularly tracks state legislation. Additionally, we submit written testimony and attend committee hearings to provide oral testimony on those bills that affect animals. Listed below is an update on certain bills as well as those that need your action. Scroll further down to learn more about the Legislative Process in New Jersey and tips on Contacting your Legislators.
New Jersey is now at the end of our 2-year legislative session. Check back in the new year for current bills affecting animals.
In New Jersey we have 2 legislative houses—the Senate and the Assembly. Every town in NJ is in a specific Legislative District. Each District has 1 senator and 2 assembly members. (These are not to be confused with your 2 FEDERAL SENATORS [Menendez & Lautenberg] and your 1 FEDERAL CONGRESSMAN.) Click here to find out who your STATE legislators are.
When a bill is introduced, it is goes to a Senate Committee or an Assembly Committee (depending on who introduces it: a Senator or an Assembly member). Senate bills are designated by an “S” and Assembly bills by an “A”—for example, S478 and A2354. If a bill is designated as S478/A2354 that means an identical bill has been introduced in the Senate and the Assembly. They are referred to as companion bills. Ideally, you want to have a Senate and an Assembly version going through the process simultaneously. Once a bill is voted on favorably by a committee, it then passes on to its respective house for a full vote. When the bill passes both houses, it goes to the governor who can either sign it into law or veto it.
For more detailed information about the legislative process in NJ, click on Legislative Process. TOP ▲
Letter Writing: Even in this age of electronic correspondence, writing a letter is still the preferred method for expressing your opinion to legislators. It is the one which carries the greatest weight. Our suggestion is to make your letter brief and to the point. Keep to one issue. If you want your senator to vote yes on a particular bill, all you really need to do is write that you are supportive of that bill (give the bill number and a generic description, such as The Black Bear Protection Bill). Let’s face it, you don’t have time to research and WRITE a long letter and the person you are sending it to doesn’t have time to READ a long letter. Short and to the point will get your message across. Your letter can either be mailed or faxed.
Phone Calls: Don’t be afraid to call. Most often you will get a receptionist or an aide to the legislator who will take your opinion and ask for your name and address. That’s it. It's a rare occasion when you will have time to discuss the issue at hand and an even rarer occasion when you will be asked why you have taken that particular stance on the issue. They are generally tallying calls in favor of or opposed to a bill. If by some chance your legislator answers the phone, simply express your opinion clearly and firmly. And remember, they put their pants on one leg at a time!
Email: This is the least preferred method of corresponding with a legislator. On March 19, 2001, the Washington Post reported on a study about email correspondence with federal legislators. The study showed that most e-mails going to senators and representatives are from individuals and groups outside their districts, and many "are routinely ignored by the offices because of a lack of resources or capability." Although no study was performed on the state level, we can assume the same applies. It’s too easy for mass emails to go out and legislative offices by and large are not equipped to deal with the volume that can be generated by one email alert. If you must use email, treat it as if it were a letter. Put their name and address at the top and at the bottom of your email, put your full name and mailing address. Do NOT just use your screen name.
Form Letters/Postcards: This also is not a preferable means of communicating with your elected officials. Unless they received tens of thousands of them, yours will have little impact.
So, to recap, a short sincere letter—faxed or mailed—says it all, a phone call is good too, but leave the emailing or form letters as a last resort. TOP ▲ |
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