On November 12, 2021, New Jersey Senate Democrats signaled that State Senator Nicholas Scutari (LD-22) will become the next Senate president when the formal Senate reorganization vote is held on January 11, 2022. As the newly elected Senate President, Senator Scutari will have the power to place the issues of reparations and police reform at the forefront of the New Jersey State Senate’s agenda, which will help repair the faulty design that has led to the inequities experienced by Black communities throughout New Jersey. Exercising his authority and influence by publicly advocating for the passage of bills such as S322, S2656 and S2963, which were introduced in 2020, would be a good place for Senate President Scutari to start.

S322, whose primary sponsors are Senator Ronald Rice (LD-28) and Senator Sandra Cunningham (LD-31), would establish a Reparations Task Force will examine the institution of slavery within New Jersey, the extent to which New Jersey prevented, opposed, or restricted efforts of enslaved African people and their descendants to economically thrive upon the ending of slavery, and the lingering negative effects of slavery on living Black people in New Jersey. A Reparations Task Force will also research methods and materials for facilitating education, community dialogue, symbolic acknowledgment, and other formal actions leading toward transformation, reparations remedies, a sense of justice and economic justice among Black people. It will also make recommendations for what remedies should be awarded, through what instrumentalities and to whom those remedies should be awarded, and address how the recommendations comport with national and international standards of remedy for wrongs and injuries caused by the State. The Reparations Task Force will hold at least six public meetings, issue an interim report no later than 12 months following its initial meeting and submit its final report and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature no later than 24 months after the initial meeting.

S2656, whose primary sponsors are Senator Loretta Weinberg (LD-37) and Senator Nia Gill (LD-34), would make law enforcement disciplinary records accessible as government records under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act. S2656 will provide much needed transparency, which will breed trust, support effective policing, and help protect our civil rights.

S2963, whose primary sponsors are Senator Ronald Rice (LD-28) and Senator Shirley Turner (LD-15), would authorize the creation of local civilian review boards to review police conduct. This bill would also permit municipal and county governing bodies to confer such boards with the power to subpoena witnesses and documentary evidence, including police disciplinary records. Such oversight will enable communities to trust that civilian complaints of discourtesy, offensive language, abuse of authority, or excessive or unnecessary force that do not trigger a criminal review by prosecutors will still be investigated and recommendations for dealing with such complaints will be made in the public interest.

The New Jersey State Senate has not held a hearing for even one of the three bills since they were introduced. It is shameful that our State Senate has not yet used its authority to thoroughly address structural racism and systemic racism in our state.

While there is other legislation that has been proposed or that should be proposed to address the inequities Black communities throughout New Jersey continue to experience, which the Senate should consider for adoption, passing bills such as S322, S2656 and S2963, would certainly be a positive development for New Jerseyans.

Over half a century ago, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said,

We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there “is” such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.

How much longer will it take for a State Senate that is controlled by Democrats to finally take appropriate action? Now is the time for Senator Scutari to persuade his senate colleagues to act by publicly calling for hearings for and support of the legislation that will create a Reparations Task Force, make law enforcement disciplinary records publicly accessible, and allow for local civilian review boards with subpoena power.  Hopefully, Senator Scutari will use the opportunity that he’s been given to lead to help achieve equity and justice for all residents of New Jersey.

Josh Fine served as a member of the Borough Council of Highland Park from 2015 to 2020 and is a member of the Middlesex Black-Jewish Coalition.