TRENTON – Senate President Steve Sweeney announced today the Senate committee assignments for the upcoming year, 2019.

”We will miss Senator Van Drew next year, as he moves on to Washington,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “We will continue to have a highly impressive, diverse and dedicated caucus, but with the Senator’s departure we updated committee assignments.

“The most notable changes will be Senator Singleton’s new position as Chair of the Community and Urban Affairs Committee and Senator Gopal’s first chair appointment as Chair of the Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee.”

“New Jersey’s communities – whether urban, rural or suburban – continue to face unique challenges which require innovative solutions,” said Senator Singleton (D-Burlington). “I am honored to serve in my new role as Chair of the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee to ensure that future policies are not only well intentioned, but also have a positive impact.”

“I am honored to take on this new, important role as Chair of the Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). “I look forward to continuing my support of the service members in New Jersey who have fought for our state and our country. These men and women deserve the utmost care from our communities and I plan on facilitating that as best I can.”

In 2019, more committee chairpersons in the New Jersey State Senate will be of African American, Latino or South Asian descent than in the Senate’s history.

“Heading into the new year with the most diverse set of committee chairs in New Jersey history, I am inspired and hopeful for what’s to come,” said Senator Sweeney. “We are an extremely diverse state and it is critical those in power and sitting at the decision making table reflect that fact. Having committee chairs with different backgrounds and life experiences will allow us to pass legislation which takes into account the concerns of all New Jerseyans.”

In January, the Senate will approve a resolution in order to add one additional seat to the Education committee, increasing the number of seats from six to seven.

Below are the full committee assignments:

Community & Urban Affairs   

Singleton, Chair

Rice, Vice Chair

Stack

Connors

O’Scanlon

Education 

Ruiz, Chair

Turner, Vice Chair

Beach

Cunningham

Doherty

Thompson

(vacancy) New R

Labor

Madden, Chair

Lagana, Vice Chair

Greenstein

Addiego

Bucco

Transportation                                   

Diegnan, Chair

Gopal, Vice Chair

Gill

Sacco

Holzapfel

Singer

Budge and  Appropriations

Sarlo, Chair

Cunningham, Vice Chair

Vacancy

Cruz-Perez

Diegnan

Greenstein

Ruiz

Singleton

Addiego

Bucco

Oroho

O’Scanlon

Thompson

Commerce

Pou, Chair

Cryan, Vice Chair

Scutari

Cardinale

Kean

Health, Human Services

& Senior Citizens

Vitale, Chair

Madden, Vice Chair

Codey

Gopal

Lagana

Rice

Corrado

Holzapfel

Singer

(vacancy)

Economic Growth

Cruz-Perez, Chair

Singleton, Vice Chair

Turner

Oroho

Pennacchio

Environment and Energy 

Smith,  Chair

Vitale, Vice Chair

Codey

Bateman

Corrado

Higher Education 

Cunningham, Chair

Pou, Vice Chair

Ruiz

Brown

Kean

Law & Public Safety 

Greenstein, Chair

Cryan, Vice Chair

Lagana

Sacco

O’Scanlon

(Vacancy) New R

Judiciary 

Scutari, Chair

Pou, Vice-Chair

Lagana

Sarlo

Singleton

Smith, B.

Weinberg

Bateman

Cardinale

Corrado

Doherty

Military & Veterans’ Affairs 

Gopal, Chair

Vacancy, Vice Chair

Turner

Connors

Pennacchio

State Government,

Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation

Beach, Chair

Cruz-Perez, Vice Chair

Stack

Brown

Thompson