TRENTON, N.J. – Some of the proposals were crazier than others (it’s a sliding scale of nuttiness under the Dom), but Trenton Democrats certainly advanced a theme during Monday’s frenzied pre-Christmas voting session: helping people who break the law. Arguably, some of the bills help criminals at the expense of people who pay the bills and follow the rules.
NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt dubbed it “Criminal Christmas.”
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“It’s criminal Christmas today in Trenton,” said Steinhardt on Monday. “As Democrat politicians shower rule breakers with privileges and sympathy, the millions of hardworking New Jersey families who do it by the book are once again left asking, who is looking out for them? Our state is limping behind the rest of the country and we’re bleeding jobs, opportunities and family members. Phil Murphy’s backwards approach to governing goes beyond kicking the can down the road. He’s loaded the can into a cannon and shot it into the meadowlands swamps. This state needs honest answers to its real problems, and the clock is ticking.”
The list of bills cited by Steinhardt:
S3229 – Drivers licenses for illegal immigrants
S4154 – Revises expungement eligibility and procedures, including new “clean slate” automated process to render convictions and related records inaccessible
S4260 – Gives voting rights for people convicted of indictable offense who are on parole or probation.
SCR183 – Legalizes marijuana
A3979 – Makes is easier for prisoners to see their children
S761 – Requires DOC to develop inmate reentry plan
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