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ACR 180

Amends State Constitution to require four-fifths majority vote of Legislature to submit constitutional amendment to voters during lame duck season.

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Paul Kanitra

Requires four-fifths legislative majority to submit constitutional amendments during lame duck sessions, raising the procedural bar for fundamental governance changes by outgoing legislators.

Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee
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Bill Summary · ACR 180

Legislative bill overview

ACR 180 proposes a constitutional amendment that would require a four-fifths majority vote (instead of the current three-fifths majority) in the New Jersey Legislature to submit constitutional amendments to voters during the "lame duck" period—typically the post-election session before newly elected legislators take office. This is a procedural change designed to create a higher bar for constitutional amendments during this specific legislative window.

Why is this important

The lame duck session occurs when legislators who lost re-election or chose not to run still hold office, potentially reducing electoral accountability. This bill addresses concerns that constitutional amendments—which are fundamental changes to state governance—could be rushed through with less representative input during this period. Constitutional amendments carry significant long-term consequences, so the timing and process matter considerably.

Potential points of contention

  • Democratic concerns: Opponents may argue this makes constitutional amendments unnecessarily difficult to achieve and could entrench existing power structures by preventing reforms that address urgent issues
  • Supermajority burden: A four-fifths requirement is extremely high and may be seen as giving disproportionate power to minority opposition, effectively allowing just 21% of legislators to block constitutional amendments
  • Definition ambiguity: The bill's effectiveness depends on how "lame duck season" is precisely defined—whether it applies to all post-election sessions or only specific dates

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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