Relating to: declaring May 2025 and May 2026 as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Months.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Margaret Arney and 20 co-sponsors

Designates February 6 as Ronald Reagan Day in New Jersey, with an annual gubernatorial proclamation urging observance; a ceremonial designation with no new funding.

Representative Haywood added as a coauthor

AJR 80 — Ronald Reagan Day (New Jersey)

A summary of the introduced bill

What the bill would do

AJR 80 is a joint resolution introduced in the New Jersey Assembly to designate February 6th of each year as Ronald Reagan Day in New Jersey.

The designation is in recognition of Ronald Wilson Reagan’s contributions to the United States.

Key provisions

Designation: February 6th of every year shall be Ronald Reagan Day in the State of New Jersey.

Governor’s role: The Governor would annually issue a proclamation and call upon public officials, private organizations, and all citizens of New Jersey to observe the day with appropriate events and activities.

Effective date: The joint resolution takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Recitals: The introduced version includes a narrative recognizing Reagan’s life and accomplishments, including his roles as entertainer, governor, and president, and highlighting aspects such as economic growth during his presidency, national defense, leadership through the Cold War, and his later battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Who would be affected

All residents of New Jersey, as well as state and local public officials and private organizations.

Schools, community groups, and public institutions may observe or organize events on Ronald Reagan Day if the resolution is enacted.

The Governor’s Office would be responsible for issuing the annual proclamation and encouraging observance.

Status and timeline

Introduced in the Assembly on January 9, 2024.

Referred to the Assembly State and Local Government Committee.

As a joint resolution, enactment would require passage by both houses of the New Jersey Legislature and the Governor’s signature to become law (the text provided indicates immediate effect upon enactment).

Fiscal and administrative impact

The bill does not include any specific funding or appropriation.

If enacted, the designation primarily creates a ceremonial observance and would rely on existing resources of the Governor’s Office to issue annual proclamations; any costs would be minimal and not explicitly budgeted in the bill.

Notes

This is an introductory measure and, if advanced, would require further legislative action in the Senate and final signature by the Governor to take effect.

The designation is commemorative and does not create new state programs or statutory obligations beyond the annual proclamations and public observance.