CJ Griffin Authors Op-Ed for Jersey Vindicator, “Trenton Has A Hearing Problem”

CJ Griffin, partner and director of the Justice Gary S. Stein Public Interest Center at Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C., recently authored an op-ed titled, “Trenton Has A Hearing Problem” as part of her regular “The Public Record” column for the Jersey Vindicator. In the article, Griffin discusses how New Jersey lawmakers pushed a bill to weaken the state comptroller while largely ignoring public and official objections at a legislative hearing.

“These lawmakers, like most others, have defeated the entire point of committees. Committees exist to scrutinize legislation, gather input from stakeholders, and correct flaws before a bill reaches the floor. If a bill isn’t in a condition that a committee member would support on the floor, it should not advance out of committee. Instead, the sponsor should revise the bill to address concerns or at least bring it to a point where a majority of the committee finds it acceptable,” writes Griffin.

“Lawmakers must serve the public, not each other. Flawed legislation should not pass through a committee as a courtesy to the sponsor or because the sponsor is a bully. This tradition must stop. Whatever you think about the merits of the bill or the intentions behind it, we should all agree that the process stinks. New Jerseyans deserve better,” Griffin concludes.

To read the full article, click here.