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N.J. Constitutional Convention: Volume 3 Page 275.

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COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, AMENDMENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
APPENDIX TO PROCEEDINGS

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON REVISION&nbspOF THE NEW JERSEY CONSTITUTION

(Submitted to the Governor, the Legislature and the People of&nbspNew Jersey, May 1942)

(Excerpts relating to the Articles on Rights and Privileges,&nbspState Government, Elections and Suffrage, Amendments,&nbspand General Provisions)

SUMMARY AND EXPLANATION

Article I&nbspRIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES

Summary:

A new paragraph guarantees every citizen or taxpayer the right to restrain any violation of the Constitution. There is no other substantial change.

Explanation:

No change has been made in the time-tested provisions of the Bill of Rights, with the exception of the addition of a provision guaranteeing every citizen and taxpayer the right to restrain any violation of the Constitution. Any citizen who believes an act of the Legislature authorizing an expenditure of public money violates the Constitution cannot now prevent the expenditure, unless he can show that the injury to him is different in kind or degree from what every other citizen suffers. The new provision wipes out this legal impediment and brings the State government under effective public scrutiny and control.

Article II&nbspSTATE GOVERNMENT

Summary:
  • 1. All powers of government, except as expressly limited by the Constitution, shall be embraced within the legislative power.
  • 2. The procedure of administrative agencies shall, where private rights are concerned, conform to published regulations which, so far as practicable, shall be uniform.
Explanation:

The Legislature is definitely freed of any implication that, like the Congress, it cannot serve the people unless the power it wishes to exercise is spelled out in the Constitution. Our present theory of American state government, that the state constitutions, unlike the Federal document, do not grant but merely limit sovereign powers, is given formal expression by the new clause.

In order to serve the people effectively administrative agencies

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