N.J. Legislative Counsel Opinions
The Office of Legislative Counsel is a subdivision of the Office of Legislative Services. According to the description on their web site,
"The Legislative Counsel is the chief legal officer of the Legislature ... The Legislative Counsel can advise the legislative leadership, committees and commissions with respect to ... legal matters affecting the Legislature and issues pertaining to the Conflicts of Interest Law and the Legislative Code of Ethics. The Office of the Legislative Counsel also provides confidential legal opinions upon request..."
The opinions in this collection are ones which we have learned about because the legislators who requested them released them to the news media, and which we have been able to obtain from the offices of those legislators.
| "Constitutionality of Gov. McGreevey's Executive Order No.134", Opinion of N.J. Legislative Counsel to Assemblyman Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., Oct.15,2004. | View Document |
| "Re Gov. McGreevy's Executive Order No. 139 on Syringe Access Programs", Opinion of N.J. Legislative Counsel to Assemblyman Joseph Pennacchio, Nov.15, 2004. View Document in | View Document |
| "Whether proceeds of long term debt may be considered 'revenue' for the purpose of 'balancing' the budget," Opinion of N.J. Legislative Counsel Albert Porroni, to Senator Leonard Lance, June 17, 2004. | View Document |
| "Whether the Governor can remove the Secretary of State for cause", Opinion of N.J. Legislative Counsel to Senate Republican Office, May 9, 2005. | View Document |
| "Whether use of proceeds of Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation advance refunding bonds as anticipated State General Fund revenue is constitutional," Opinion of N.J. Legislative Counsel to Assemblyman DeCroce, August 2, 2005. | View Document |
| "Surplus Greystone Park Hospital Property," Memorandum, to Hon. Joseph Penacchio, from Jeffrey T. Climpson, Section Chief, Office of Legislative Services, May 2, 2008 | View Document |
| "Questions ... about the New Jersey business personal property tax (BPPT) imposed on certain propety used in the business of incumbent telephone companies, also known as Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs)," Opinion of N.J. Legislative Counsel to Hon. Upendra J. Chivukula, September 26, 2008. | View Document |
| "Whether amounts statutorily dedicated for appropriation through a poison pill may be overcome by an annual appropriations act," Opinion of N.J. Legislative Counsel to Hon. Thomas H. Kean, Jr., April 22, 2009. | View Document |
| [Constitutional questions on Senate Bill No.1 (Second Reprint) (concerning affordable housing)], Opinion of N.J. Legislative Counsel to Hon. Jerry Green, December 20, 2010. | View Document |