The current Constitution of New Jersey was composed of a team of delegates representing each of the counties. The team of delegates convened from June 12th to September 10 th, 1947. They further established a new charter that highly strengthens the Governor's office and unified and reorganized the entire judicial system within the Supreme Court. The document added more aspects relating to protections and rights and advocated for the Legislature to offer an efficient and thorough free public school system. In total, the New Jersey Constitution comprises eleven articles.
This paper provides a synopsis of these Articles which are; Article I: Privileges and Rights; II Suffrage and Elections; III Power distribution; IV Legislative; V Executive; VI Judicial: VII public employees and officers; VIII Finance and Taxation; IX Amendments; X General Provisions and XI Schedule. Finally, the paper shows my views regarding Article VII on Public Employees and Officers as the most crucial article in New Jerseys' Constitution. It governs the issue of leadership responsibility.
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Article I: Privileges and Rights
This article declares that every individual is by nature an independent and free individual. We are entitled to certain unalienable natural rights such as defending and enjoying life, possessing security, and the right to pursue happiness. The government must protect its people by offering them security and ensure public good for all. Article 1 also states the right to worship in a church that they believe in. no person shall be denied from enjoying military and civil rights. Also, every individual has the right to speak freely, both in spoken and written form. Therefore Article I ensures equality of rights to all within New Jersey.
Article II: Suffrage and Elections
Article II points out that general elections will be carried out annually every Tuesday after every first Monday in November. This article also indicates that all matters raised by the Senate's people shall be voted upon during a general election. It also shows that every American citizen above the age of 21, who has been a resident of New Jersey State for at least a year and has declared his voting station five months before the election, has the right to vote or vie for any elective position. During the war, no elector serving in the army or military services of the United States will be denied his right to over even when he or she is absent from an election district. Also, Clothier and Van Camp (2017) point out that, no insane or idiot person shall be allowed to enjoy suffrage right
Article III: Power Distribution in Government
The government powers shall be sub-divided amongst the main branches: Judicial, Executive, and Legislative. No persons or person consisting or belonging to one of these branches will carry out any of powers rightly given to others apart from those expressed by the Constitution.
Article IV: The Legislative
The first part of the Legislative indicates that the Legislature's power will be given in a General Assembly and Senate. Also, for an individual to be a Senate member, they should have attained 30 years and above and has to be a resident and citizen of the State for at least four years. Also, the minimum age for an individual to be a General Assembly member has to be 21 years. Section two talks about the Senate's composition, which has to be represented by representatives of each county and shall be elected in two classes biennially and when need be. Section three of the legislative talks about the members of the General Assembly who should not exceed sixty. Before taking to a position, every Legislature officer has to subscribe to an oath that promises the citizens of their faithfulness in preserving their position as stipulated by the law.
Article V: The Executive
The first part under the Executive mentions that executive power is given to the Governor. He or she should not be below the age of thirty and have at least 20 years of citizenship of the United States. The Governor should not accept any other position besides being a Governor. The Governor shall also serve for four years, after which an election will be held and given to the person with the highest number of votes.
Section two shows that the Governor will give reprieves and pardons in various cases apart from treason and impeachment. The law shall guide on steps to take when granting parole. Section three shows that the law shall guide the Governor on arming, training, inducting, disciplining, organizing, and regulating a militia. The fourth section talks about allocating powers, duties, and functions among administrative departments, offices, and instrumentalists.
Article VI: Judiciary
The judiciary organ is vested on a Superior Court, Supreme Court, inferior courts, and County Courts. There is also room for establishing other courts with their jurisdictions that can be abolished or altered as by the law. Section two under article VI also points out that the Supreme Court will consist of six Associate Justices and a Chief Justice. The court will have a quorum with at least five members. The supreme occur shall make rules and laws that govern the administration of all courts.
Article VII: Employees and Public Officers
Under Article VII, every officer of the State, before executing the office's responsibilities, will subscribe or undertake an affirmation or oath to adhere to this state Constitution and perform his or her duties impartially, faithfully, and justly to his level best. Promotions and Appointments to the State civil service shall be carried out as per the fitness and merit ascertained for practicable and examined as provided by the law. The County prosecutor will be appointed or nominated by the Governor in support of the Senate's consent and advice. After two years of joining the office, State officers and the Governor will be subjected to impeachment in any misconduct case while in office.
Article VIII: Finance and Taxation
This section indicates that any property assessment for taxation purposes will be as per the uniform rules and the law. Taxing assessment will be as per the standard set of values. General laws will guide on when to grant exemption from taxation. Also, the State Credit will not indirectly or directly be loaned in whatever the case. Drawing of any cash from the State treasury shall only be under the law's appropriations. Also, with reasonable limitations as per the dictate, the Legislature may provide school transport to children from 5 to 18 years of age to and from any school.
Article IX: Amendments
Under this section, any Constitutional amendments can be proposed by the General Assembly and the Senate. These amendments shall be recorded on each house's journal showing the nays and yeas of the member's votes.
Article X: General Provision
This section indicates that the State seal shall be kept by the administrator of the Governor's office. The Governor will use the Constitution for official matters of the New Jersey state. All commissions and grants are under the Great Seal of New Jersey's authority and name and signed by the Governor.
Article XI: Schedule
It states that this Constitution will supersede the thousand eight hundred and 44th Constitution as an amendment. The Legislature will enact all the necessary laws in ensuring that this Constitution is effective. The Governor shall also be elected in the general election to serve a full term of four years. It further gives schedules on when the general assembly shall be held annually. It shows the duration which the Superior Court judges shall hold office and retire when they hit the age of seventy years.
The Most Important Article
The most important article is VII on government employees and officials. All articles from the first to the eleventh are controlled by people elected to serve in various government departments. This article, therefore, forms the central position of all other sectors of the NJ Constitution. People in government positions have to serve and carry out their duties with integrity and faithfully to ensure all people's rights are respected. Corrupt government officials will breakdown every system of the State. Thus, they have to do what is expected of them by the law.
References
Clothier, R. and Van Camp, O. (2017) New Jersey State Constitution. Retrieved from http://www.nj.gov/state/archives/docconst47.html . On January 28th, 2021
