N.J. Stat. tit. 1, ch. 6

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-1 § 1:6-1

Whenever, by the constitution, notice of the intention to apply for the passage of any bill is required, such notice shall contain a correct statement of the general object of the bill, be signed by at least one of the parties intending to apply for its passage, and be published, except as required by section 1:6-3 of this title, at least one week before the introduction of such bill, and after the first day of January next preceding such introduction, in at least one of the newspapers published in each county in which the bill is, or is likely, to take effect.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-3 § 1:6-3

The notice of intention to apply for the passage of a bill to repeal the charter of any corporation, or bill to repeal the charter and dispose of the property of any corporation, shall be given by publishing the same in a daily newspaper published in Trenton, for at least six consecutive days prior to the introduction of the bill, and by serving a copy of the notice upon the president, secretary, registered agent or a director of the corporation, if such officer or agent can be found within the state, and, if no such officer or agent can be found within the state, by personal service of such copy upon them or one of them out of the state, or by mailing a copy to them or one of them, directed to the residence or post-office address of such officer or agent, if known.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-4 § 1:6-4

Proof of the publications required by sections 1:6-1 and 1:6-3 of this title shall be by oath or affirmation in writing, made by the publisher, or his authorized agent, of every newspaper in which publication was made. The proof shall contain a copy of the published notice, and shall be presented with the bill when introduced, and, after final vote on the bill, shall be filed and deposited by the officers of the legislature in whose hands it may be in the office of the secretary of state, there to remain.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-5 § 1:6-5

The secretary of state shall, after the adjournment of each legislature, record, in well-bound books to be provided by him for that purpose, every proof of the publication of notice of application for the passage of bills required by this chapter that relates to any such bills as have become laws. Such books or certified copies of their contents shall be received in evidence in any place and for any purpose for which the original proof would be received, the same as the original thereof.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-6 § 1:6-6

The publication in the pamphlet laws published by the state of any law, as to which notice of intention to apply for its passage is required by the constitution, shall be prima facie evidence that the notice required by the constitution has been given in the manner required by this chapter.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-7 § 1:6-7

If anyone shall falsely swear or affirm, in the making of the proofs required by section 1:6-4 of this title, he shall be deemed guilty of perjury.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-8 § 1:6-8

Each private, local or special act or supplement thereto constitutionally enacted by the legislature, except such as refer to benevolent, religious, charitable or educational institutions shall be assessed the sum of twenty-five dollars, and, until such assessment is paid into the state treasury, no such act shall have the force and effect of law; and if any person interested in any such act fails to pay the assessment thereon before the first day of July next ensuing the passage thereof, the same shall cease, and be inoperative and void, to all intents and purposes as though the same had not been passed.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-9 Report by comptroller of laws on which assessments unpaid; proclamation by governor; effect

The comptroller of the treasury shall, during the month of July in each year, report to the governor or person administering the government every law, with its date of approval or passage, which has become inoperative or void by reason of nonpayment of the assessment levied pursuant to section 1:6-8 of this title, and the governor or person administering the government shall, upon receiving such report, forthwith issue his proclamation under the great seal of the state, setting forth the particulars of such report. The proclamation shall be filed by the secretary of state and be printed as required in the case of other proclamations. The proclamation, or a certified copy or a duly printed copy, shall be competent evidence in any court of the state that the laws therein enumerated have become inoperative and void, and no such law shall be received in evidence as a valid and operative law, unless proof shall be made to the satisfaction of the court that the assessment was in fact paid into the treasury within the time prescribed by said section 1:6-8.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-10 Petition for passage of private, special local law

1. The governing body of any municipal corporation formed for local government, hereinafter called a municipality, or the board of chosen freeholders of any county, may petition the Legislature for the passage of a private, special or local law regulating the internal affairs of the municipality or county, when authorized so to do by ordinance of the municipality, or by resolution of the board of chosen freeholders of the county, as the case may be, specifying the general nature of the law sought to be passed, duly adopted, after publication and opportunity afforded for public hearing upon not less than seven days' notice duly published. L.1948,c.199,s.1; amended 1993,c.93,s.3.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-11 Petition requesting filing of petition with Legislature

Whenever there shall be filed with the clerk of a municipality or the clerk of the board of chosen freeholders of a county a petition signed by at least twenty per centum (20%) or fifteen thousand, whichever is less, of the registered voters of the municipality or county requesting the filing of a petition with the Legislature for the passage of a private, special or local law regulating the internal affairs of the municipality or of the county and specifying the general nature of the law sought to be passed, the clerk shall examine the same and ascertain whether or not it is signed by the requisite number of registered voters and, within ten days after the filing thereof, shall attach his certificate thereto showing the result of such examination and submit the same to the governing body of the municipality or board of chosen freeholders of the county. L.1948, c. 199, p. 996, s. 2.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-12 Adoption of resolution

If the clerk shall certify to the sufficiency of the petition, the said governing body or board of chosen freeholders shall, within thirty days after the filing of such petition, adopt a resolution authorizing the filing of a petition with the Legislature for the passage of a private, special or local law of the general nature described in the petition so filed with said clerk or in its discretion, adopt a resolution authorizing the submission of the proposal to file such a petition to the legal voters of the municipality or county at the next general election succeeding the adoption thereof, or if the resolution shall be adopted within ninety days next preceding such election, then at the next succeeding general election, in the case of a county or at the next succeeding general or municipal election, whichever shall occur first, in the case of a municipality. L.1948, c. 199, p. 996, s. 3.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-13 Question placed on ballot

If the resolution so adopted shall provide for submission of said proposal to the voters of the municipality or of the county, there shall be printed on every ballot to be used at such general or municipal election, the following: If you favor the proposition printed below make a cross X, plus + or check / in the square opposite the word "YES." If you are opposed thereto make a cross X, plus + or check / in the square opposite the word "NO." YES "Shall the proposal to petition the Legislature for the passage of a special law entitled 'An act NO (reciting title)' be adopted?" In any municipality or county in which voting machines are used, the question shall be placed upon the official ballots to be used upon the voting machines without the foregoing instructions to the voters and shall be voted upon by the use of such machines without marking as aforesaid. L.1948, c. 199, p. 996, s. 4.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-14 Adoption of resolution after favorable vote

If, at such election, a majority of all of the votes cast both for and against the adoption of such proposal shall be cast in favor of the adoption thereof, it shall be the duty of said governing body or board of chosen freeholders to adopt a resolution authorizing the filing of a petition with the Legislature for the passage of a private, special or local law of the general nature described in the petition within thirty days after the holding of such election. L.1948, c. 199, p. 997, s. 5.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-15 Petition; publication of notice of intention

In any case in which an ordinance or resolution authorizing the filing of a petition with the Legislature for the passage of a private, special or local law, pursuant to the provisions of this act, shall be adopted, it shall be the duty of the chief executive officer of the municipality, or the presiding officer of the board of chosen freeholders of the county, to cause a petition, describing the general nature of the private, special or local law sought to be passed, to be prepared and signed by him and attested by the clerk of the municipality or of the board of chosen freeholders under the corporate seal of the municipality or county, and to cause to be published notice of the intention to apply for the passage of a bill of the general nature described in the petition pursuant to the provisions of section 1:6-1 of the Revised Statutes at the next session of the Legislature at which such application can be made after compliance with such provisions, and to cause to be prepared and introduced in the Legislature at said session a private, special or local bill, to carry out the purposes of said petition, for the action of the Legislature thereon. L.1948, c. 199, p. 997, s. 6.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-16 Filing of petition and resolution with bill

The original of the petition for the passage of such a law, together with a duly certified copy of the ordinance or resolution authorizing the filing of the same, shall be presented and filed with the bill when the bill is introduced and, after final vote upon the bill, shall be filed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State with the proof of publication of the notice of intention to apply for the passage of the bill. L.1948, c. 199, p. 998, s. 7.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-17 Law operative only after adoption

Any such private, special or local law passed pursuant to any such petition shall become operative in such municipality or county only when the same shall have been adopted by the vote of the legal voters thereof as hereinafter provided, unless otherwise prescribed in such law. L.1948, c. 199, p. 998, s. 8.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-18 Submission of question of adoption

The question of the adoption of such law shall be submitted to the legal voters of the municipality or county at the next general election succeeding the passage thereof unless the same shall be passed within twenty-five days next preceding such election, in which case it shall be submitted at the next succeeding general election, in the case of a county, or the next succeeding general or municipal election, whichever shall occur first, in the case of a municipality. L.1948, c. 199, p. 998, s. 9.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-19 Question

There shall be printed on each official ballot to be used at such general or municipal election, the following: If you favor the proposition printed below make a cross x, plus + or check X in the square opposite the word "YES." If you are opposed thereto make a cross x , plus + or check X in the square opposite the word "NO." YES "Shall "An act (reciting title)' NO be adopted?" In any municipality or county in which voting machines are used, the question shall be placed upon the official ballots to be used upon the voting machines without the foregoing instruction to the voters and shall be voted upon by the use of such machines without marking as aforesaid. L.1948, c. 199, p. 998, s. 10.

N.J. Stat. § 1:6-20 Law operative upon adoption

If at such election a majority, of all the votes cast both for and against the adoption of such law, shall be cast in favor of the adoption thereof, the same shall immediately become operative in the municipality or county voting thereon. L.1948, c. 199, p. 999, s. 11.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026