TRENTON, N.J. – Republican Assemblyman Paul Kanitra released a fiery video this week accusing Democratic lawmakers of using the state’s lame-duck legislative session to rush through what he called “the 10 most insane bills in New Jersey.”
The Point Pleasant Beach lawmaker said his staff reviewed more than 10,000 active proposals and identified a slate of measures that could advance in the weeks before newly elected members take office in January. Kanitra warned voters that the final stretch of the legislative calendar is often when “the most extreme bills generally get passed … at the last minute and with little input from the public.”
“These are the 10 crappiest bills in New Jersey,” Kanitra said in the video. “They spent your money to draft this garbage, and now they’re going to try and use your money to implement it.”
Kanitra’s “Top 10” list of controversial proposals
Among the bills Kanitra highlighted were measures that would:
- House inmates based on gender identity rather than biological sex, requiring corrections officers to use inmates’ preferred pronouns.
- Allow 14-year-olds to seek mental health treatment without parental consent.
- Require annual “wellness checks” for homeschooled children and their parents.
- Lower the voting age to 16 or 17 for school board elections.
- Provide full state-funded healthcare to undocumented immigrants, a proposal currently under consideration in the Assembly.
- Bar local police from cooperating with federal immigration authorities, mirroring the state’s existing sanctuary-style policies.
- Impose gender and racial quotas on corporate boards operating in New Jersey.
- Allocate $100 million for high-density affordable housing mandates in suburban communities.
- Mandate insurance coverage for abortions and gender-affirming care under all health plans.
- Allow convicted felons to serve on juries after completing their sentences.
Kanitra argued the proposals reflect what he described as an “extreme left-wing wish list” being advanced before the transition to a new administration. “They want to jam these bills through while everyone’s distracted by Christmas and New Year’s,” he said.
Lame duck period draws sharp partisan divide
The lame duck session, which follows November’s elections, is typically a fast-moving period in Trenton when outgoing lawmakers finalize pending legislation. Democrats, who maintain control of both chambers, have not formally scheduled votes on most of the measures Kanitra referenced.
Kanitra, who has gained attention for his outspoken opposition to Governor Phil Murphy’s policies, said he intends to fight each of the bills individually. “I need you loud, I need you engaged, and I need you paying attention,” he told viewers. “Let’s make sure lame duck doesn’t become a left-wing free-for-all.”
The Assemblyman’s video quickly circulated on social media, energizing conservative activists who share his concerns about parental rights, taxation, and government overreach.
