John Wisniewski

John S. Wisniewski (/wɪzˈnjɛvski/; born June 28, 1962) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1996, where he represents the 19th Legislative District.

Biography

Wisniewski was born on June 28, 1962. He received a B.A. in 1984 from Rutgers University in English / Economics and was awarded a J.D. from the Seton Hall University School of Law in 1987, where he was a classmate of his future political foe Chris Christie.^[1][2] He was born in Perth Amboy, and currently resides in Sayreville.^[3]

Democrats statewide saw a net gain of three seats in the Assembly in the 1995 elections, with two of the pickups coming in the 19th District where Arline Friscia and Wisniewski knocked off the Republican incumbents Stephen A. Mikulak and Ernest L. Oros.^[4]

In the Assembly he has served as the Deputy Speaker since 2004, was the Assistant Majority Leader from 2002–2003 and was the Deputy Minority Conference Leader 1998-2001. Wisniewski serves in the Assembly on the Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee (as Chair), the Appropriations Committee and the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee.^[1]

On January 27, 2010, Wisniewski was selected to succeed Joseph Cryan as the Chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee.^[5]

In the Assembly, Wisniewski has introduced legislation that includes the Work First New Jersey Act, which required individuals to work at jobs or in community services as a condition of their benefits, the Dormitory Safety Act which required the installation of sprinklers in all dormitories, the School Bus Enhanced Safety Inspection Act which created new ways and standards by which a school bus was inspected, and the Athletic Training Licensure Act which required athletic trainers to be licensed. Assemblyman Wisniewski also sponsored the bill that was signed into law which increased the property tax reduction for Veterans and seniors, legislation designed to strengthen Megan's Law by keeping sexual predators away from areas where children go to school and play, legislation which required newly constructed elevators in residential buildings to accommodate stretchers, legislation which required the implementation of a fire command structure in mutual aid fires, legislation which required that cell phone use be noted in traffic accidents, legislation that established a penalty for the theft of someone's personal identification information, and legislation which established a scholarship program for the families of the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

In his role as Chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee, Assemblyman Wisniewski led a fact finding probe into the state's E-ZPass system. Assemblyman Wisniewski is a prime sponsor of the Motor Vehicle Security and Customer Service Act which was signed into law on January 28, 2003. He was a prime sponsor of A-3392 which would consolidate two of the state's toll road agencies.^[6] He is also leading the investigation into the Fort Lee lane closure scandal. He has expressed grave skepticism about Christie's claim that he didn't know his aides had ordered lanes closed on the George Washington Bridge, and believes that the closures were illegal.^[7] He has also said that if Christie is involved, it would be an impeachable offense.^[8]

He served on the Middlesex County Senior Citizen Housing Task Force from 1994–1995, the Middlesex County Planning Board from 1994–1995. He served on the Sayreville Cable Television Advisory Board from 1990-1991.^[1] He has also served on the Sayreville Board of Education's Building Utilization Committee. Assemblyman Wisniewski currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the United Way of Central New Jersey and is an Executive Board Member of the Middlesex County Arts and Education Council.

District 19

Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. The other representatives from the 19th District for the 2012-2013 Legislative Session are:^[9]

• Senator Joseph Vitale, and
• Assemblyman Craig Coughlin

References

External links

• Assemblyman Wisniewski's legislative webpage, New Jersey Legislature
• New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms
  • 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
• Assembly Member John S. Wisniewski, Project Vote Smart
• New Jersey Voter Information Website 2003
• Assemblyman Wisniewski's Website