Governor Christie Takes Office, Signs Eight Executive Orders

On January 20, 2010, one day after taking office with Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno, Governor Christie signed eight executive orders. The first four focus on reforming the State’s regulatory morass. They include directives which impose a State “time of decision” mandate, create a “Red Tape Review Group”, and freeze pending state regulations.

Executive Order 1 freezes pending rules and regulations for 90 days and requires that any proposed rule or regulation that may have been transmitted to the Office of Administrative Law, but not yet published in the NJ Register be withdrawn. These provisions will not apply to any proposed rule or regulation if failure to adopt will adversely impact public safety or security, public health, federal funding, or judicial mandates.

Executive Order 2 requires all State agencies under the Governor’s supervision to adhere to a set of “common sense principles” when proposing rules and regulations. Included is a requirement that State agencies adopt a “time of decision” rule providing that any permit or approval shall be governed by the administrative rules, regulations and standards in effect at the time the application is filed.

Executive Order 3 creates a Red Tape Review Group to review burdensome rules, regulations, and processes. This group will also review all pending and proposed rules and regulations, as well as all operative Executive Orders from previous administrations. The Red Tape Review Group will be chaired by the Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno.

Executive Order 4 prohibits all agencies under the Governor’s authority from recommending, proposing, publishing or submitting any regulation containing an unfunded mandate unless expressly authorized in writing by the Governor or Lieutenant Governor.

Executive Order 5 establishes the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors which is charged with analyzing and advising the Governor on issues related to the fiscal condition of the State.

Executive Order 6 designates that monitors and other employees of the Casino Control Commission are “essential” employees in order to ensure that they will continue to work in the event of a State shutdown.

Executive Order 7 extends current "pay-to-play" restrictions to any labor union or labor organization which enters into contracts with the State.

Executive Order 8 requires the Department of the Treasury to publish quarterly reports on all State expenditures specifying spending patterns and actual or anticipated short-term borrowing.

If you would like to review the Executive Orders and their referenced appendices in their entirety, they are available at: http://nj.gov/infobank/circular/eoindex.htm.

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