A proposal to cut government waste and overhaul how New Jersey’s state agencies make rules is igniting a political battle after critics compared the proposal to DOGE agency under President Donald Trump’s administration.
State Senate President Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, introduced a bill, S4373, that would create an “efficiency commission” in the state, aimed at cutting government waste and streamlining operations.
Scutari said the heart of the legislation is changing how New Jersey does its rulemaking, the process agencies use to turn laws into regulations. The Senate president said he wants to make the process less cumbersome.
“These reforms to the rulemaking process will help make state government work smarter, more effectively and with greater efficiency,” Scutari said.
But critics — many of whom also opposed Scutari’s failed bid to gut a corruption-fighting watchdog agency during the current lame-duck legislative session — claim the move is a Trojan horse for deregulation.
A coalition of progressive groups — including the New Jersey Working Families Party, New Jersey Policy Perspective, the Sierra Club and the Pinelands Alliance — plan to rally Thursday at the Statehouse in Trenton to protest the bill.
“In New Jersey, this bill would undermine long-standing safeguards that protect consumers, workers, public health and the environment,” the coalition said in a statement.
The legislation would create a “Commission on Efficiency and Regulatory Review” in the Office of Administrative Law to review regulations and their costs.
The bill has already been approved by one Senate committee in a 5-0 vote, but has not come up before the full Senate for a vote. It does not have a companion bill in the state Assembly.
To become law, it would need to be approved by both the Senate and Assembly, then signed by the governor.
The New Jersey bill comes after Trump created a federal Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, earlier this year. The short-lived department, spearheaded by tech mogul Elon Musk, was designed to streamline the fegeral government. It was criticized for large-scale layoffs and program cuts.
Critics of Scutari’s bill say his proposed law could create a New Jersey version of DOGE aimed at rules and regulations.
“S4373 would create layers of new red tape designed to delay or block the implementation of duly enacted laws, while opening the door to sweeping deregulation,” the coalition of groups planning Thursday’s protest said in a statement.
“The bill would also shift authority away from career experts and toward political appointees, putting New Jersey families at risk,” the groups said.
The bill is being debated in the state Legislature as New Jersey’s governor-elect is also talking about creating more efficiency in state government.
One of Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill‘s signature campaign promises was slashing red tape for businesses. Her transition team recently announced a new chief operating officer role. Sherrill, a Democrat who takes office Jan. 20, named Kellie Doucette — the former district director in her office in Congress — to the post.
“This is a newly created role where she will focus on creating and driving efficient systems across state government to save New Jerseyans time and money,” the Sherrill administration said.
Scutari said his bill complements Sherrill’s agenda.
“This will support the efforts of Gov.-elect Sherrill’s chief operating officer by helping the new administration run government more effectively and meet the challenges ahead,” he said.
Sherrill‘s transition team did not respond to requests for comment.