Senate President Nick Scutari – A day as an active Governor of NJ

It was only six months ago that Nicholas Scutari was suddenly elevated to state Senate president, one of the most powerful positions in New Jersey government. Now, he’ll get to be Governor for a day. In a rare situation, Scutari will serve as Acting Governor of the Garden State on Saturday for the first time as both Gov. Phil Murphy and Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, both fellow Democrats, will be out of state on personal trips. Murphy will be in Virginia for a family-related event, while Oliver is on vacation.

Oliver will return to the state Saturday afternoon and take over as Acting Governor from Scutari, the governor’s office said. Murphy will be back in New Jersey on Sunday evening. Scutari, D-Union, will get to take official summer-related action during his temporary term. He will appear in Asbury Park to sign a bill into law to regulate pedicabs, the rickshaw bicycle-like, manually pedaled vehicles you find on boardwalks at the Shore in New Jersey, and allow passengers to drink alcohol in them.

New Jersey currently does not allow pedicab passengers to consume alcohol. But this measure (S1505), which overwhelmingly passed the state Legislature in recent months, would bring the state in line with other states, such as California, Louisiana, and North Carolina.