Joseph Vitale
Encyclopedia
Joseph F. Vitale is an American
Democratic Party
politician
, who has been serving in the New Jersey
State Senate
since 1998, where he represents the 19th Legislative District
. He is also the former Mayor of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
, having been elected by the Township Council in July 2006 to fill a temporary vacancy, following the death of Mayor Frank Pelzman
. Senator Vitale came to the Senate
in 1998 filling a vacancy created when Jim McGreevey
stepped down from his seat as part of his ultimately unsuccessful bid for election as Governor of New Jersey
in 1997.
Senator Vitale is the current Deputy Majority Leader
in the Senate. He is the outgoing chairman of the Senate on the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (as Chair) and the Budget and Appropriations Committee. On November 23, 2009, he was ousted by that position, due to Senate president-designate Stephen Sweeney's new leadership position. Former Democratic Lt. governor candidate Loretta Weinberg
took the post on January 12, 2010.
Vitale is the sponsor of the 1999 New Jersey Homeless Youth Act, which allows minors to seek homeless shelter without parental approval. He is also the sponsor of bills to allow needle exchange programs for drug users and to prohibit gun ownership by those convicted of domestic violence offenses. Senator Vitale was the prime sponsor of over forty bills that were signed into law, including bills establishing the KidCare and FamilyCare health care coverage programs, as well as a bill which would require nursing aides to undergo certified criminal background checks, a bill which would prohibit the use of mandatory overtime in health care facilities except in emergency situations, and the "New Jersey Health Care Access and Patient Protection Act," which requires the State to compile information on doctors, such as office location and medical malpractice history, in a database available to the public.
Senator Vitale serves on the Board of Directors for the Middlesex County
Habitat for Humanity
and on the Board of Trustees of the Visiting Nurses Association of Central Jersey.
Vitale attended John F. Kennedy Memorial High School in Woodbridge Township.
in the special election. Vitale served as mayor until November 13, 2006, when McCormac was sworn in.
and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly
. The other representatives from the 19th District for the 2010-2011 Legislative Session are:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who has been serving in the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
State Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
since 1998, where he represents the 19th Legislative District
19th Legislative District (New Jersey)
New Jersey's 19th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County municipalities of Carteret Borough, Perth Amboy City, Sayreville Borough, South Amboy City and Woodbridge Township...
. He is also the former Mayor of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Mayor of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Mayors of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey*John E. McCormac 2011*Joseph F. Vitale July 2006 to ?*Frank Pelzman 2002 to July 2006*James Edward McGreevey 1991 to 2002...
, having been elected by the Township Council in July 2006 to fill a temporary vacancy, following the death of Mayor Frank Pelzman
Frank Pelzman
Frank Pelzman is the former Mayor of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey. A long time town councilman, Pelzman became mayor in 2002, after Jim McGreevey resigned to become Governor of New Jersey. Pelzman was elected by the Township Council in January 2002 to serve until the November 2002 special...
. Senator Vitale came to the Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
in 1998 filling a vacancy created when Jim McGreevey
Jim McGreevey
James Edward "Jim" McGreevey is an American Democratic politician. He served as the 52nd Governor of New Jersey from January 15, 2002, until he resigned from office at 11:59 pm on November 15, 2004. His term was set to expire on January 17, 2006...
stepped down from his seat as part of his ultimately unsuccessful bid for election as Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
in 1997.
Senator Vitale is the current Deputy Majority Leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
in the Senate. He is the outgoing chairman of the Senate on the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (as Chair) and the Budget and Appropriations Committee. On November 23, 2009, he was ousted by that position, due to Senate president-designate Stephen Sweeney's new leadership position. Former Democratic Lt. governor candidate Loretta Weinberg
Loretta Weinberg
Loretta Weinberg is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served as a member of the New Jersey Senate since 2005, where she represents the 37th Legislative District...
took the post on January 12, 2010.
Vitale is the sponsor of the 1999 New Jersey Homeless Youth Act, which allows minors to seek homeless shelter without parental approval. He is also the sponsor of bills to allow needle exchange programs for drug users and to prohibit gun ownership by those convicted of domestic violence offenses. Senator Vitale was the prime sponsor of over forty bills that were signed into law, including bills establishing the KidCare and FamilyCare health care coverage programs, as well as a bill which would require nursing aides to undergo certified criminal background checks, a bill which would prohibit the use of mandatory overtime in health care facilities except in emergency situations, and the "New Jersey Health Care Access and Patient Protection Act," which requires the State to compile information on doctors, such as office location and medical malpractice history, in a database available to the public.
Senator Vitale serves on the Board of Directors for the Middlesex County
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat For Humanity International , generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or simply Habitat, is an international, non-governmental, non-profit organization devoted to building "simple, decent, and affordable" housing, a self-described "Christian housing ministry." The international...
and on the Board of Trustees of the Visiting Nurses Association of Central Jersey.
Vitale attended John F. Kennedy Memorial High School in Woodbridge Township.
Mayor of Woodbridge
Following Pelzman's unexpected death in July 2006, Vitale volunteered to serve as Woodbridge's interim mayor. He was nominated by the township's Democratic Committee and voted in by the Township Council to serve a four month term as mayor. He said he was taking on the mayor's job in order to continue Pelzman's programs and to provide leadership during the interim period. Vitale said the time constraints of dual office holding were making him rule out seeking the remaining 14 months of Pelzman's term during the November 2006 special election for mayor. Vitale has endorsed former State Treasurer John McCormacJohn McCormac
John McCormac is an American Democratic Party politician, who is serving as the Mayor of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey. He served as State Treasurer of New Jersey for four years in the cabinets of former Governor of New Jersey James McGreevey and former Gov...
in the special election. Vitale served as mayor until November 13, 2006, when McCormac was sworn in.
District 19
Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey SenateNew Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
. The other representatives from the 19th District for the 2010-2011 Legislative Session are:
- Assemblyman Craig CoughlinCraig CoughlinCraig J. Coughlin is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2010, where he represents the 19th Legislative District....
, and - Assemblyman John S. WisniewskiJohn S. WisniewskiJohn S. Wisniewski is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1996, where he represents the 19th Legislative District....
External links
- Senator Vitale's Website
- Senator Vitale's legislative webpage, New Jersey LegislatureNew Jersey LegislatureThe New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
- New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms
- New Jersey Senate Democrats Website Biography
- New Jersey Voter Information Website 2003