- [Narrator] Funding for this edition of Think Tank with Steve Adubato has been provided by Seton Hall University.

Showing the world what great minds can do since 1856.

The Turrell Fund, supporting Reimagine Childcare.

IBEW Local 102.

Lighting the path, leading the way.

Hackensack Meridian Health.

Keep getting better.

The New Jersey Education Association.

Fedway Associates, Inc.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

Here when you need us most, now and always.

Operating Engineers, Local 825.

And by PSE&G, committed to providing safe, reliable energy now and in the future.

Promotional support provided by NJ.Com.

Keeping communities informed and connected.

And by Insider NJ.

[MOTIVATIONAL MUSIC] - Hi, everyone.

I'm Steve Adubato.

We are honored to welcome, once again, State Senator Holly Schepisi to the show.

Good to see you, Senator.

- Good to see you too, Steve.

- We are taping this toward the middle back end of the summer.

Listen, the state budget was struck on the last day of June.

You have some real concerns about Governor Murphy's budget approved largely by the Democrats.

The number one concern is?

- Well, one was lack of transparency.

Two is size.

We have almost a $51 billion budget that has now set the floor for budgets, moving forward, that I don't believe is going to be fiscally sustainable, particularly as... You know, most... People are viewing it as us entering into some type of recession with the worst inflation that we've seen possibly ever.

And we have increased spending so significantly that I really don't know how we are going to continue to sustain this.

- But Senator, let me follow up on this.

One of the most significant aspects of this budget that the governor and the Democrats have approved is the ANCHOR property tax program.

There's no way that you are against giving 1,000, 1,500, $2,000 to homeowners and renters.

There's no way you're against that, correct?

- I'm not against it.

However, it's a gimmick, and nobody's getting it this year.

It was a very convenient fact that most of these discussions and dialogues left out.

So, go figure.

Right before the next election cycle, everybody in New Jersey is magically gonna get back $1,000 of their own money.

My problem with this budget is that there is no meaningful long-term tax relief.

Even on the property tax rebates, it's gonna be a wash because people are also unaware of, just as of last night, we got notice that once again with no transparency, no public discussion, no preview of what's to come, the state is raising all of the premiums on the state health benefit plans for municipal workers, county workers, teachers, and the like, by 24% increase in premiums for next year.

So, for every small community in the state, that is going to equal over $600 per employee for anybody who has a family plan for next year, which could be millions of dollars in additional cost to municipal budgets that are just gonna be passed along to the property tax payer.

So, it's one of those things where it's like robbing from Peter to pay Paul with no meaningful relief ever provided.

- On the second half of this program, we'll be joined by the President of the New Jersey State Senate Nick Scutari.

But switch gears for a second, Senator.

Should be easy.

And let everyone know exactly where your district is so people know.

You are based in Bergen County, I know that.

- Bergen and Passaic.

So, I represent what's known as District 39.

It's 20 towns in Bergen and three in Passaic County.

- Got it.

Let's talk guns.

You know...

The governor.

Governor Murphy has talked about a 3.0 gun package, which really tries to strengthen New Jersey gun laws, which many consider to be among the strongest laws in the state.

Given... And again, we're taping this when we're taping it.

We can only pray what doesn't happen in terms of mass shootings, in terms of gun violence.

But we know what the pattern is.

What's your greatest concern about strengthening New Jersey gun laws when gun violence is so dramatically on the rise?

- So the problem with the 3.0 package is, once again, it's just being done for headline hits and to advance kind of his ambitions to become president.

It is meaningless in preventing actual gun violence in this state.

We already have the strictest laws.

We already have one of the lowest levels of gun violence.

The majority, if not super majority, of gun violence that takes place in the state is actually from illegal firearms.

And so everything that just got put forth, for the most part, all it does is actually penalize already law abiding citizens for the things that people may honestly and truly not be aware of because no other place has some of these laws.

And so it's something where if we're looking to get to the root of homicides and gun violence and the like, particularly in inner cities, in some of our suburban communities right now as crime is skyrocketing, we have to look at how we're handling crime as opposed to just continuing to put forth measures so that they get the headlines.

- Why is it one or the other?

Why can't we say we strengthen in terms of more police.

Well, actually, the day we're taping this program, President Biden has introduced a anti-crime package, if you will, and we'll talk about that with a whole range of people.

But Senator, why is it one or the other?

Why can't we strengthen gun laws and provide more police?

Why can't we have an anti-crime program and say, by the way, many of your Republican colleagues are not for background checks?

Many of your Republican colleagues who receive a significant amount of money from the gun lobby don't even want a lot of the things that you believe make sense in New Jersey.

And nationally, one more on this.

Do you believe that people should be able to carry a concealed weapon in the the State of New Jersey or in any state?

- I do, with appropriate training, and also understanding the laws of that state.

One of the things that a lot of people don't understand in New Jersey is that our laws are so strict that you have a affirmative duty to retreat.

So, even if you are a victim of a crime, even if you are carrying a gun to protect yourself, you can't just whip that out and shoot the gun to prevent somebody from stealing your car.

You have to actually try to mitigate before you ever utilize that weapon.

And if you ever do utilize that weapon, you have to be cognizant that you are going to end up in court, potentially with criminal charges, definitely with some sort of civil charges.

And you have to have an attorney on retainer if you choose to actually get a license to carry.

But there are certain people, even like myself, and yourself, Steve, we are in the public eye.

I have had some actual threats made against me over the years, and I for...

There was no possible way that I could actually, as a law abiding citizen who has been trained to utilize a firearm even for my own safety and protection as a female, I was not permitted under the state of New Jersey from doing so, regardless of the circumstances.

So, I think we have to find an appropriate balance, and people have to be very well-versed in the responsibilities that are going to come with, if they choose to get a carry permit.

- I appreciate your direct responses to these questions, Senator.

I wanted get in as much as possible, have the greatest impact with this interview.

You are very concerned about public school curriculum as we move into September, into the new school year.

What's your greatest concern about sex education in our schools?

Be specific.

- Okay, my biggest concern, the pendulum always kind of swings from one side to the other.

And I think that we've lost sight of you can teach children to be kind, accepting, not bully.

If you have a child in a class who is truly transgender, you know what, absolutely provide every resource, teach all of the children to accept and to be kind.

Where I take issue is we are now mandating and forcing in kindergarten, first grade, children to have books read to them about Johnny's sparkly new dress, and this one believes he's a mermaid, and a whole host of stuff.

- No, no.

Senator, you had me until you said that.

It doesn't say that.

So- - Actually, if you look at Bergen County's new recommendations for education in reading materials for kindergarten, first, second grade, those are the books.

Those are the guidelines from the Bergen County task force on what should be read in the classrooms at those ages.

So for myself, it's kind of like, how often is this on the daily?

Is this a special type of thing?

And I think that we just have to have more open, transparent discussion on what is being taught at what ages and how much is being incorporated into the day to day.

- Let me get two more in here.

- Okay.

- Supreme Court, United States Supreme Court, Roe versus Wade.

Everyone knows what has been done.

You have a problem with that decision, do you not?

Which also means you have a problem with many of your Republican colleagues on this.

- I disagree with the implications of that decision.

We just saw the most horrific instance and to the point where a lot of media, a lot of people, didn't even believe it was a true story.

A 10-year-old child was raped- - In Ohio and Ohio's laws banned her from having an abortion because I believe it was a few days after the six weeks period.

So she went to... Did she go to Indiana?

- She went to Indiana and had the procedure in Indiana.

And then an elected official in Indiana, who wants to ride the coattails of this for his own political career eviscerates her doctor all over media, social media, turning the doctor into public enemy number one.

As the doctor (glitch) done everything the doctor should have done.

- Excuse me, this was a 10-year-old child who was raped by someone in a violent crime.

And many said that President Biden made it up.

It never really happened.

It's a fact.

It did happen.

Respectfully to our colleagues over on some of the very Conservative, right-wing media organizations, they said it didn't happen.

It did happen.

It was a fact.

Go ahead, Senator.

- And so for myself as a mother, as a woman, as somebody who was a victim of a sexual assault when I was a teenager, I hear some of these narratives and I go, what happened to empathy?

What happened to rationality?

And press releases about how the child should have been forced to carry.

A child carrying a child?

I think people have actually lost her minds on this.

And I don't think it's reflective of many people's viewpoints.

Can we agree to disagree as I do on late-term abortions for any reason or no reason?

Yes.

I mean, I don't think it's appropriate to allow somebody to just walk in at seven months and have an abortion for no reason.

But when we're talking about some of these other laws and prosecuting doctors and prosecuting young women, prosecuting rape victims, it's insane.

- One more quick on this.

Please, 30 seconds or less.

Is the governor right, and other Democrats who have fought for this, are they right to encourage women from other states?

Probably more than half of the states in the nation are likely to ban abortion, to say come to New Jersey for a legal abortion?

Are they right to do that, Senator?

- I think it's...

It's a tough call on this one because I totally disagree with marketing the state and going into Fortune 500 companies and telling CEOs, hey, send your women to us.

We'll give them an abortion.

Come to New Jersey.

- But is it okay to say we are legal, and if you can't get an abortion in your state, to come here?

- Yes.

- And the reason I also ask that is that, who knows?

You may be running for governor one day and you may have to make that decision yourself.

Senator, as always, I cannot thank you enough.

Best to you and your family, and we appreciate your time.

- Thank you very much.

- All the best.

That is State Senator Holly Schepisi.

I'm Steve Adubato.

Stay with us.

We'll be right back with the Senate President right after this.

To watch more Think Tank with Steve Adubato, find us online and follow us on social media.

- We're now joined by the president of the State Senate, New Jersey Senator Nicholas Scutari.

Good to see you, Mr. President.

- Good to be here.

Thank you very much.

- Senator, let me ask you, we had Senator Schepisi on, your Republican colleague, who said about the budget.

First of all, it's too much.

It's 50 plus billion dollars, number one.

And number two, the ANCHOR property tax program, she argued and she's not the only one.

It's Peter and Paul and robbing here and there, and it's people's money anyway.

And they're waiting too long for the money.

You say?

- Well, I don't know what they want.

The Republicans suggested we give money back to the people that have given it to us.

And that's exactly what we're doing.

This is one of the biggest give back programs in state history.

We're giving close to $2 billion, over $2 billion when you look at all the tax cuts that we're providing to the people in New Jersey over the next year, the fiscal year, that's just begun two weeks ago.

So, this is the best budget I've ever been a part of, for a lot of different reasons.

It's the best budget.

One of the reasons is we're in a better place than ever before.

New Jersey is more financially sound than it's ever been.

One of the things that where the landmark decisions that we decided to do was to give back a large portion of money over $2 billion, back to taxpayers in the form of tax cuts and credits.

So, as well as investing in all sorts of tremendous programs that we've been looking to do for many years.

- One quick follow up.

Many would argue that one of the biggest reasons New Jersey's so fiscally sound is the infusion of massive amounts of federal money into the state budget, which that's not gonna keep happening.

What do we do?

That money's running out.

It's out.

It's not there.

So, what's the problem there?

So, there's- - In terms of spending, what's not gonna be there?

- There's no doubt that that's definitely helpful to the financial position of New Jersey, but it's not just all about that because a lot of that money's still within the state coffers to be spent over the next year through the joint oversight budget committee's process.

So, what we've done is, we've taken the largess that we've made and gotten as a result of New Jersey being a great place to raise a family and do business.

People wanna live here.

Our population levels have gone up despite what everybody was saying, that people were fleeing New Jersey.

They weren't.

New Jersey's a great place to live, work, raise a family.

Our economy is really doing well.

So, not only do we have the infusion of federal money, but we had an infusion of state money that we've never seen before because the economy's so super heated right now.

So, what we've done, we've taken the opportunity to give that money back to the taxpayers and invest in really important programs.

Our pension program, capital improvement store schools, many capital programs and infrastructure to changes, that municipalities and counties have needed for a long time, which are one shot deals which are an opportunity to build some stuff with the money that we have.

So, it's exactly what we should be doing.

- Quick follow up, many in the business community have argued that the budget does not do enough to support the business community, particularly small business, more specifically the unemployment compensation fund not being refilled, if you will, and putting more pressure on employers to pay more after they suffered so much in connection with COVID.

You say what to that argument, Senator?

- Well, that's something that continues to be under active consideration, was under consideration during the budget process.

That may be something that we go back to.

It may not, but it certainly is under a thought process.

But the business community, as much as they're gonna complain, and I understand there's more that we can do, but they're doing okay.

We've got job opportunities for people all over the place.

Businesses are thriving.

And I can only tell you that the proof is in the pudding.

Our coffers are doing well because people are making money and they're paying their state income taxes.

And that's why this money is there for us to give back to the taxpayers.

- We're talking to the Senate President in New Jersey, Senator Nicholas Scutari.

Senator, childcare.

Again, for those who watch us on a regular basis, you know that childcare is a big theme for us.

Our Reimagine Childcare Initiative question.

In your view, what is the most significant progress that has been made by state government in New Jersey as it relates to the childcare crisis?

- Well, we've invested a lot of money in the budget this year in those same types of programs.

And to a lesser degree, that directly affects it.

But I think it directs it is the amount of money, which has never been seen before that we've put into mental health, which I think a lot of it goes into youth mental health programs.

You've never seen the millions of dollars that the state is investing in mental health programs, mental health education, and attempting to bring back and continue to foster mental health as a career choice for people in New Jersey.

So, those two things combined, you've never seen the kind of investment that we've made in this year's budget.

That's why I say, this is probably the greatest budget you've ever seen in state history and maybe ever again because we've done all the right things, I think, in terms of balancing it.

- And real quick on the childcare tax credit, what's the important message on that?

- It's an opportunity to take advantage of a program that will give money back to the people that need it most in New Jersey, that have children and make the least.

- Senator, when the United States Supreme Court made the historic and very significant decision on Roe versus Wade, the governor and the legislature had made a decision before that to codify in law that abortions would be safe and legal in New Jersey.

And also, there's been an effort to have women from other states come to New Jersey for a safe, legal abortion.

However, the governor has attempted to expand New Jersey law in addition to the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, which is in fact, codifying of the law, as I said.

He wants to expand the right to abortion and expand the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act.

You and some of your colleagues, particularly on the democratic side in the Senate and in the lower house, not fans of it because?

- Well, I wouldn't say I'm not a fan of it.

I'm as pro-choice as they come.

Me, personally, the 22nd legislative district representative, Nick Scutari, anything that we can do to provide safe, legal abortions for women that need it, I'm in favor of.

But to that degree, we've already dealt with this issue.

I think we've dealt with it in a responsible fashion.

And I think the legislature is ready to move on from this.

There's certainly gonna be some things that we can do to ensure we've done a couple of bills to ensure that it remains legal for all of those that provide the service and all those that come here.

And so, there'll be issues like that.

But that issue was discussed.

We knew exactly that this court might rule in this favor and that's why we passed the bill that we passed in the last legislative session.

And quite frankly, I'm not certain, in fact, I'm more than certain that it doesn't have the support in the way in which it's been presented by the governor to pass the legislature.

- Is the governor attempting to go too far on this?

- Not necessarily in my personal opinion, but I think, in a legislative session and for the people of Jersey, we believe we've gone far enough at this point to ensure that legal, safe abortion's available here.

- Also, I'll leave this after this.

I also believe you're saying that simply the support is not there and the legislature to do what the governor wants on the issue of abortion right now.

- I think, that's a fair statement.

- Okay.

On guns.

It's not exactly the same, but the governor is looking to expand some of our laws which are considered by many, around gun safety, to be among the toughest in the nation.

What is he looking to do and why again, has there been resistance in the legislature?

- Well, I don't know if there's been resistance.

I had a very intense role with the negotiation over a bunch of bills that we just passed in the last couple of days in legislature.

I wanted to make sure that the bills that we were passing and this is me and the members of the Senate, that they were gonna perhaps make a difference and perhaps provide additional safety measures for the people of New Jersey, without infringing upon what I consider to be obviously, a constitutional right to bear arms.

Now, of course, that right to bear arms was written hundreds of years ago, is when they only had muskets.

So, we have to take that into consideration.

But in New Jersey, we've got good laws and I think, it reflects the people that we want.

We wanna make sure that sportsmen and people that are gun advocates, we don't run afoul of thinking that we're going to try to infringe upon that right.

But we also wanna take measures to continue to make New Jersey the safest place it can be for guns.

But that's not to say that we're not gonna have to do more, quite frankly.

It's not, because of this recent rule.

- My sense is that, and a lot of people in the media understand this, that if it were not for a Senator Nick Scutari, we'd likely would not have legal marijuana in the state of New Jersey.

Before you became the president of the Senate, (Steve clears throat) one of your top legislative priorities.

In your view, as an expert on the topic and understanding it the way you do, where are we as it relates to the implementation of the law that legalizes marijuana in state.

A and B, where aren't we?

- Well, we got it done, which was a really hard (faintly speaks) (Steve laughing) - Let everybody know how many years it took, Senator.

- Probably 16 years of effort by me.

Yeah, or maybe a little bit less.

But my first time I brought the topic up, it was my first year in the legislature.

People thought I would be out of office after that first term with a stupid idea like that.

But we continued the long path and finally got it legalized.

And quite frankly, just got it open.

And that was because I called hearings to say, what is going on?

But- - Yeah, what is going on?

- Sometimes, in government, we overthink things, but I think, finally, we've got it open.

And it's been wildly successful.

The legal market is doing very well and we're expanding it.

And they're working on it every day to expand it even more.

And so, I think you're gonna see New Jersey be a model, a role model for the legalized market.

We've been a little slow to get it done, but it's complicated because we don't wanna make the same mistakes that were done in alcohol.

We see continually people arguing over expanding alcohol licenses, keeping things the same, all the investment people made.

We're trying to do it right.

That doesn't mean we can't do it faster or better.

And I've been a big advocate to try to get these things open.

Once I became Senate President, I called on the administration for hearings.

Once we had those hearings scheduled, lo and behold, they open them up.

So, they are open (Steve laughing) and they are selling legal marijuana, and the process is going okay.

It could be better.

- Before I let you go, Senator, the biggest difference between being a State Senator, one of 40 in the state versus being the president of the Senate, last time I checked, there's only one.

Biggest difference is?

- The time constraints.

The time constraints is the biggest thing.

It's more than a full-time job.

And the other thing is you have to watch 'cause everything you say means something more than when you're just a member.

- Do you get your calls returned faster, Senator?

- I think I did pretty well before, but yeah, probably, probably a little bit.

- And the president of Senate, just so everybody understands is in a key position to determine what the agenda is and what bills will be voted on, what bills will not be voted on.

It's an extremely important position.

State Senator, the Senate President Nicholas Scutari, I wanna thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you, Senator.

- It's an honor to be here.

It's an honor to have the position and thanks a lot.

Look forward to talking to you again, Steve.

- You got it.

I'm Steve Adubato.

That is the president of the Senate, Nick Scutari.

We'll see you next time.

- [Narrator] Think Tank with Steve Adubato has been a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by Seton Hall University.

The Turrell Fund, supporting Reimagine Childcare.

IBEW Local 102.

Hackensack Meridian Health.

The New Jersey Education Association.

Fedway Associates, Inc.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

Operating Engineers, Local 825.

PSE&G, And by these public spirited organizations, individuals and associations committed to informing New Jersey citizens about the important issues facing the Garden State.

And by Employers Association of New Jersey.

Promotional support provided by NJ.Com.

And by Insider NJ.

- [Narrator] This is the Seton Hall story.

One that comes to life every day on our campus.

This is the place where great minds discover, innovate, collaborate, and find their true calling.

This is the place where passion has a purpose, where learning inspires leading.

The bonds we make, the values we teach, inspire our community to take heart and take action.

This is Seton Hall University.

This is what great minds can do.