Who Wields the Power as Budget Comes Together in Trenton?

June 10, 2026 | njspotlightnews.org

Lawmakers now drafting the legislation that will become state government’s next annual budget are flexing powers of the purse solely held by New Jersey’s Legislature. 

An appropriations process dictated by the state constitution grants members of the Legislature, and not the governor, the authority to write spending bills put up for votes each year in the Assembly and Senate.

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NJ SEED: The article describes the balance of powers granted to the executive and legislative branches in crafting a budget – not unlike the making of sausage. During these final weeks of June the two branches will be working to craft a appropriations bill that meets the constitutional requirement for a balanced budget.