Quorum Call
News from the District

From the office of Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney
January 2018 Newsletter
A Message from the Assemblyman:
Dear Friend,

In the Legislature, a "quorum" is the minimum number of members of a House of the Legislature who must be present for the House to conduct business; a "quorum call" is a roll call to determine whether a quorum of that House is present.

I'm excited to introduce the first installment of my monthly newsletter, The Quorum Call . Similar to its role in the legislature, the newsletter will be a "roll call" of the most important news and updates from the past month t o keep you informe d. Rather than overload your inbox, it will give you a snapshot about what I've been working on.

You’ll find out about what’s been happening down in Trenton, here in the District, and across the state. Each newsletter will include "Rooney's Recipes" where I'll share some of my favorite foods with you. Another regular feature will be a "Spotlight" article to highlight the great work and achievements of people from District 40.

I hope you find it useful to stay up-to-date on important matters, but I also hope you find it fun and rewardi ng. I look forward to keeping you informed and connected as we continue in the year!


Sincerely,

Kevin J. Rooney
Assemblyman
Rooney's Recipes
Assemblyman and winner of Food Network's "Chopped" shares his favorite recipes
Shrimp Scampi
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
  • 1 pound of large shrimp, peeled, and de-veined.
  • Pinch of Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 6 teaspoons of minced garlic, about 5-6 cloves (I like more, so I add more)
  • 6 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil.
  • 1 to 2 pinches of red pepper flakes.
  • 1/2 cup dry vermouth, you can use a dry white wine.
  • 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of lemon grated zest.
  • 2 teaspoons of minced parsley.
  • 1 teaspoon of minced tarragon.
  • 2 teaspoons of minced chives.

  • OPTIONAL: Cooked pasta or crusty bread
Preparation:

In a large bowl toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of salt and the baking soda. Let stand for 10 – 45 minutes.

In a large frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add half the shrimp turning occasionally until pink, about 2 minutes. Remove shrimp with slotted spoon, transfer to plate, now add 1-tablespoon oil and cook remaining shrimp and remove to plate.

Add remaining olive oil to frying pan along with garlic and red pepper flakes, about a minute (do not let the garlic burn).

Add vermouth to pan, scrap brown bits from pan and reduce by half 3-4 minutes.

Add butter to pan and stir to create a silky sauce, remove from heat and season with salt to taste. Now return to heat, if sauce breaks whisk in a teaspoon or so of water.

Return shrimp to pan, add herbs and lemon zest, toss shrimp until they are coated in sauce.

Serve as a stand alone dish, over pasta, or with crusty bread...and enjoy!
Recent News
Bills Signed into Law
Three bills that I sponsored were signed into law in January. Click the buttons below to read about these important pieces of legislation that will protect residents across the state.
Bills and Legislation
Legislative Tracker

I am proud to sponsor legislation to help the people of New Jersey. Bill numbers linked to their text are listed on my website, and will be updated frequently. I will be introducing several bills in the coming weeks so make sure you keep your eyes open. Click the button below to go to my website and look through them!
Protecting Beekeepers in New Jersey

I was joined by my fellow Legislators in District 40 in opposing the Department of Agriculture's proposed regulation changes for beekeeping in New Jersey. Together, we sent a joint letter to the Department calling on them to hold a public hearing and reevaluate the rule change.
Committee Appointments

I have been appointed to serve on three committees during my second term. In addition to returning to both the Consumer Affairs Committee and the Environment and Solid Waste Committee, I am now a member of the Appropriations Committee. In addition, I continue to serve on the Statewide Public Safety Communications Commission.
Consumer Tips
Tips, scam alerts, and other advice about every-day situations for consumers
Spotlight: Bill Charlap
Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University
Bill Charlap, director of William Paterson University’s Jazz Studies program, was one of the nominees at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards this past Sunday.

“Uptown, Downtown” – the latest album by the Bill Charlap Trio – was nominated for the 2017 award in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category.

Charlap won the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for his collaboration with Tony Bennett, “The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern.” This year’s nomination was his fourth.

He has performed with many leading artists from Phil Woods and Tony Bennett to Gerry Mulligan and Wynton Marsalis. He is known for his interpretations of American popular songs and has recorded albums featuring the music of Hoagy Carmichael, Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin.  
But for Charlap, who joined William Paterson University in September 2015, t here's no place like home.

“I really must underscore how gratifying it is to work with the brilliant students here at William Paterson University and the faculty whom I respect and admire so much,” Charlap explains. “It’s been a true gift to watch and witness the music and extra-musical growth of these fine young artists, and to help them along the way as much as I can"
Congratulations to Bill Charlap on receiving the nomination!
Spotlight highlights accomplishments of people throughout District 40. Each month, this section will recognize a person or persons for their achievement, and will be chosen at random. Do you have someone you would like to nominate to be in the next month's Spotlight ? Click the button below to fill out a submission form.
Office Information
155 Route 46 West
Suite 108
Wayne, NJ 07470
Office: (973) 237-1362
Fax: (973) 237-1367
Appropriations
Consumer Affairs
Environment and Solid Waste
Statewide Public Safety Communications Commission