Chairman Nick Scutari

Nicholas P. Scutari was elected to the State Senate in 2003 to represent the 22nd District, which includes the Middlesex County municipalities of Dunellen and Middlesex, the Somerset County municipalities of Green Brook and North Plainfield, and the Union County municipalities of Clark, Fanwood, Linden, Plainfield, Rahway, Scotch Plains, and Winfield.

A lifelong Linden resident, Senator Scutari began his career in public service in 1994 when he was elected to the Linden Board of Education. During his tenure, he served as Chairman of the Personnel, Insurance and Athletics Committees. Senator Scutari was elected to the Union County Freeholder Board in 1996. He served as Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman in 1998 and as Union County Freeholder Chairman in 1999. He is the youngest person ever to serve as Freeholder Chairman in Union County.

As Senator to the 22nd Legislative district, Senator Scutari has spearheaded several initiatives that benefit both the citizens within the 22nd district and the State of New Jersey as a whole. He is a strong advocate for insurance reform and has sponsored legislation to create a more consumer-friendly environment.

Another of Senator Scutari’s priorities is having a fair, competent, and qualified Judiciary in New Jersey. As the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Scutari is committed to the thorough vetting and scrutiny of judicial nominees and reappointments. He is the longest serving Judiciary Chairman in modern New Jersey history.

Senator Scutari recognizes the importance of caring for the ill and infirmed of society. To that end, he is the primary sponsor of the ‘New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act,’ which allows New Jersey citizens suffering from chronic and debilitating illnesses, for whom currently available treatments and medications have proven ineffective, to receive medicinal marijuana to treat and help alleviate their symptoms.

Also a strong advocate for quality education, Senator Scutari has supported a number of pieces of legislation that would provide funding and expand programs to ensure that New Jersey citizens receive the high quality education they deserve.

A practicing attorney with an office located in Linden, Senator Scutari is a member of the bar in both New Jersey and New York. He earned his law degree from the Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1993, receiving the John D. Voelker Award as Outstanding Law Review Associate. He graduated from Kean College with honors in less than three years at the age of 20, and received his Master’s Degree from Rutgers University in 1990 at the age of 21.

Scutari is an Eagle Scout and in 2018, Senator Scutari was elected as Chairman of the Union County Democratic Committee.