Lawmaker wants to axe acting governor position

There is no need for an acting governor, said Gov. Chris Christie at a Sept. 18 State House press conference. He explained that with technology he is never really unreachable. Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon (R-Red Bank) agreed and he has introduced legislation (ACR197) that would give voters the opportunity to amend the constitution to allow the governor to keep his or her executive powers when out of state.

Under current law, the lieutenant governor becomes the acting governor when the elected governor is not in New Jersey.

"We would treat our governor the same way the country now treats the president. The president is the president wherever he is including out of the country," O'Scanlon said. "It's time to think about permitting or mandating that the governor be the governor wherever he is."

Voters would not get the chance to decide the issue until 2016 at the earliest, O'Scanlon said. He also explained that his proposal is not a reflection on Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno. He called her a great lieutenant governor who has done a wonderful job as the first person to hold that position in New Jersey. The measure would preserve the office of lieutenant governor in case of incapacitation or a vacancy of the office.

"We now have nearly instant access to phones and computers and we need to recognize the fact that we now have continuous, virtually instantaneous communication wherever the governor is," O'Scanlon said.

During his September press conference, Christie actually joked about the topic.

"Wherever I am there's Wi-Fi and cell phones," Christie said. "It's not like I'm incommunicado, it's not like I need somebody to get the Pony Express to come and bring me a message about what's going on here."