politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, ...
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
State Senate from 1993 to 2008, after serving in the
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
from 1988 to 1993. He served for one day at the end of his tenure in the Senate as President of the Senate.
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest- ...
(1968) in Economics and was awarded a J.D. (1976) from the
Fordham University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law is the law school of Fordham University. The school is located in Manhattan in New York City, and is one of eight ABA-approved law schools in that city. In 2013, 91% of the law school's first-time test take ...
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...
. Accessed July 16, 2007.
Career
Before moving up to the Senate, Kenny served in the
lower house
A lower house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has co ...
of the
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...
, the
General Assembly
A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company.
Specific examples of general assembly include:
Churches
* General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of pres ...
, from 1987 to 1993. Upon the resignation of
Bob Menendez
Robert Menendez (; born January 1, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States senator from New Jersey, a seat he has held since 2006. Gale (publisher), Gale Biography I ...
from the New Jersey Senate, due to his election to the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
, Kenny was selected to fill the vacancy.
A
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
veteran, Senator Kenny is a partner at the law firm of Florio Kenny Raval, LLP. When the
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
was tied 20-20 in 2002 to 2003, Kenny served as the Democratic
Majority Leader
In U.S. politics (as well as in some other countries utilizing the presidential system), the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.
, and when the Democrats regained majority control, he took over as full Majority Leader, a position he held for the remainder of his Senate term, except for his last day in office when he became President of the Senate.
Senator Kenny was the
chairman
The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the group ...
of the Budget and Appropriation Committee in 2008, and also served on the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards, the
Intergovernmental Relations Commission and the Legislative Services Commission.
Kenny was Hoboken's Assistant Corporation Counsel from 1984 to 1985 and was an Assistant Prosecutor in Hudson County from 1976 to 1979. Kenny served in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
from 1968 to 1971 as a Lieutenant, junior grade.
In the Senate, two laws Kenny sponsored, the Water Supply Public/Private Contracting Act and the County and Municipal Water Supply Act, make it possible for municipalities to enter into public/private water utility agreements. He sponsored the legislation which conforms the State's trademark law and application procedures with federal law. He also sponsored a law providing for interstate banking and a law giving gross income exclusions for certain savings in Roth IRAs.
Kenny was one of New Jersey's presidential electors casting the state's Electoral College votes after the 2004 presidential election. New Jersey's electors cast their ballots on December 13, 2004, in the State House Annex, in Trenton, where all 15 votes were cast for the Democratic Party candidate
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party, he ...
New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety
The New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey that focuses on protection of the lives and property of New Jersey residents and visitors. The department operates under the supervision of ...
. Accessed July 16, 2007.
Kenny was a member of the New Jersey Sports History Commission and served on the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.
From 1983 to 1987, Mr. Kenny was counsel to the state division of the
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. Established in 1913, the society is organized into six geographical regions of both medical and lay volunteers operating in more than ...
. He served, at the appointment of the
New Jersey Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases challenging th ...
, on the District VI Ethics Committee which reviewed complaints against lawyers, from 1985 to 1988.
Senate Presidency
To honor Kenny, Senate President
Richard Codey
Richard James Codey (born November 27, 1946) is an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 53rd governor of New Jersey from 2004 to 2006. He has served in the New Jersey Senate since 1982 and served as the President of the Senat ...
resigned his position on January 7, 2008, for the last day of Kenny's term, which ended January 8, 2008, and allowed Kenny to be elected President of the New Jersey Senate for one day. As Senate President, Kenny presided over Senate sessions, set the Senate agenda, and performed ceremonial functions on behalf of the Senate. If Gov. Jon Corzine had left the state or been incapacitated during Kenny's Senate Presidency, Kenny would have served as acting governor.
District 33
Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...
and two members in the
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
. The other representatives from the 33rd Legislative District are:
*Assemblyman Brian P. Stack
*Assemblyman
Silverio Vega
Silverio "Sal" A. Vega (4 September 1956 in Cardenas, Matanzas, Cuba) is a Cuban American Democratic Party politician, who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2006 to 2008, where he represented the 33rd legislative district and ser ...