Biography
Smith received a B.A. degree in 1969 from the University of Scranton in History, an M.S. in 1970 from the University of Scranton in Chemistry, an M.S. in 1973 from Rutgers University in Environmental Science and was awarded a J.D. in 1981 from the Seton Hall University School of Law. Smith taught environmental science and chemistry at Middlesex County College for 15 years. By profession, Senator Smith is an attorney.
Before being elected to the State Senate, Smith served in the General Assembly, the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature, from 1986 to 2001. In the Assembly, Smith served as the Deputy Minority Leader from 1994 to 1995 and as the Parliamentarian from 1988 to 1989.
Smith sponsored and passed laws dealing with such critical matters as increasing penalties for violations of environmental laws, repairing outmoded combined sewer systems, and reforming the state's oil spill prevention efforts. Senator Smith's legislative accomplishments include authoring the Ocean Pollution Bounty Act, Sludge Management Act, Oil Spill Prevention Act, the Worker and Community Right to Know Act and the Clean Water Enforcement Act. He has sought the enactment of laws affording greater protection to child victims of abuse and sponsored bills to increase the penalties for carjacking. Senator Smith has been involved in the fight to protect citizens from lead poisoning.
In the devastation following Hurricane Floyd, Senator Smith sponsored the Emergency Disaster Relief Act and Local Flood Aid Act to aid economic recovery. In the closing days of the 2001 legislative session Senator Smith fought for the rights of New Jersey National Guard students, who were being forced to register for classes after their civilian peers, as the colleges and universities were not reimbursed for providing their educational benefits. Smith sponsored and had a law passed that provided for the funding of education and allowed for the National Guard students to register along with their fellow students.
Smith served as Mayor of Piscataway from 1981 to 1986, served on the Piscataway Township Council from 1977 to 1980, its Planning Board from 1975 to 1986 (as its Chair in 1976) and on the Piscataway Environmental Committee from 1971 to 1975.
Read more about this topic: Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator)
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