Stephen M. Sweeney (born June 11, 1959) is an American politician and labor leader who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2022, representing the 3rd legislative district. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 114th President of the New Jersey Senate from 2010 to 2022.
A Union Ironworker by trade, Sweeney was frequently described as a political power broker in New Jersey politics and identifies as a moderate and a fiscal conservative. His legislative tenure ended after he was defeated in 2021 by Republican Edward Durr in a major upset. Following his defeat, Sweeney announced his candidacy in the 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election, placing last in the June primary.
Early life Sweeney was born in Camden, New Jersey, and graduated from Pennsauken High School in 1977. He is of Irish ancestry."It All Started With Layren", Third Legislative District. Accessed March 18, 2020. "'My grandparents had a finished basement, with a bar, and they’d entertain,' Sweeney says. 'We felt blessed. We got to grow up with our grandparents. You know, I may be Irish, but I was raised Italian.'" He joined Ironworkers Local 399 (of Camden, New Jersey) and gained journeyman status on January 1, 1980.
Career Gloucester County Commissioner Sweeney served on the Gloucester County Board of County Commissioners, a post he held since 1997, and served as the Director of the board from January 6, 2006, until he left office in 2010.Senator Sweeney's legislative web page, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed March 14, 2008.Stephen M. Sweeney Biography, Third Legislative District. Accessed March 15, 2013. During that period of time he simultaneously held a seat in the New Jersey Senate and was a Freeholder, a practice known as "double dipping" that was allowed under a grandfather clause in a 2007 state law that prevents dual-office-holding but allows those who had held both positions as of February 1, 2008, to retain both posts.via Associated Press. "N.J. Lawmakers keep double dipping", WPVI-TV, March 4, 2008. Accessed June 4, 2009.
New Jersey Senate Sweeney sponsored a 2002 law allowing municipalities and other public entities beginning a construction project to enter into a Project Labor Agreement (PLA), an agreement that establishes the terms and conditions of employment and prohibits the use of strikes and lockouts, which can save money by reducing cost overruns and work stoppages, and contribute to decreased labor unrest.Saharko, Peter. "STATE SEN. SWEENEY BACKS BILL FOR LABOR", The Press of Atlantic City, February 15, 2002. Accessed January 7, 2012. "The measure would let state, local and county governments set terms of employment beforehand and prohibit strikes and lockouts. Public entities would be able to enter into project labor agreements when completing a public-works project under legislation sponsored by state Sen. Stephen M. Sweeney, D-Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester." A 2005 law Sweeney sponsored enabled the Delaware River and Bay Authority to establish an ethanol plant in Southern New Jersey, the first of its kind in any of the Mid-Atlantic states, a project intended to create jobs for South Jersey and supply a new market for farmers in the region."A Hotbed of Residential and Commercial Activity", Gloucester County, New Jersey, March 21, 2005. Accessed August 28, 2012. In response to heightened security warnings around potential targets such as chemical and nuclear plants since the September 11 terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center, Sweeney pushed to require potentially vulnerable facilities to implement security standards and to explore possible safer technologies.Fifield, Adam. "Sweeney joining plant-safety push", The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 2, 2003. Accessed August 28, 2012. He sponsored legislation to allow security guards at nuclear plants to carry assault weapons and high-powered ammunition. The bill, which was signed into law in September 2003, requires guards to undergo mandated training in the use of the firearms before getting access to the weapons.S-1453, New Jersey Office of Legislative Services, introduced May 13, 2002. Accessed August 28, 2012.
Other legislation sponsored by Sweeney and signed into law provides state pensions to surviving family members of police, firefighters and emergency services workers who die in the line of duty,S-1432, New Jersey Office of Legislative Services, introduced March 26, 2002. Accessed August 28, 2012.Saharko, Peter. "STATE LINES / CHANGING FACE OF N.J. LEGISLATURE", The Press of Atlantic City, November 12, 2001. Accessed August 28, 2012. "For Sweeney, transportation and the environment are important issues, but a passion of his involves ensuring police and fire pensions for the spouses of those killed in the line of duty." as well as the law that removes the remarriage prohibition to receive death benefits for spouses of police officers and firefighters killed while serving the public good.S-1434, New Jersey Office of Legislative Services, introduced March 26, 2002. Accessed August 28, 2012.McAleer, Pete. "LAW SAVES AID TO COP WIDOWS", The Press of Atlantic City, September 13, 2003. Accessed August 28, 2012. "It eliminates the remarriage penalty for spouses of state troopers, police, firefighters and emergency responders killed in the line of duty, allowing spouses to continue to collect pension benefits if they remarry. State Sen. Stephen Sweeney and Assemblymen Doug Fisher and John Burzichelli, all D-Camden, Gloucester, sponsored the bill, which had in the Statehouse for a decade." Sweeney also co-sponsored the law providing health benefits to New Jersey National Guard members who serve for 30 days or more on state active duty.SENATE, No. 2507 210th LEGISLATURE Introduced May 15, 2003, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed August 28, 2012. "Provides State-paid health care benefits coverage through SHBP for certain National Guard members called to State active duty for 30 days or more."Governor Signs New Laws Enhancing Benefits for Active National Guard Members, Governor of New Jersey, August 1, 2003. Accessed August 28, 2012.
Sweeney sponsored "Maggie's Law", which establishes driving while seriously fatigued as a form of driver recklessness.Senate, Bill No. 1644, State of New Jersey, 210th Legislature, introduced June 13, 2002. The first law of its kind in the United States, "Maggie's Law" was signed by Governor Jim McGreevey in August 2003. It subjects sleep deprived drivers who have been awake for 24 hours or more to sentences of up to 10 years in jail and fines up to $150,000 if they get into fatal car accidents caused by their lack of sleep. Sweeney first pursued the legislation when he was contacted by the mother of Maggie McDonnell, a Washington Township resident who was killed in a car accident by a driver who had been up for over 30 hours without sleeping.McDonnell, Carole.Manifesting Maggie's Law, Sleep Review: the Journal for Sleep Specialists. January / February 2004.
On June 1, 2006, Sweeney and two Assembly Democrats, Paul D. Moriarty (D, 4th legislative district) and Jerry Green (D, 22nd legislative district), announced their support for cuts of as much as 15% to New Jersey state worker salaries and benefits as part of an effort to avoid a one-point increase in the state's sales tax proposed by Governor Jon Corzine.Ung, Elisa. "Sweeney to N.J. workers: Cut pay: The senator, a labor leader, said he was angered by union support for an N.J. sales-tax increase", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 2, 2006. Accessed August 28, 2012. "Democratic State Sen. Stephen M. Sweeney, a major union leader from Gloucester County, shocked state employee unions yesterday by calling on their members to take a 15 percent cut in salaries and benefits.... Sweeney said he was angered by a union flyer that asked legislators to support a proposed increase in the sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent - 'so that,' he said, 'state workers don't have to experience the pain that every taxpayer in the state is going to experience.'" He urged that workers affected by the state shutdown in July 2006 should not collect pay for the time they were furloughed, stating that he would have voted to reject the state budget if he had known that state workers would receive pay for a period when they were not working.
Sweeney was selected by the Senate Democratic Caucus to serve as Majority Leader on November 8, 2007."Codey and Sweeney Elected to Lead Senate, New Jersey Senate Democratic press release, November 8, 2007. Accessed on August 28, 2012
In December 2016, Sweeney was one of several Catholic elected officials who supported legislation legalizing assisted suicide, saying that state residents should be able to make their own decisions on a topic in which "the church takes positions that are not necessarily mainstream".Alex, Patricia. "Catholic lawmakers support assisted suicide despite faith", The Record, December 13, 2016. Accessed July 15, 2019. "'The church takes positions that are not necessarily mainstream. Why not give someone a choice?' Senate President Stephen Sweeney, who is Catholic, said of the proposal, which he has actively supported. He said the measure is about helping the terminally ill have peaceful deaths."
Committees Joint Budget Oversight Budget and Appropriations Legislative Services Commission
Senate Presidency
On the afternoon of November 23, 2009, New Jersey Senate Democrats chose Sweeney as State Senate President over the incumbent, former governor Richard Codey. He took office on January 12, 2010.Margolin, Josh. "Democrats vote N.J. Sen. Stephen Sweeney in as Senate president", The Star-Ledger, November 23, 2009. Accessed January 7, 2012. "Senate Democrats emerged from a Statehouse meeting room a few minutes ago, saying Sen. Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) has been voted Senate president, replacing Richard Codey, the Essex County Democrat who long led the Senate's Democratic caucus. Codey left the second-floor caucus room at 2:50 p.m. and made only a brief comment to reporters waiting outside." In the absence of the governor and lieutenant governor, Sweeney served as acting governor of New Jersey during the eastern seaboard storm of December 2010.
In January 2010, Sweeney abstained when the New Jersey Senate voted on the question of allowing same-sex couples to marry. The bill was not passed. Sweeney later called his abstention a mistake and said that the issue was a civil rights issue, not a religious issue.Spoto, MaryAnn. "Sweeney: N.J. gay marriage fight will be with Christie, not Legislature, Star Ledger, January 10, 2012. Accessed August 28, 2012. "With his abstention two years ago, Sweeney helped defeat a same-sex marriage bill that came up in the waning days of the lame-duck administration of Gov. Jon Corzine, who had pledged to sign it if the legislature passed it. Since then, Sweeney has said he made a mistake and should have voted for the measure because, he said, it's a matter of civil rights, not a religious issue." In 2012, Sweeney was one of the prime sponsors of legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage.Senate Dems Announce New Push for Marriage Equality, NJ Senate Democrats' YouTube Channel, January 9, 2012 The bill was approved in both houses of the Legislature, but was ultimately vetoed by Governor Chris Christie; Christie favored putting the issue up for public referendum."Gov. Christie follows through on promise to veto gay marriage bill" Associated Press, February 18, 2012.