Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ALISON LITTELL MCHOSE
District 24 (Sussex, Hunterdon and Morris)
SYNOPSIS
Clarifies the definition of citizenship in the State of New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning citizenship of the State of New Jersey and supplementing chapter 9 of Appendix A.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. For the purposes of this act:
"Subject to the jurisdiction of the United States" has the same meaning that it bears in section 1 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, namely that the person is a child of at least one parent who owes no allegiance to any foreign sovereignty, or a child without citizenship or nationality in any foreign country.
"A person who owes no allegiance to any foreign sovereignty" is a United States citizen or national, or an immigrant accorded the privilege of residing permanently in the United States, or a person without citizenship or nationality in any foreign country.
b. A person is a citizen of the State of New Jersey if the person:
(1) is born in the United States and is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; and
(2) is a resident of the State of New Jersey as defined subsection k. of section 3 of P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-3).
c. In addition to the criteria of citizenship described under subsection b. of this section, a person is a citizen of the State of New Jersey if that person:
(1) is naturalized in the United States; and
(2) the person is a resident of the State of New Jersey as defined subsection k. of section 3 of P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-3).
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill clarifies the definition of citizenship in the State of New Jersey. Under the bill, a person is a citizen of New Jersey if he or she is born in the United States and is a resident of the State of New Jersey. A person may also qualify for citizenship if that person is naturalized in the United States and is a resident of New Jersey.
The bill further provides that a person may only be considered to be "subject to the jurisdiction of the United States" if that person has least one parent who owes no allegiance to any foreign sovereignty, or is a child without citizenship or nationality in any foreign country.
A person who does not meet this criteria would not be considered a citizen of New Jersey.