Can Democrats override a Gov. Chris Christie veto of equal pay bill? "This could be the one," state Sen. Bob Smith said. Watch video
TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie has repeatedly vetoed legislation aimed at ensuring equal pay for women, but Democratic lawmakers on Monday said the governor's low poll numbers could prompt Republicans to help override him for the first time next week.
"This could be the one," state Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex) said Monday at a Statehouse news conference.
The Equal Pay Bill (S992) is co-sponsored by state Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) and state Sen. Sandra Cunningham (D-Hudson), and would work to end pay discrimination in a state where women still earn 80 cents on the dollar compared to men.
"It doesn't make sense that in 2016 we are still fighting for pay equity," Weinberg said. "It's almost inconceivable, but it is a reality."
Christie vetoes "nonsensical" pay equity bill
The most recent pay equity bill sailed through the state Legislature, passing 28-4 in the Senate and 54-14-6 in the Assembly. Christie vetoed the bill, calling it "nonsensical" and "business unfriendly."
"We are asking our colleagues to vote the same way they did in February," said Weinberg on Monday.
The only problem Democrats face is that that's never happened before.
Republicans have always broken ranks in sufficient number to line up and protect their fellow GOP governor's veto from being overridden.
No Republicans were present at the Democrats press conference, and Weinberg acknowledged that as of Monday afternoon, none had pledged their support. Democrats say they'll try to override Christie next Monday, Dec. 19.
To override the governor, Democrats would need to marshal 54 votes in the Assembly, and 27 votes in the Senate. Democrats currently hold 52 seats in the Assembly and 24 seats in the Senate.
"Doesn't mean it's not going to happen next Monday," she cautioned.
The Democrats political calculus is based on the fact that all 120 seats in the Legisalture are up for election next year, and the Republican governor's approval rating is now an abysmal 18 percent, according to one poll, among the lowest in state history.
Noting that a majority of New Jersey voters are women, Smith offered an ominous warning clearly aimed at his GOP colleagues as the electorate.
"I would ask that all the women remember in November 2017 who was with you, and who wasn't," he said.
Asked if she thought the governor's unpopularity might cause the Republican caucus to reconsider moving in lockstep with him, Weinberg said: answered, "If you apply logical, rational thinking, then yes."
A spokesman for the governor's office declined comment Monday.
The bill would, among other things, prohibit unequal pay for "substantially similar" work, and require pay to be determined by factors other than the sex of the worker, such as seniority and merit.
It would also restart the statute of limitations so that each unequal paycheck is a new instance of discrimination, something stronger than the 2 year cap on back pay set by federal legislation.
Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.