Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project

The New Jersey Libertarian Party's Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project (“the Project”) seeks to get New Jersey municipalities to repeal loitering ordinances that should have been -- but were not -- repealed when the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice was enacted in 1979. The Project has successfully had loitering ordinances repealed in over 30 towns. For a summary listing of all the towns see Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project page.

The Township of Oldmans in Salem County, at the NJ Libertarian Party's Preempted Ordinance Repeal Projects request, repealed its loitering ordinance as well as other provisions of its "Peace and Good Order" code. The repeal ordinance and my correspondence with Township Attorney John G. Hoffman are on-line at http://www.lpcnj.org/OGTF/LOldmans.pdf.

NJ Herald mentions the NJLP's Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project.

When the “no loitering” signs went up, the late-night parties at the Culver Lake causeway stopped.

Rabble-rousers took heed and residents living near the causeway said they were no longer awakened in the middle of the night to the sounds of screaming party-goers. The shards of broken beer bottles and other remnants from the weekend parties also went away.

As useful as it may have been, Frankford’s loitering ordinance is not allowed to hang around the township’s law books. Last month, the township had to repeal the ordinance due to an oversight by the 2007 Township Committee that such laws were deemed unenforceable after a state Supreme Court ruling 27 years ago.

John Paff, chairman of the New Jersey Libertarian Party’s Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project, has been working for three years to get municipalities to take the outdated laws off their books.

So far he has succeeded in getting 14 municipalities to remove the ordinances, including Andover Township and Newton.

Read the full story...

Andover Township (Sussex County) has become the fourteenth municipality to repeal its loitering ordinance at the request of the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Pre-empted Ordinance Repeal Project. See LP Of Central NJ Loitering Page for more information

The NJLP's Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project has recently succeeded in getting two Salem County municipalities--Pilesgrove Township and Woodstown Borough--to repeal their loitering ordinances.

Pilesgrove finalized the repeal of their ordinance on March 19th, Woodstown repealed their ordinance on March 24th.

For more information, see LP Of Central NJ Loitering Page

On February 15, 2009, the Pilesgrove Township (Salem County) Committee introduced an ordinance to repeal parts of The Township's "Peace and Good Order" Code. The ordinance, as introduced, is below and the NJLP's January 19, 2009 letter which requested the repeal is online HERE.

UPDATED 11/26/2008 -- In disregard for the rights of Millstone citizens, the Millstone township committee has introduced an ordinance strengthening their current "Peace and Good Order" chapter of their municipal code. At their upcoming December 3rd meeting the committee shall be voting to change their code to:

“People’s freedom is more important than giving government easy tools to enforce order.”  New Jersey Libertarian Party quote.

Lyndhurst may lift ban on loitering

By Susan C. Moeller
Senior Reporter

LYNDHURST (April 17, 2008) — At its April 8 meeting, the board of commissioners took the first step toward eliminating the township’s anti-loitering ordinance, a move that will bring Lyndhurst into compliance with state and federal court judicial opinions.

John Paff, of the New Jersey Libertarian Party, brought the outdated ordinance to the attention of the commission, and the commission, in turn, acted on Paff’s concerns.

Read the rest of the article on the paper's website

So far, the NJLP's Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project has successfully effected repeal of loitering ordinances in six towns across New Jersey. Those municipalities are: Butler Borough (Morris County), Elmwood Park Borough (Bergen County), Flemington Borough (Hunterdon County), Highland Park Borough (Middlesex County), Manasquan Borough (Monmouth County) and West Milford Township (Passaic County).

More information on the Project is available on-line at the LP of Central NJ Loitering Web Page

One by one, towns repeal their loitering ordinances

In response to a request from the Libertarian Party, the Borough of Butler, in Morris County, has agreed to repeal its loitering ordinance. The LP's letter to the Borough, the Borough's response and draft repealer ordinance, as well as the ordinance itself is HERE

See full article at nj.com site.  The orignal letter can be viewed here.

Loitering ordinance is being challenged

Friday, January 18, 2008
By KEVIN LECHISKI
Staff Writer

MOUNT OLIVE -- The New Jersey Libertarian Party is questioning the validity of the township's Peace and Good Order ordinance prohibiting loitering and vagrancy. (Read full article)