Diegnan, Pinkin & Karabinchak Bill to Create
Governor Jim Florio Day Becomes Law

Former Governor Honored for Lifetime of Faithful Service to the Garden State
(SOUTH PLAINFIELD) –Senator Patrick Diegnan, Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin and Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak joint legislation that designates August 29, 2017 as Governor James Florio Day in the State of New Jersey was recently signed into law by Governor Christie to mark the former Governor’s upcoming 80th birthday.
“His ideas and ideals were ringing examples of courageous political leadership that provided a model for standing up to the economic and social challenges of our times,” said Senator Diegnan. “Governor Florio Day will in some small way reflect the appreciation of the people of New Jersey to a devoted public servant who represented his fellow citizens fighting for children to know education’s promise, and families to know new opportunity.”
“Governor Florio has exhibited a laudable, lifelong commitment to the residents of New Jersey through his devotion to sensible public policy, “said Assemblywoman Pinkin. “His dedication to our state is to be admired by legislators for generations and serves as the high standard of public servitude in which we aim to represent our constituents.”
“Governor Florio’s dedication to people over politics continues to serve as an inspiration for me and leaders from every corner of our state,” said Assemblyman Karabinchak. “He is an example of what is best about the Garden State and he will always remain one of the most respected figures in NJ government.”
The law decrees August 29, 2017 as Governor James Florio Day in the State of New Jersey in recognition of his many outstanding contributions to this State and the nation. The Honorable
James J. Florio, the 49th Governor of this State, was born on August 29, 1937 in Brooklyn, the oldest of three sons to Vincenzo “Jim” and Lillian Florio, moved as a child to Flatbush near Ebbets Field, became a Dodger and Pete Reiser fan, and developed an interest in the sport of boxing.
At the age of 17, Governor Florio enlisted in the Navy, served from 1955 to 1958, and then served in the Naval Reserve until 1975 and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. While in the Navy, Governor Florio received his high school equivalency diploma, and boxed as a middleweight, compiling a 12–3 record before retiring, and was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
Governor Florio enrolled at Trenton State College upon his discharge in 1958, graduating magna cum laude, went on to study public law and government at Columbia University after winning a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, and received a law degree from Rutgers School of Law-Camden.
Governor Florio was elected to the General Assembly in 1969 and twice re-elected, first from the First Legislative District then the Fifth Legislative District, which covered parts of Camden and Gloucester counties, and served on the State Government and the Federal and Interstate Relations Committees.
Governor Florio was elected to the United States House of Representatives from this State’s First Congressional District in November 1974 and served until January 16, 1990. Governor Florio was best known as the author of the Superfund legislation, designed to clean up toxic waste sites and penalize those responsible for the pollution and require such responsible parties to pay for its cleanup, and he was the author of the Railroad Deregulation Law, which saved from bankruptcy the nation’s freight railroads, including Conrail.
Mr. Florio was elected to the governorship on November 7, 1989. During his term in office, Governor Florio accomplished signing into law the Clean Water Enforcement Act (1990), which was the strongest environmental law of its type in the United States, the Quality Education Act, which provided greater equity in New Jersey’s school finance system, a landmark welfare reform package, and the nation’s toughest assault weapons ban.
After leaving office as Governor, Governor Florio, has remained active by serving as Chair of the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, became a Senior Fellow for Public Policy and Administration at the Edward J. Bloustein Graduate School of Public Policy at Rutgers University and in 2014 was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
Along with his wife Lucinda, Governor Florio has been blessed by the love and support of his children and grandchildren, including his son Christopher and daughter-in-law Helen, his daughter Catherine Pipas and son-in-law Marc and their daughters Stephanie and Victoria, his son Gregory and daughter-in-law Ann and their children Matthew, Alexandra, Chelsea, Elizabeth, and Peter, and by his wife Lucinda’s son Mark Rowe and daughter-in-law Shelly and their sons Jack, Bret, and Troy.