Senator Joseph Vitale Contact information

Joseph F. Vitale is an American Democratic Party politician who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 1998, where he represents the 19th Legislative District. He was born on November 10, 1954, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Woodbridge Township.

Vitale came to the Senate in 1998 filling a vacancy created when Jim McGreevey stepped down from his seat as part of his ultimately unsuccessful bid for election as Governor of New Jersey in 1997. He has been easily reelected in every Senate election, never winning by less than 20 points. From 2004 to 2009, Vitale was the Deputy Majority Leader in the Senate. Currently, he is Chairman of the Senate on the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and the Vice Chairman in the Senate for Economic Growth.

Vitale and William Gormley were the lead sponsors of the 1999 New Jersey Homeless Youth Act, which allows minors to seek homeless shelter without parental approval. He is also the sponsor of bills to allow needle exchange programs for drug users and to prohibit gun ownership by those convicted of domestic violence offenses.

In addition to his legislative duties, Vitale served as the interim Mayor of Woodbridge Township from July 2006 to November 2006, following the death of Mayor Frank Pelzman. He was nominated by the township’s Democratic Committee and voted in by the Township Council to serve a four-month term as mayor.

Vitale’s legislative efforts over the years have spring boarded him into being one of the most respected voices on health care in the state of New Jersey. Early in his career, Senator Vitale recognized that one of the biggest challenges facing New Jersey families is access to affordable, quality health care. In response, he created NJ FamilyCare, which provides critical health care coverage to low-income families and their children.

He has worked to support the expansion of innovative care models like Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) and Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). His work to make health care accessible and affordable includes sponsorship of the 2017 telemedicine law that incentivizes the adoption of such technology and improves patient access to primary and specialty care.

Senator Vitale led New Jersey’s effort to address the opioid epidemic by providing Governor Christie a blueprint and sponsoring necessary enabling legislation to implement a multifaceted approach focusing on education, prevention, treatment and recovery. His law giving first responders and the public access to the heroin overdose antidote has already saved countless lives.

This work continues with the Murphy Administration with the goal of providing all who suffer from substance abuse disorder the treatment and opportunities they need to live a healthy and long life. Senator Vitale believes that health care and scientific research are crucial to the economic future of New Jersey. This philosophy guided him as he pursued a massive overhaul of the state’s universities and medical schools, positioning them to make New Jersey a national leader in health care and research.