NJ Assemblyman Goes Off: "Why on Earth Are We Making a Bill About a State Nut When We Have More Important Things to Do?"

JerseyTalks Staff
Jul 11, 2026
1 min read35 views

What happened

🥜 A state nut? While New Jersey lawmakers continue debating property taxes, utility bills, and affordability, another bill sparked attention for a very different reason.

🥜 A state nut? While New Jersey lawmakers continue debating property taxes, utility bills, and affordability, another bill sparked attention for a very different reason.

The proposal would designate the hazelnut as New Jersey's official state nut, recognizing Rutgers University's decades of hazelnut research and the crop's potential for the state's agriculture.

Not everyone was convinced.

During the Assembly debate, Assemblyman Brian Bergen criticized the bill, arguing lawmakers should be focusing on more urgent issues, asking, "Why on earth do we need a state nut?"

The bill ultimately passed the Assembly.

Do you think New Jersey should spend time on symbolic bills like this while tackling larger issues, or is there room for both?

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