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N.J. Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, acting as governor with Murphy out of the country, is hospitalized

Gov. Phil Murphy is out of the country and expected back August 13.

New Jersey Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver signaling “four more years” with the crowd of supporters waiting election results at Gov. Phil Murphy’s Election Night party in Asbury Park in 2021.
New Jersey Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver signaling “four more years” with the crowd of supporters waiting election results at Gov. Phil Murphy’s Election Night party in Asbury Park in 2021.Read moreTOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer
    by Nick Vadala
    Updated 
    Published 

»Update: Sheila Oliver, Lt. Governor of New Jersey, has died

New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver was hospitalized and will be “unable to discharge the duties of acting governor,” a position she temporarily took over after Gov. Phil Murphy left for vacation last week, the Governor’s Office said Monday.

Senate President Nicholas Scutari assumed the duties of acting governor Monday morning. According to the New Jersey state constitution, the lieutenant governor fills in as acting governor when the governor is not in the state. If the lieutenant governor is unable to do so, the Senate President takes over.

“I want to extend my best wishes to Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver for a rapid and healthy recovery,” Scutari said in a statement. “We look forward to her return.”

The medical emergency keeping Oliver, 71, from serving as acting governor wasn’t immediately clear early Monday. Oliver is currently receiving care at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Essex County, Murphy spokesperson Mahen Gunaratna said.

“We wish the Lieutenant Governor well as she undergoes medical care,” Gunaratna said.

Oliver took over as acting governor Friday, when Murphy left for a family vacation, reportedly in Italy. He is currently due back Aug. 13.

“Wishing my partner in government a speedy recovery,” Murphy tweeted Monday morning.

It wasn’t immediately clear how long Scutari would sit as acting governor. Should her health improve, Oliver could return to the position ahead of Murphy’s scheduled arrival back in New Jersey.

Oliver has served as Murphy’s lieutenant governor since 2017, when, after serving as the governor’s running mate, she became the first Black woman to hold that position. Previously, she was the first Black woman to have served as Assembly speaker in the state.

Scutari has served as acting governor twice before since becoming Senate President, first in June last year, and then again in December.