Holly Schepisi
Member of theNew Jersey Senate from the39th district
Incumbent
Assumed office March 25, 2021
Preceded by	Gerald Cardinale
Member of theNew Jersey General Assembly from the39th district
In office January 10, 2012 – March 24, 2021
Preceded by	Charlotte Vandervalk
Succeeded by	DeAnne DeFuccio
Personal details
Born	(1971-12-20)December 20, 1971 (age 54)
Party	Republican
Spouse	Paul Garfinkel
Children	2
Education	Catholic University (BA) Fordham University (JD)
Website	State Senate website

Holly T. Schepisi (born December 20, 1971) is an American lawyer, businesswoman, andRepublican Party politician who is theNew Jersey State Senator, representing the39th legislative district, in office since 2021.

Schepisi previously served in theNew Jersey General Assembly, from January 10, 2012, until March 24, 2021. She has served as Deputy Minority Leader since January 14, 2020, and served as Assistant Minority Leader for two years before then. On March 9, 2021, she was chosen to succeed long-serving SenatorGerald Cardinale in the State Senate, who died in office.^[1] She was sworn in on March 25, 2021.^[2]

Schepisi was born on December 20, 1971, the daughter of John A. Schepisi, a lawyer and former chairman of theBergen County Republican Organization.^[3][4] She earned aBachelor of Arts degree fromThe Catholic University of America in politics and psychology in 1993, and aJuris Doctor fromFordham University School of Law in 1997. While in college, she worked at the1992 Republican National Convention, interned forOrganization of American States, CongresswomanMarge Roukema, and a member of theBritish Parliament.^[5] In 2007, she began serving as the Township Attorney for River Vale, a position she held until 2011. In addition, she was also apublic defender forOakland (2012–2014) and an alternate prosecutor forOld Tappan (2010–2011) andWestwood (2002–2011).^[3]

As of 2015^[update], Schepisi and her husband, Paul Garfinkel, live inRiver Vale, New Jersey; they have two children.^[5] In March 2015, she suffered abrain aneurysm but fully recovered after surgery in the summer of 2015.^[6]

In August 2011,Charlotte Vandervalk announced her retirement from the General Assembly seat in the 39th district.^[4] A resident of River Vale, Schepisi was selected by the Bergen County Republican Organization to take Vandervalk's place on the ballot, and in the general election she and her running mateBob Schroeder defeated theDemocratic candidates, Anthony Iannarelli Jr. and Michael McCarthy.^[7][8] She was sworn in on January 10, 2012.^[9]

In 2014, Schepisi introduced a bill that would have weakened vaccination requirements for school children. The bill would have allowed certain children under the age of six to attend school without receiving aHepatitis B vaccine. Schepisi stated that thedebunked link between vaccines and autism was not her "primary rationale" for introducing the bill. The bill did not become law.^[10] In the summer of 2017, Schepisi held the first of several planned public hearing inParamus with various civic leaders on mandated affordable housing under theMount Laurel Doctrine with local mayors and other state assembly members.^[11] In October 2018 Schepisi joined then-Republican State SenatorDawn Addiego and RepublicansKristin Corrado,Amy Handlin,DiAnne Gove,Serena DiMaso,BettyLou DeCroce, andNancy Munoz in calling for an investigation into GovernorPhil Murphy's hiring practices.^[12]

Committee assignments for the current session are:^[3]

• Community and Urban Affairs
• Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens

Each of the 40 districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in theNew Jersey Senate and two members in theNew Jersey General Assembly.^[13] The representatives from the 39th District for the 2024—25 Legislative Session are:^[14]

• Senator Holly Schepisi (R)
• AssemblymanRobert Auth (R)
• AssemblywomanJohn V. Azzariti (R)

In what was one of the most competitive races in 2019 Schepisi and her running mateRobert Auth won re-election by 6,000 and 4,000 votes respectively. During the campaign, controversy surrounding Assembly Minority LeaderJon Bramnick's law website drew their Democratic opponents, Gerald Falotico and John Birkner, to call on them to condemn the website.^[17]

2019 General Election in39th District^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Holly Schepisi (Incumbent)	30,705	28.2%	1.1
	Republican	Robert Auth (Incumbent)	28,786	26.4%	0.2
	Democratic	John Birkner Jr.	17,557	22.9%	1.1
	Democratic	Gerald Falotico	17,332	22.3%	0.2
Total votes			'108,691'	'100.0'

In the tightest election of Schepisi's career in the Assembly she won re-election.

2017 General Election in39th District^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Holly Schepisi (Incumbent)	34,158	27.4	3.9
	Republican	Robert Auth (Incumbent)	32,739	26.2	2.6
	Democratic	Jannie Chung	29,126	23.3	3.0
	Democratic	Annie Hausmann	28,862	23.1	3.4
Total votes			'124,885'	'100.0'

In a generally bad year for Republicans inNew Jersey,^{[citation needed]} Schepisi and Auth cruised to re-election.

2015 General Election in39th District^[20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Holly Schepisi (Incumbent)	22,016	31.3	1.1
	Republican	Robert Auth (Incumbent)	20,227	28.8	0.8
	Democratic	John DeRienzo	14,258	20.3	0.6
	Democratic	Jeffrey Goldsmith	13,840	19.7	1.4
Total votes			'70,341'	'100.0'

In 2013 GovernorChris Christie easily beat DemocratBarbara Buono and Schepisi and her new running mateRobert Auth easily beat their Democratic opponents.

2013 General Election in39th District^[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Holly Schepisi (Incumbent)	36,873	32.4	2.1
	Republican	Robert Auth	33,680	29.6	1.3
	Democratic	Donna C. Abene	22,450	19.7	0.9
	Democratic	Anthony N. Iannarelli Jr.	20,785	18.3	0.0
Total votes			'113,788'	'100.0'

After the 2011 re-districting the 39th District was still widely considered "safe republican". Schepisi ran for theAssembly for the first time and easily placed second.

• Senator Holly T. Schepisi;s legislative web page,New Jersey Legislature

• 1971 births
• Living people
• 20th-century American lawyers
• 20th-century American women lawyers
• 21st-century American lawyers
• 21st-century American women lawyers
• 21st-century American women politicians
• 21st-century members of the New Jersey Legislature
• Businesspeople from Bergen County, New Jersey
• Catholic University of America alumni
• Fordham University School of Law alumni
• Lawyers from Bergen County, New Jersey
• People from River Vale, New Jersey
• Politicians from Bergen County, New Jersey
• Republican Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly
• Republican Party New Jersey state senators
• Women state legislators in New Jersey

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