Who is Britnee?

Britnee N. Timberlake entered the New Jersey Legislature in 2018 as the Assembly representative for the 34th Legislative District. She quickly became a leading voice for economic fairness, community empowerment, and justice. During her tenure, she chaired the Commerce and Economic Development Committee, served as Vice-Chair of the Homeland Security Committee, and sat on the Community Development and Affairs, Housing, and Education Committees. In 2024, she was sworn into the New Jersey Senate, where she now serves on the Transportation and Economic Growth Committees. During her time in the legislature, Timberlake has secured more than $300 million for the 34th Legislative District, delivering critical investments in infrastructure repairs, transit, local government, hospitals, and underfunded grassroots nonprofits that strengthen communities and improve quality of life.

Senator Timberlake has built a record of delivering meaningful change for working families. She helped raise New Jersey’s minimum wage to $15 an hour, secured labor protections through the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights, and reformed the foreclosure system through the Community Wealth Preservation Program—an initiative designed to help families facing foreclosure stay in their homes, save their property, and preserve generational wealth. Her leadership also extends to environmental justice, maternal and infant health reforms aimed at reducing racial disparities, and laws protecting New Jersey’s autonomy for citizens and immigrant communities.

A longtime champion for working-class families, she was the first elected official in New Jersey to pass a resolution calling for a $15 minimum wage—a precursor that helped build statewide momentum. That early action laid the foundation for the state law she later authored, which was signed in 2019 and officially raised New Jersey’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. She later introduced the Fair Work Week Act to ensure shift workers receive predictable schedules and adequate rest, supporting family stability, education, and overall well-being.

She has sponsored legislation restoring voting rights to formerly incarcerated individuals, expanding funding for education and school safety, and protecting students’ personal data. She mentors young people through her internship program and consistently champions policies that strengthen communities across the state. Senator Timberlake is also a strong advocate for good police–community relationships, accountability, and public safety.

Her advocacy for accountability led to a landmark law requiring the Attorney General to conduct independent investigations of individuals who lose their lives during an interaction with, or while in the custody of, law enforcement—one of the first laws of its kind in the nation and supported by major civil rights organizations. She also championed legislation restricting the sale of imitation firearms after the tragic death of Tamir Rice.

Senator Timberlake has been a driving force in addressing maternal and infant health disparities. Sworn into office while nine months pregnant, she has since given birth four times—experiences that have profoundly shaped her commitment to improving maternal health outcomes. Her fourth birth, a home water birth, was publicly chronicled to raise awareness about the need to strengthen midwifery care, expand doula services, increase lactation support, and ensure insurance coverage for homebirths. These lived experiences fueled her legislative work to make New Jersey a national leader in maternal health equity. She helped pass laws expanding emergency department screening for recent pregnancies, requiring insurance coverage for fertility preservation and breastfeeding support, and mandating newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy.

A seasoned housing advocate, she restored tens of millions to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in her first state budget and sponsored critical COVID-19 relief legislation that prevented mass evictions. She also passed a law ensuring tenants cannot be forced to pay rent exclusively through electronic means.

Her leadership extends to technology and education. She expanded funding for STEM programs and passed legislation protecting students’ personal data from misuse by online education platforms.

Before joining the Legislature, Senator Timberlake served as President of the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, representing East Orange, Orange Township, South Orange Village, and part of Newark’s West Ward. She managed a budget exceeding $700 million and was the youngest and only Black Freeholder President in New Jersey at the time — although her predecessor was also a Black woman. She authored groundbreaking affirmative action laws, strengthened banking accountability, launched the Essex County Clean Jobs Initiative, and secured body cameras for Sheriff’s officers.

Beyond public office, she founded the nonprofit called the Essex Community Land Trust — the only Community Land Trust in New Jersey with multiple properties dedicated to preserving permanent affordability. Under her leadership, the Land Trust strengthens communities by creating permanently affordable homeownership, safeguarding land rights, preventing displacement, and offering comprehensive financial empowerment opportunities. It provides energy‑efficient, climate‑friendly affordable housing; delivers financial literacy workshops; prepares residents for homeowner and landlord readiness; and offers personalized stewardship programs to help families maintain long‑term stability. Through this work, she has helped residents understand how to buy a home, remain homeowners, avoid predatory lending and exploitative real estate practices, and keep title to their land. The Land Trust also empowers communities to preserve property for long‑term community use — including affordability, recreation, open space, and entrepreneurship — ensuring neighborhoods can maintain affordability and stability for years to come.

Timberlake is also known for her international work. Her humanitarian work has taken her abroad, where she has been hosted by international delegations, and here at home she has welcomed global leaders committed to justice, equity, and community development. These experiences reflect her broad impact as a humanitarian, public servant, and advocate whose work resonates far beyond her district. 

She has been honored with numerous awards recognizing her leadership, advocacy, and commitment to justice, including the Legislator of the Year Award from New Jersey Citizen Action, the Fair Share Housing Award, and both the Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree distinctions from Essex County College as well as the Commencement Speaker honor for Fairleigh Dickinson University’s doctoral graduation. Her work has also been celebrated with the Solidarity Award from New Jersey Communities United; the “Breaking Glass Ceilings” Award from the New Leaders Council; the “Community Development Champion” Award from the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey; the “Community Leadership” Award from HANDS, Inc.; the “Donald Payne, Sr.” Award from the Montclair NAACP; the “Emerald” Award from the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters; and the “Power of Dreams” Award presented by Danny Glover.

Senator Timberlake holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Seton Hall University, and—because she has always said she does not intend to learn the answer to Langston Hughes’ question about what happens to a dream deferred—she is a student at Rutgers Law School.

Senator Timberlake is the daughter of Philip Timberlake, a U.S. Army 82nd Airborne veteran, and Cathy Walsh Timberlake, an educator for students with special needs. Inspired by their example of service, she has dedicated her life to helping people. She resides in East Orange with her husband, a Newark Firefighter and small business owner, and their four sons together, who are part of a blended family that includes two older brothers—one she helped raise.

Senator Timberlake gives all glory to God for her life and stands firmly on Philippians 4:11–13.