New Jersey Lt Gov Sheila Oliver dies after being hospitalised for undisclosed medical issue

Ms Oliver was serving as acting governor when she was taken to hospital for emergency treatment

New Jersey Lt Gov Sheila Oliver has died one day after being hospitalised for treatment for an undisclosed medical issue while serving as acting governor.

Ms Oliver was taken to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston on Monday, while Governor Phil Murphy was in Italy on a family vacation.

Her family confirmed her death at the age of 71 in a statement on Tuesday.

“It is with incredible sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of the Honorable Sheila Y. Oliver, Lieutenant Governor of the State of New Jersey,” the family said in a statement to ABC7.

“She was not only a distinguished public servant but also our cherished daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and hero.”

No cause of death has been released.

In a statement, Gov Murphy said he and his family were “incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of our dear friend, colleague, and partner in government.”

Ms Oliver, a Democrat, was selected as Gov Murphy’s running-mate in 2017, and was a “trailblazer in every sense of the word”, he said.

New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver has died at the age of 71 (Associated Press)

In 2010, she became the first Black woman to serve as Speaker of the General Assembly, and was the second Black woman in US history to lead a state house legislature.

“I knew then that her decades of public service made her the ideal partner for me to lead the State of New Jersey. It was the best decision I ever made.”

Democratic Senate President Nicholas Scutari is serving as acting governor, the governor’s spokesperson Mahen Gunaratna said.

Tammy and I, and our children, are incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of our dear friend, colleague, and partner in government, @LtGovOliver.

We ask that you all keep the Oliver family and all those who loved her in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/ty6drz7DgY

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) August 1, 2023

The governor will be returning to the US “soon”, Mr Gunaratna added.

Along with serving as Gov Murphy’s top deputy, Ms Oliver also oversaw the Department of Community Affairs, which coordinates state aid to towns and cities and supervises code enforcement.

She had been twice elected to the lieutenant governor’s role in 2017 and 2021, becoming the second person to hold the post in New Jersey.

Born and raised in Newark, Ms Oliver earned a degree in sociology from Pennsylvania’s Lincoln University before being elected to the Essex County board of chosen freeholders in 1996.

New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, with Governor Phil Murphy in 2020 (Lucas Jackson/Reuters)

Ms Oliver had served on the New Jersey assembly since 2004.

“She brought a unique and invaluable perspective to our public policy discourse and served as an inspiration to millions of women and girls everywhere, especially young women of colour,” Gov Murphy said in a statement.

“Beyond all of that, she was an incredibly genuine and kind person whose friendship and partnership will be irreplaceable.”

Tributes flowed for Ms Oliver from state and national politicians.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker described her death as a “tremendous loss for New Jersey, for her family, and for all of us who loved and worked with her”.

“Sheila Oliver was a trailblazer whose legacy of service will long be remembered.”

Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat of New Jersey, said Ms Oliver was a “relentless voice for the voiceless, a passionate advocate for the disadvantaged, and a champion for the most important issues facing the Garden State”. 

“From her earliest victories in public service when she saved affordable housing for low-income residents in Newark to her trailblazing service as the first African American woman to lead the General Assembly as Speaker, Lieutenant Governor Oliver was an inspiration to all of us who dream of an equal and prosperous future.”

Ms Oliver’s family requested privacy, and said details of a memorial service would be provided at a later date.