The 2017 New Jersey state government shutdown was the second shutdown in the history of the U.S. state of New Jersey after an eight-day shutdown in July 2006. The shutdown occurred after the New Jersey Legislature and Governor Chris Christie failed to agree on a state budget by the constitutional deadline. Exercising his constitutional powers as governor, Christie ordered the shutdown as a means of pressuring the Legislature to pass a budget. The shutdown began at midnight on July 1, 2017, when Christie called for an orderly shutdown of non-essential government services.