Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi may be remembered most for her wild days on MTV's reality show "Jersey Shore," but her recent antics inspired legislation in New Jersey, USA Today reported. After learning that Snooki received $32,000 for a speech she delivered at Rutgers University in 2011, Republican Assemblyman John DiMaio wrote a bill that would aim to cap the spending of state money for speakers at public universities in the state at $10,000.
DiMaio said the use of state funds as payment for speakers like Polizzi is "ludicrous and wasteful."
Snooki reportedly received $2,000 more than Nobel prize-winning author Toni Morrison, who delivered a commencement speech the same year.
WATCH | Snooki's 2011 speech inspired legislation in New Jersey
During the 2011 speech, Polizzi told students to "study hard, but party harder."
Rutgers University spokesperson E.J. Miranda defended the decision to host Snooki to NJ.com, claiming that she was invited by students.
"The students use funds designated for student programming," Miranda said. "The university does not censor the speakers (that) students choose to invite to campus."
The assembly is expected to vote on the bill on Thursday and will head to Gov. Chris Christie's desk if approved. When asked about the bill, Christie said he wouldn't "waste" his time on it, but would "consider it."
"This is what happens when you have a part-time Legislature that is looking for things to do," Christie said. "I’ve got much bigger issues to be concerned about in a state with a $35 billion budget, with all the different challenges and opportunities we have, than to be worried about micromanaging what universities in the state decide to pay their commencement speakers."
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