and can the same argument possibly be used in other states as well?
Pre-employment polygraph screening is prohibited by statute in New Jersey (and other states such as MA, MI, MN, and OR) because legislators exercised good sense, applying the same restrictions they applied to private employers to state and local governmental agencies as well.
I don't have reports or transcripts from the hearings that may have led to this legislation, but if anyone is in a position to research this and obtain documents, we'd be happy to post such information on AntiPolygraph.org.