A strong opponent of Gov. Chris Christie says the people of New Jersey should not have to pay for the governor's security detail while on political trips out of state.

State Sen. Loretta Weinberg is sponsoring a bill that would prohibit the use of public money to pay for security costs by a governor for political trips out of state.

"Taxpayers should not have to underwrite literally hundreds of thousands of dollars of Gov. Christie, traveling around the country, campaigning for president," Sen. Weinberg says.

As the head of the Republican Governors Association and now a presidential candidate, Gov. Christie has taken many trips out of New Jersey the past two years. The governor is required to have security with him wherever he goes. New Jersey State Police troopers provide security for the governor. A spokesperson for the department declined to release how much money is spend on security, saying it could present a security risk.

This is the second bill supported by Sen. Weinberg that has caught attention since Gov. Christie announced his candidacy. Another bill would force any sitting governor to resign if he chooses to run for president. 

Both of these bills would need to be signed by Gov. Christie before they become law.

A spokesperson for the governor's office tells News 12 New Jersey that state Democrats should focus on things that matter, such as tax relief and fixing the state pension.