Poet laureate the post became a regular institution. Dryden's successor Shadwell originated annual birthday and New Year odes. The poet laureate became responsible for writing and presenting official verses to commemorate both personal occasions, such as the monarch's birthday or royal births and marriages, and public occasions, such as coronations and military victories. His activity in this respect varied according to circumstances, and the custom ceased to be obligatory after Pye's death. The office fell into some contempt before Robert Southey, but took on a new lustre from his personal distinction and that of successors Wordsworth and Tennyson. Wordsworth stipulated before accepting
Poet Laureate of New Jersey a $10,000 honorarium and be considered the poet laureate of the State of New Jersey. This legislation, designed as Assembly Bill No. 2714, passed the General Assembly on March 29, 1999 with 72 votes in favour, 2 votes opposed. The bill was passed by the New Jersey State Senate on June 21, 1999 with a vote of 39 in favour and none opposed. The bill was signed into law by Governor Christine Todd Whitman on October 4, 1999. The statute provided that every two years, a panel of four persons from New Jersey "who are either distinguished poets or persons