[1] Born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey in 1921, Deverin attended St. Mary's High School there and served in the United States Navy during World War II.
[4] The meditation bill was modeled after similar legislation passed in Massachusetts that had been challenged as unconstitutional by the American Civil Liberties Union and had been upheld in 1976 by a United States district court.
Deverin insisted that there was "no forced religious connotation" to his proposal, though both opponents and supporters cited by The New York Times viewed it as a back-door means of re-instituting school prayer.
"[1] Deverin and running mate Jay Ziznewski were swept aside by Stephen A. Mikulak and Ernest L. Oros in the Republican landslide following voter disfavor with Florio's $2.8 billion tax hike.
[7] Deverin called the lame duck session following his election loss, much of which focused on repealing the tax increase that led to his defeat, one of the most strenuous of his time in the Assembly, saying "I never thought I'd say it, but I'll be glad to see Tuesday come around" when he would be leaving office.