 He was later elected a member of the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 1st Legislative District from 1968 to 1982 and served as both Minority Leader and Majority Leader.In 1982 he was elevated to the New Jersey Senate where he served for a time as Minority Leader.On January 2, 1990, Hurley stepped down from the Senate, after he was appointed as a member of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission by Governor Thomas Kean.