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New Jersey Senate passes broad package of bills on third reading, from mortuary oversight to a public health institute
Summary
The New Jersey Senate approved dozens of bills on third reading during an April 2025 floor session, adopting measures on mortuary regulation, invasive species, special-education transport, and other topics. Vote tallies were announced for multiple measures; several bills passed unanimously.
The New Jersey Senate on April 2025 approved a wide-ranging package of bills on third reading, adopting measures that touch on public health, environmental protection, elections, education and municipal finance.
Why it matters: The bills passed on third reading affect state regulatory frameworks (mortuary science and invasive species), create task forces (special-education transport), revise consumer and public-health policy (public health institute, biomarker testing), and alter election- and voting-related procedures. Several measures include new programs or pilot credits and some carry appropriations.
Votes at a glance (selected measures and official tallies where recorded): - Assembly Bill 3940 (mortuary/embalming oversight): Passed (39-0). Modifies regulation of mortuary science and establishes oversight of mortuary and embalming practice. - Senate Bill 699 (SADC woodland easements): Passed (39-0). Establishes a program in the State Agriculture Development Committee to acquire development easements on privately owned woodlands. - Senate Bill 1029 (Invasive Species Management Act): Passed (39-0). Prohibits sale/distribution/import/propagation of specified invasive species and creates a New Jersey Invasive Species Council. - Senate Bill 1400 (Uniform Partition of Heirs Act): Passed (39-0). Provides an alternative court process for partition actions involving property whose title was acquired from a relative. - Senate Bill 2200 (farm donation tax-credit pilot): Passed (39-0). Creates a pilot program offering corporate business tax and gross income tax credits for certain fruit and vegetable donations by commercial farm operators. - Senate Bill 2947 (mail-in ballot messenger compensation): Passed (30-8). Prohibits accepting or offering compensation for mail-in ballot messengers or bearers, with limited exceptions for certain facility employees or volunteers. - Senate Bill 3447 (Special Education Transport Task Force): Passed (39-0). Establishes a task force to study and make recommendations on special-education transportation. - Senate Bill 3562 (public health institute): Passed (24-15). Provides for the designation and establishment of a public health institute in New Jersey. - Senate Bill 3610 (NJ FamilyCare/childcare funding identification): Passed (35-4). Requires the Department of the Treasury and DHS to annually identify state funds available for NJ FamilyCare and childcare services and to prioritize initiatives to improve quality of care. - Senate Bill 3850 (electioneering distance): Passed (31-8). Permits county boards of elections to extend the distance within which electioneering is prohibited. - Senate Bill 3982 (IEP information and working group): Passed (39-0). Requires certain information be provided to parents at least two business days prior to annual IEP meetings and establishes an IEP improvement working group. - Senate Bill 4121 (appropriation for community security initiatives): Passed (39-0). Amends the FY2025 appropriation act to direct community security initiative funds to a specified Jewish federation entity, as read on the floor. - Senate Bill 4126 (limits on certain chemical uses): Passed (24-13). Prohibits certain uses of PCE and TCE. - Multiple additional bills and joint resolutions were advanced or concurred with, including measures designating awareness days and membership/benefit adjustments for public employees. Several bills were moved back to second reading for amendment and then adopted with the announced amendments.
What the session did not do: The floor largely handled third-reading and concurrence actions with limited extended debate; where the transcript records further discussion or amendments, the Senate moved those bills back to second reading, adopted amendments, and returned them to third reading for final passage.
Procedure and next steps: The Senate recorded voice votes and machine tallies for the measures listed above; most measures will now proceed per regular legislative process (engrossment and transmission as required). The chamber recessed briefly during the session to complete outstanding items and then returned to conclude the remaining business.
Ending: The session closed after routine business and a final set of votes and returns to third reading; the Senate announced no further vote changes at adjournment.
