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New Jersey Senate approves wide range of bills, confirms nominees in largely unanimous session
Summary
The New Jersey Senate approved dozens of bills — many unanimously — and confirmed judicial nominations during a legislative session that moved a mix of ceremonial resolutions and policy measures, including votes on public health, election rules, and environmental controls.
The New Jersey Senate, meeting in session, unanimously or overwhelmingly approved a broad package of bills and confirmed judicial nominations after brief debate and a series of substitution and concurrence motions.
The session advanced a range of measures affecting public health, elections, education and the environment, including a narrowly divided vote on creation of a public health institute and recorded votes on restrictions related to mail-ballot messengers and electioneering distances. Senators also adopted ceremonial resolutions recognizing National Child Abuse Prevention Month and Women’s History Month and confirmed judicial nominations, including the designation of Christopher (Chris) Strubin to the Superior Court.
Several bills passed with near- or full unanimity, often recorded as 39-0 in the transcript, while other measures drew more divided counts. The most contested roll calls included Senate Bill 3562 (designation and establishment of a public health institute), which passed 24-15, and legislation limiting certain uses of PCE and TCE, which passed 24-13. A proposal restricting compensation for mail-in ballot messengers passed 30-8; a measure allowing counties to extend the distance within which electioneering is prohibited passed 31-8. The Senate also voted 38-1 to designate the State House Complex Welcome Center as the Governor Richard J. Codey Welcome Center.
Votes at a glance (bill — short description — mover when stated — recorded tally / outcome): - Assembly Bill 3,940 — “Modifies regulation of mortuary science and establishes oversight of mortuary and embalming science.” Mover: Senator Zwicker. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Assembly Bill 4,535 — “Concerns state regulation of cooperative sober living residents and boarding houses; appropriates $100,000.” Mover: Senator Moriarty. Vote: recorded and declared passed (tally referenced in transcript) — approved. - Assembly Bill 4,652 — “Establishes an offense of inciting public brawling; upgrades penalties for disorderly conduct in certain circumstances.” Mover: Senator Moriarty. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Assembly Bill 5,067 (A5067) — “Requires appointment of alternate members to the Peter J. Barnes III Wildlife Preserve Commission.” Mover: Senator Deignan. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Senate Bill 4,170 — “Designates State House Complex Welcome Center as Governor Richard J. Codey Welcome Center.” Mover: Senator McKeon. Vote: 38 yes, 1 no — approved. - Senate Joint Resolution 121 — “Designates May 15 as Tuberculosis Complex Awareness Day.” Mover: Senator Singleton. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Senate Bill 699 — “Establishes program to acquire development easements on privately owned woodlands.” Mover: Senator Singer. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Senate Bill 1,029 — “Invasive Species Management Act; prohibits sale/distribution/propagation of certain invasive species; establishes New Jersey Invasive Species Council.” Mover: Senator Greenstein. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Senate Bill 1,400 — “Uniform Partition of Heirs Act — alternative process for handling partition actions.” Mover: Senator Singleton. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Senate Bill 2,200 — “Creates pilot program for certain tax credits for commercial farm operators donating fruits and vegetables.” Mover: Senator Ruiz. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Senate Bill 2,947 — “Prohibits payment or provision of compensation for mail-in ballot messengers or bearers; allows certain facility employees/volunteers to serve as messengers.” Mover: Senator Johnson. Vote: 30 yes, 8 no — approved. - Senate Bill 3,440 — “Establishes special education transportation task force.” Mover: Senators Corrado and Deignan. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Senate Bill 3,562 — “Provides for designation and establishment of a public health institute in New Jersey.” Mover: Senator Vitale. Vote: 24 yes, 15 no — approved. - Senate Bill 36 10 — “Requires Treasury and DHS to annually identify state funds available for NJ FamilyCare and childcare services and prioritize initiatives.” Mover: Senator McKnight. Vote: 35 yes, 4 no — approved. - Senate Bill 38 50 — “Permits county boards of elections to extend distance within which electioneering is prohibited.” Mover: Senator Smith. Vote: 31 yes, 8 no — approved. - Senate Bill 39 82 — “Requires certain information to be provided to parents at least two business days prior to annual IEP team meetings; establishes IEP improvement working group in DOE.” Mover: Majority Leader Ruiz. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Senate Bill 4,121 — “Amends FY2025 appropriation to redirect funds for community security initiatives to the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey.” Mover: Senator Beach. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Senate Bill 4,126 — “Prohibits certain uses of PCE and TCE.” Mover: Majority Leader Ruiz. Vote: 24 yes, 13 no — approved. - Senate Bill 4,162 — “Limits the use and disclosure of certain educational records.” Mover: Senator Turner. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Assembly Bill 16 75 — “Extends membership eligibility in TPAF under certain conditions.” Mover: Senator Powell. Vote: 31 yes, 5 no — approved. - Assembly Bill 28 13 — “Enters New Jersey into the Social Work Licensure Compact.” Mover: Senator McKnight. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Assembly Bill 33 61 — “Establishes limits on rental increases at certain dwelling sites for modular/industrial/manufactured homes.” Mover: Senator Moriarty. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Assembly Bill 39 73 and Assembly Bill 39 74 — “Revisions concerning patient referrals to substance use disorder treatment facilities; and prohibitions on deceptive marketing by treatment providers.” Mover: Senator Vitale. Votes recorded as passed (voice or roll calls recorded) — approved. - Assembly Bill 47 51 (A4751) — “Permits purchase of service credit in SPRS for specified periods of training or service.” Mover: Senator Deignan. Vote: 39 yes, 0 no — approved. - Senate concurrence and amendments: the Senate voted to concur with assembly amendments on multiple bills (including S3525 — mortgage payment options — and S3620 — energy bill watch program). The motion to concur with amendments to S3620 passed 25 yes, 13 no. - Concurrence with Governor’s conditional veto on A3540 — motion passed (tally recorded as 39 yes, 0 no).
The session also adopted ceremonial resolutions acknowledging April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month and recognizing individuals and organizations during Women’s History Month. Senators reported the passage of several Assembly measures sent over earlier in the day and completed substitutions that placed identical Assembly bills on the Senate third-reading calendar.
The Senate recessed briefly while waiting for bills to be returned from the Assembly and later reconvened to complete reconsideration and substitution votes on a joint resolution designating Paul Robeson Day and related procedural business.
