New Jersey Senate approves package of bills including expanded early voting and yearlong postpartum Medicaid coverage

The New Jersey State Senate approved a broad slate of measures on third reading, including an expansion of the early voting period that carries a $6 million appropriation, and a bill codifying 365‑day Medicaid coverage for eligible postpartum women.

The session opened with ceremonial remarks and the pledge of allegiance; senators then confirmed nominees, adopted resolutions and took roll calls on a series of bills sent to the floor for third reading. Most third‑reading bills passed with unanimous or near‑unanimous tallies, while the early voting expansion drew the narrowest margin of recorded support.

The early voting expansion, S.3990, which lengthens the early voting period for primary elections and extends the challenger appointment deadline and includes an appropriation of $6,000,000, passed 25 in favor and 13 opposed. The Senate cast recorded votes on that measure; Senator Stack moved the bill for consideration.

A health measure, S.3934, codifying Medicaid coverage for eligible pregnant women for a 365‑day period beginning on the last day of pregnancy, passed on a recorded vote of 39‑0. Sponsors listed on the floor included Senator Ruiz and Senator Vitale.

Other bills the Senate passed on third reading included measures on renewable energy definitions, tax treatment for volunteer emergency responders, consumer protections, higher‑education procedures, and property and criminal law changes. Several bills passed unanimously (39‑0 or 38‑0 where recorded) and a handful passed by smaller recorded margins (for example, S.3735 passed 34‑2; S.4144 passed 27‑10).

The Senate also confirmed nominations presented in three lists. Lists 1 and 2 were confirmed by recorded votes of 39‑0; an emergency on list 3 was declared and that list was confirmed 39‑0. During the session senators named nominees Jeanette Russell and Claire Scully as soon‑to‑be judges while recognizing the confirmations.

The chamber adopted a number of substitutions and amendments that replaced identical assembly bills for purposes of enrollment, and it agreed to a concurrent resolution to receive the governor’s budget message by joint session.

Votes at a glance

- S.364 (third reading) — adds fusion as a type of Class I renewable energy for purposes of the Electrical Discount and Energy Competition Act. Mover: Senator Pinacchio. Vote: 39‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.2386 (third reading) — provides a gross income tax exclusion for active members of volunteer emergency organizations for use of a personal motor vehicle in active duty. Mover: Senator Gopal. Vote: 39‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.2783 (third reading, "Travel Insurance Act") — mover: Senator McKeon. Vote: recorded as affirmative; outcome: approved. - S.3052 (third reading) — addresses grade options for service members at public institutions of higher education unable to complete coursework due to military obligations. Mover: Senator Johnson. Vote: 39‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3189 (third reading) — increases tax credits for investments in certain technology businesses under the New Jersey Angel Investor Tax Credit Act. Mover: Senator Zwicker. Vote: 39‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3190 (third reading) — requires certain juveniles to appear in the county where the incident giving rise to the delinquency complaint allegedly occurred. Mover: Senator Diaghten. Vote: 38‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3388 (third reading) — allows pharmacists to transfer certain ADHD prescriptions. Mover: Senator Singleton. Vote: 38‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3418 (third reading) — authorizes certain permanent structures on preserved farmland to be used for special occasional events. Mover: Senator Beach. Vote: 38‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3561 (third reading) — permits procurement of medical countermeasure products and therapies. Mover: Senator Vitale. Vote: 39‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3587 (third reading) — upgrades certain penalties for organized retail theft and addresses gift card fraud. Mover: Senator Burzichelli. Vote: 39‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3735 (third reading) — extends certain provisions of P.L.2022, c.9. Mover: Senator Holzapfel. Vote: 34‑2. Outcome: approved. - S.3773 (third reading) — concerns reporting separations from employment under employee leasing agreements. Mover: Senator Lagana. Vote: 39‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3889 (third reading) — requires public institutions of higher education to develop campus food‑waste reduction programs. Mover: Senator Ruiz. Vote: 39‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3928 (third reading) — limits general application clauses in certain consumer contracts. Mover: Senator Ruiz. Vote: 39‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3934 (third reading) — codifies 365‑day Medicaid postpartum coverage for eligible women. Mover: Senator Ruiz. Vote: 39‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3944 (third reading) — authorizes certain community theaters to hold liquor licenses for nonprofit corporations. Mover: Senator Sarlo. Vote: 39‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3961 (third reading) — requires public and nonpublic schools to offer no‑fee options for payments and requires payment platforms to disclose user fees. Mover: Senator Ruiz. Vote: 38‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.3990 (third reading) — extends early voting period for primaries, adjusts challenger appointment deadlines, appropriates $6,000,000. Mover: Senator Stack. Vote: 25‑13. Outcome: approved. - S.3993 (third reading) — changes certain inspection requirements related to motor vehicle sales records. Mover: Senator Gopal. Vote: 38‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.4136 (third reading) — authorizes public bodies to continue using newspapers for required public notices until a specified date and requires submission of subscription data. Mover: Senator Sarlo. Vote: 37‑0. Outcome: approved. - S.4144 (third reading) — clarifies installation of ignition interlock devices for certain DUI offenses. Mover: Senator Ruiz. Vote: 27‑10. Outcome: approved.

Other actions

- Governor’s budget message concurrent resolution: adopted, Senate will meet in joint session to receive the message. - Nominations: Lists 1 and 2 confirmed by recorded votes of 39‑0; List 3 was declared an emergency and confirmed 39‑0. Mover for lists: Senator Stack. Nominees mentioned on the floor: Jeanette Russell and Claire Scully (identified as soon‑to‑be judges during remarks). - Multiple substitutions and amendments were agreed to on voice votes to replace identical assembly bills for enrollment; several bills were returned to second reading for amendment and later placed back on third reading as noted from the floor.

Context and significance

The session advanced a mix of technology, public‑health, consumer‑protection, election‑administration and criminal‑justice measures. Many items moved unanimously, reflecting bipartisan agreement on routine statutory changes and procedural measures; the early voting expansion was the most contested recorded roll call of the day. The confirmed nominations fill judicial and other vacancies forwarded from committee action earlier in the day.

No formal debate details beyond sponsors’ motions and recorded tallies were included in the session transcript available for this report.