Senate panel clears three Sherrill nominees

A state Senate panel unanimously cleared a trio of Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s cabinet nominees on Thursday. 

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Stephen Cha to be commissioner of the Department of Human Services, Lily Laux to be commissioner of the Department of Education, and Vincent Solomeno III to be commissioner of the Department of Veterans Affairs. A final confirmation vote on their nominations could come as soon as Monday, when the whole Senate meets for its first session under Sherrill.

Cha, a physician and counselor to former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra from 2021 to 2025, told the senators that he will focus on navigating the changing environment of federal funding under President Donald Trump, which he said could affect food stamps and health coverage.

“We have to evolve together to meet these challenges,” Cha said. “If I’m confirmed, my immediate priority for the next six months will be program integrity and stability.”

Laux, a former top official at the Texas Education Agency, said that she’ll focus on helping student performance recover from after the COVID-19 pandemic and help school districts navigate the state’s sometimes labyrinthine school funding and regulation laws.

“Our job is to support schools, not burden them. … We have one chance to provide each child the best education possible,” Laux said.

Solomeno, tapped to lead the newly created Department of Veterans Affairs, has served as the deputy commissioner of veterans affairs since January 2023. Last year, former Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation splitting the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs into two distinct departments. Sherrill announced Brigadier Gen. Yvonne Mays will remain as the state adjutant general.

“My goal is for our organization, the newest principal department of state government, to sustain the progress of recent years while expanding support to our fellow citizens who selflessly served in the United States Armed Forces,” Solomeno told the panel. “We live in a country whose greatness has been earned and protected by veterans who provide their service as well as sacrifice.”

The entire Judiciary Committee, including the panel’s Republicans, voted to clear all three nominees.

Assemblyman Brian Bergen (R-Denville), the GOP whip, criticized Senate Republicans for voting to clear Solomeno’s nomination. (One such Republican senator was GOP leader Anthony Bucco, who was Bergen’s running mate in 2019 and 2021, before the latest round of redistricting.) A critic of the Murphy administration’s veterans policies, Bergen had been pushing upper-chamber Republicans to oppose Solomeno, who had previously run for office as a Democrat.

“The air is thinner up in the Senate chambers,” Bergen said. “I can only conclude that impaired their ability to see through Solomeno’s bullshit. I’m disappointed in the Republican Senators in particular for having no spine today.”

But the senators who voted for Solomeno say he’s focused on helping the state’s veterans. State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch) said that even though Solomeno challenged state Sen. Declan O’Scanlon (R-Little Silver) in the 2021 election cycle, O’Scanlon has supported Solomeno’s nomination, which Gopal said speaks to Solomeno’s character.

“Every conversation we have, all you want to talk about is veterans, which is incredible,” Gopal said during the hearing. “And I can think of no better leader in New Jersey to take this on for the next several years.”

This article was updated at 9:35 p.m.