State Senate confirms five key Sherrill nominees in virtual session

The New Jersey state Senate confirmed a quintet of Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s cabinet nominees during a virtual session Tuesday afternoon. 

Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, State Treasurer Aaron Binder, Human Services Commissioner Stephen Cha, Education Commissioner Lily Laux, and Veterans Affairs Commissioner Vincent Solomeno no longer need the modifier “acting” ahead of their titles. The state Senate confirmed all five unanimously, in a packaged 38-0 vote, and without debate.

“I am honored to be confirmed as New Jersey’s Attorney General,” Davenport said in a social media post. “I am grateful to [Sherrill] and the Legislature for the trust placed in me. I will serve with fairness, independence, and integrity — the same values that have guided every step of my public service.”

Davenport’s predecessor, Matt Platkin, was confirmed by a 24-10 vote in 2022, largely along party lines. Platkin’s full-time predecessor, Gurbir Grewal, was confirmed in 2018 in a 29-0 vote. Davenport’s confirmation makes her the state’s 57th attorney general, and she now stands in the line of succession behind Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell and the heads of each legislative chamber.

The nominees had been serving in an acting manner since Sherrill took office last month.

The state Senate met via phone on Tuesday afternoon as the state recovers from a blizzard that dumped more than a foot of snow on a majority of the state and caused electricity outages for tens of thousands of residents.

Discussion of the candidates was limited to interviews before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where the nominees cleared consideration smoothly and unanimously.

The state Senate also approved legislation that would establish a pair of task forces on how to reduce emissions from motor vehicle fleets and address the effects of climate change on property insurance costs. State Sen. Bob Smith (D-Piscataway) sponsored the legislation.

As is typical for first-year governors, the state Senate moved to grant Sherrill an extension on the deadline to deliver her premiere budget address. Sherrill’s budget message would have been due Tuesday, forcing the Legislature to meet virtually — now it’s due March 10th. The Legislature ordinarily allows first-year governors leeway in delivering their first address. The Assembly is expected to pass that bill later today.