Assembly passes budget, sends bill to governor

The Assembly approved the $58.8 billion budget for the next fiscal year, sending the final budget of Gov. Phil Murphy’s tenure to his desk. 

The Assembly passed the legislation with a 52-27 vote Monday afternoon, after the Senate passed it 26-13 earlier in the day. The legislation passed on near party lines. One Republican, Assemblyman Sean Kean (R-Wall), voted for the budget. One Democrat, Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton), abstained. 

Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin (D-Newark), the chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, introduced the bill, thanking officials and staff who worked on it and arguing the legislation is well-crafted to support the state.

“Today I rise to present a state budget that continues to meet our fiscal obligations while making key investments and critical programs that support New Jersey residents and build on our efforts to make New Jersey better for all,” Pintor Marin said on the floor. “This budget continues the good work we have done together while recognizing that we are entering a period of uncertainty and that we need to be prepared to face future budget challenges.”

Several Republicans also spoke against the bill.

“We are here today, on June 30, voting on a $58.8 billion budget,” Assemblywoman and GOP budget officer Nancy Muñoz said on the floor. “This budget is almost 4% higher than last year’s budget, which outpaces inflation. This is not responsible budgeting.”

DeAngelo, a union president, said he abstained from the bill because of the planned $100 million cuts to the State Health Benefits Program, which he said might violate collective bargaining agreements with public-sector unions. Several unions, including the Communications Workers of America, expressed displeasure with those cuts.

This story is developing.