With changes to emphasis innovation, a plan to create the Government Efficiency and Regulatory Review Commission is one vote from legislative approval.
The state plans to borrow $4.5 billion to balance its budget and boost its surplus to $2.5 billion. Spending is higher than Gov. Phil Murphy had pitched.
Senators question state labor commissioner on the pandemic response by the unemployment system but are sympathetic to the surge swamping an old system.
The $7.7 billion in spending will keep the state operating through September. Big decisions about cuts, taxes and borrowing are due over the next three months.
New Jersey commuters who used to cross a river into New York or Philadelphia but have been working from home could yield an unexpected windfall for the state.