---
type: "Bill"
title: "Provides for merger of New Jersey City University with Kean University; expands powers and property of Kean University; appropriates $25 million.*"
description: "Provides for merger of New Jersey City University with Kean University; expands powers and property of Kean University; appropriates $25 million.*"
jurisdiction: "us/states/nj"
legislature: "New Jersey Legislature"
session: "221"
identifier: "S 4881"
citation: "New Jersey S 4881 (221)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["HIGHER ED"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Carter, Linda S.", "Scutari, Nicholas P."]
version_count: 5
action_count: 13
vote_count: 5
first_action: "2025-11-13T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2026-01-12T05:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/740f5408-9246-43e0-b9c8-3f75c82df242"
source_url: "https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/leg-databases/"
source_hash: "dda45ef5fed5012bb686f570b34c79fe5f5198ced6f75ca2ba58f546935a96fe"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-nj"]
---

# New Jersey S 4881 (221) — Provides for merger of New Jersey City University with Kean University; expands powers and property of Kean University; appropriates $25 million.*

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/S5000/4881_I1.HTM)
2. **Reprint Assembly 12/22/25 4R** (committee substitute) — [source](https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/S5000/4881_R4.HTM)
3. **Reprint SBA 12/8/25 2R** (committee substitute) — [source](https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/S5000/4881_R2.HTM)
4. **Reprint SHI 11/17/25 1R** (committee substitute) — [source](https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/S5000/4881_R1.HTM)
5. **Reprint Senate 12/18/25 3R** (committee substitute) — [source](https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/S5000/4881_R3.HTM)

## Votes

- CONCUR ASMB AMEND — **31–4** (pass) · upper
- 3RDG FINAL PASSAGE — **28–6** (pass) · upper
- Reported out of Senate committee with amendments — **10–1** (pass) · upper
- 3RDG FINAL PASSAGE — **53–19** (pass) · lower
- Reported out of Senate committee with amendments — **3–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Carter, Linda S. — primary (person)
- Scutari, Nicholas P. — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2025-11-13T05:00:00+00:00** Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2025-11-17T05:00:00+00:00** Reported out of Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading `committee-passage`
- **2025-11-17T05:00:00+00:00** Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee `referral-committee`
- **2025-12-08T05:00:00+00:00** Reported out of Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading `committee-passage`
- **2025-12-18T05:00:00+00:00** Senate Amendment (Voice) (Ruiz) `amendment-passage`
- **2025-12-22T05:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (28-6) `passage`
- **2025-12-22T05:00:00+00:00** Received in the Assembly without Reference, 2nd Reading
- **2025-12-22T05:00:00+00:00** Assembly Floor Amendment Passed (Carter) `amendment-passage`
- **2025-12-22T05:00:00+00:00** Substituted for A6212 (2R)
- **2025-12-22T05:00:00+00:00** Passed Assembly (53-19-0) `passage`
- **2025-12-22T05:00:00+00:00** Received in the Senate, 2nd Reading on Concurrence
- **2025-12-22T05:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (31-4) `passage`
- **2026-01-12T05:00:00+00:00** Approved P.L.2025, c.218. `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/740f5408-9246-43e0-b9c8-3f75c82df242`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official New Jersey legislature records).