During a session of the New Jersey Senate today, Democrats violated the rules of the Senate to improperly block a vote on legislation that would provide an immediate $500 rebate to most New Jersey families.

“It’s unbelievable that Democrats would violate the rules of the Senate to prevent New Jersey families from getting a $500 rebate to help offset the impact of soaring gas prices and inflation,” said Senator Ed Durr (R-3). “They just demonstrated clearly that they’d rather divvy up billions of dollars of tax overcollections in a back room for pet projects than help struggling families. Why are Democrats so afraid of giving real tax relief to New Jerseyans? ”

During today’s session, Durr made remarks, included below, explaining the need for the Senate to advance S-2290, the “Gas Price and Inflation Tax Credit Act.”

He concluded his remarks by making a motion to relieve the bill from committee, where it has been ignored by the Democratic majority, for consideration by the full Senate.

Rather than allow the full Senate to vote on Durr’s motion, as Senate rules require, the Senate President summarily denied and dismissed the motion without a vote in a manner that is wholly inconsistent with the rules and tradition of the New Jersey Senate.

“Senate Democrats just showed their absolute cowardice by breaking the rules to avoid voting against $500 of tax relief for New Jersey families as their party bosses would have demanded,” added Durr. “While Republicans are fighting for billions of tax relief for New Jersey families, Democrats are trying to figure out how to give that money to their political cronies. It’s absolutely sickening.”

Included below are Durr’s full remarks as prepared for delivery to the Senate:

Mr. President, New Jersey families are struggling today.

Gas prices are the highest they’ve ever been, and inflation is increasing the cost of groceries and other goods and services at the fastest pace in a generation.

And while all of that is happening, the State of New Jersey has made the problem worse by collecting billions of dollars more from taxpayers than we expected or need to fund our budget.

People need help, and they need it today.

Senate Republicans have proposed a pair of “Give It Back” rebates that would return $4.5 billion of the $8 billion of tax overcollections to New Jersey families immediately.

In total, our proposals would return $1,500 back to most New Jersey families.

Today, I’m proposing that we move forward one of the “Give It Back” bills that I sponsor, the “Gas Price and Inflation Tax Credit Act.”

My bill would return $1.5 billion to New Jerseyans through immediate $500 rebates to families.

There’s absolutely no reason anyone in this chamber should oppose this proposal.

All of us, Republican and Democrat, represent families that are suffering.

All of us know, in our hearts, how much this money will help parents to feed children who are struggling with food insecurity.

All of us know that we can afford to “Give It Back,” so please join me in supporting this important.

Mr. President, pursuant to Rule 12:6 of the Rules of the Senate, I move that Senate Bill 2290 be relieved from the Senate Transportation Committee. I am the prime sponsor of the bill, and the required notifications were filed with the Secretary on May 19, 2022.