New Jersey lawmakers are preparing to act on a new state budget with the end-of-the month constitutional deadline fast approaching to get it done.

Budget committees in the Senate and Assembly will hold hearings Thursday on the $32 billion spending plan and a vote in the full Legislature is planned for Monday.

Assembly Budget Committee chairman Vinnie Prieto expects there will be enough support from his fellow Democrats to pass the budget.

 “I’m confident that we’ll have 41 votes to support this budget. I’ll be more than happy to sit with anybody and talk to them if they have their reservations and whatever their concerns are.”

Prieto says lawmakers will send Governor Christie a responsible budget that he can sign and does not anticipate a government shutdown.

“It would be on the governor because at this point in time I think the Legislature will get a balanced budget to him. Unlike in ’06 when the Legislature could not deliver the document to the governor, this is very different. We will get a balanced document to him and then we will see what transpires from there.”

The Democrats’ budget bill will set aside $183 million for a tax break demanded by Christie until revenues show the state can afford it.