A handful of veteran Democratic state senators may vote against a resolution equipping a special committee with subpoena power to investigate how Gov. Phil Murphy's team handled a sexual assault case involving a former senior official, NJ Advance Media has learned.

Without their support, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney could lean on Republican lawmakers to put the measure empowering the panel over the top.

The Democrat-controlled state Senate and Assembly will meet Monday to vote on officially authorizing the bipartisan committee and allowing it to subpoena reluctant witnesses.

But multiple legislative sources told NJ Advance Media that several Democratic lawmakers, some aligned with Murphy, also a Democrat, may oppose the resolution and push back against the committee's authority to compel witnesses to testify and produce records.

The sources requested anonymity to speak candidly about private discussions.

Sen. Ronald Rice, D-Essex, confirmed he is unsure how he will vote, expressing some frustration with the politics driving the legislative inquiry and its overlap with an independent investigation launched by Murphy.

"Everybody is looking for the same thing," Rice said. "It's costing taxpayers a lot of dollars. ... It's almost like we're trying to kill each other off in terms of being governor versus legislators. Let's hold people accountable for this stuff and provide restitution if it's due, but we don't do that. We go after everything for political reasons."

Similarly, Sen. Nicholas Sacco, D-Hudson, suggested he will need some convincing from fellow Democrats before Monday's vote.

"Subpoena power is something that has to be very, very seriously done," Sacco said. "Is it really necessary for this committee?"

Sweeney, D-Gloucester, is expected to get the votes he needs -- a majority in the 40-member Senate -- even if that means getting help from Republicans, sources said.

Sweeney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

It's unlikely many Republicans -- if any -- would oppose the resolution.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr., R-Union, said he had not polled his Republican caucus, but he predicted a "significant number" would back the special committee's subpoena powers.

"I think it's got some safeguards built in," he said.

Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald, D-Camden, said he's not heard similar concerns from members of the lower chamber.

Legislative leaders announced the formation of the special committee in recent weeks to investigate how Murphy's transition team and administration handled allegations that a top staffer raped a Murphy supporter while working on Murphy's 2017 campaign.

Katie Brennan, who is now chief of staff to the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, told the Wall Street Journal that Albert J. Alvarez raped her in her apartment after a campaign gathering.

Brennan said she alerted members of Murphy's inner circle, but he was hired by the administration as chief of staff to the Schools Development Authority anyway. Murphy's office said Alvarez cleared a background check that showed he was never charged with a crime.

Alvarez resigned in October after he was contacted by the Wall Street Journal. Murphy said that's when he first learned of Brennan's allegations.

Alvarez has, through his attorney, denied raping Brennan.

Murphy has launched his own investigation, in addition to the legislative inquiry.

The 15-person legislative panel will investigate how Alvarez was hired and look into the response from law enforcement and the Murphy administration.

The resolution before the Senate and Assembly on Monday authorizes the committee to issue subpoenas for records and to compel testimony, with the approval of the committee leadership, Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex.

Hearing dates have not yet been announced.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Susan K. Livio contributed to this report.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.