Legislation aimed at helping Rutgers University kickstart the first phase of its athletics facilities plan was approved Thursday by the state Assembly appropriations committee.

The bill (A4704), sponsored by Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex), would provide Rutgers $25 million in tax credits to fund infrastructure projects such as the planned parking deck and multipurpose athletics training facility on the Livingston Campus adjacent to the Rutgers Athletic Center.

The measure was advanced during a Thursday afternoon session in Trenton, with six panel members voting yes, two voting no and one abstaining.

A companion bill (S2880) sponsored by state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) and Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr., (R-Union) sailed through the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature in June.

The bill is scheduled to be voted on by the state Assembly on Monday, and if passed, it would need to be signed by Gov. Chris Christie before it takes effect.

"This is really Ray Lesniak's show so I don't want to take credit for it,'' Diegnan said. "But I agree with Ray 100 percent. Rutgers is our flagship school in the state of New Jersey and we have to do everything we can to improve the facilities there. Anything we can do as a state to be helpful, I think we should do it.''

Diegan expressed confidence that the bill will pass through the Assembly on Monday, saying, "I expect it will receive bipartisan support.''

The democratic lawmaker from South Plainfield is also optimistic that Christie will rubber stamp the measure that will authorize $25 million in Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant Program (ERG) tax credits to Rutgers.

The bill also raises the total program cap from $600 million to $625 million.

"I know the Governor understands how important Rutgers is not only as an institution of higher learning but as a trademark of the state of New Jersey,'' Diegnan said. "I would hope that he would sign the legislation.''

Lesniak, who has championed Rutgers' quest to invest in improved athletics facilities on the Piscataway and New Brunswick campuses, echoed that sentiment.

"I certainly expect it to get through the Assembly overwhelmingly, and then it'll be on the Governor's desk on Monday,'' Lesniak said. "It's extremely important because it certainly jump starts the improvement of Rutgers' athletics facilities to Big Ten-quality. It also sends a strong message to Rutgers supporters that the state of New Jersey is behind this and that we believe it's important because improving the Rutgers brand benefits the state economically as well.

"I'm hopeful at this stage because the Governor himself has expressed agreement with President Barchi and with Board Chairman (Greg) Brown that it's important for the state as well as Rutgers to be Big Ten-quality.''

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In June, university President Robert Barchi and the Rutgers Board of Governors approved a wide-ranging plan that call for a multi-use facility to accommodate the men's and women's basketball programs as well as several other programs. It would be built atop and around a parking deck adjacent to the 38-year old Rutgers Athletic Center.

In addition, the plan calls for various other athletics-facility projects, including a renovation of the Rutgers football headquarters, and university officials recently began discussing concepts for a training facility housed by the men's and women's soccer and lacrosse teams next to Yurcak Field on the Busch Campus.

"It's an incredibly important step that can serve as a catalyst for all of the things that we want to achieve,'' Rutgers Athletics Director Patrick Hobbs told NJ Advance Media on Thursday after the bill passed through the Assembly panel.

Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KSargeantNJ. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.