Amid calls from a Democratic state lawmaker for Rutgers to invest in new athletics facilities, Gov. Chris Christie said last spring it's up to officials at the state university to decide whether they want to do what it takes financially to be competitive in the Big Ten.

"If we want to be serious players in college athletics, then we need to invest in them,'' Christie said during his Ask The Governor radio program on March 23, 2015. "If we don't, then we don't. Then we should become schools that aren't in the Big Ten. You're in the Big Ten and that decision was made by Rutgers, then you better be ready to compete with Michigan and Ohio State and Wisconsin and all of those other schools in the Big Ten that compete every day.''

Now, the ball is about to be in Christie's court to provide Rutgers what could be the kickstart to the state university's multiphase athletics facilities plan.

On Monday night, the state Assembly advanced a bill (A4704) that 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.

WATCH: Rutgers athletics facilities plan clears another hurdle in Trenton

The measure, sponsored by Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex), passed during the state Assembly session, with 55 yes votes, 15 no votes and three 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.

Because some technical amendments were made to the bill before the Assembly vote, the Senate convened Tuesday to concur with the changes.

In order to take effect, the bill will need to be signed by Christie, who will have until Jan. 19 to approve it.

Lesniak said Monday he hadn't received any commitments from the Republican Presidential candidate, but the Democratic lawmaker from Union viewed Christie's comments from last March as a public show of support for Rutgers' quest to upgrade its athletics facilities.

"I'm optimistic because of the fact that (Rutgers) President (Robert) Barchi, (Board of Governors) Chairman (Greg) Brown and Athletics Director (Pat) Hobbs have made their support known to the Governor and the Governor himself has said he believes Rutgers athletc facilities should be Big Ten quality,'' Lesniak said. "This is a critical element to make that happen. So I'm optimistic that he'll sign it.''

The bill provides up to $25 million in tax credits under Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant Program for certain infrastructure at Rutgers, which last June announced a plan to upgrade its athletics facilities with a series of projects that would support the 24-team program.

To accommodate the additional tax credits without adversely affecting previously created ERG tax credit program categories, the bill would raise the total ERG tax credit program cap from $600 million to $625 million.

According to the bill description, "ERG tax credit awards are authorized for taxpayer use in up to 10 equal annual installments following project completion, must close a project financing gap that otherwise would be likely to prevent a project's realization, and cannot exceed 30 percent of total project cost in conjunction with any municipal ERG award. The application deadline is July 1, 2016 and projects must obtain temporary certificates of occupancy by July 28, 2018.''

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