Divisive

After working out a compromise on a divisive municipalaggregation issue, both houses of New Jersey’s state legislaturepassed identical deregulation bills Thursday, paving the way forelectric unbundling to begin Aug. 1 and gas unbundling to beginDec. 31. The senate passed the bill by a vote of 27-6, and theassembly passed their version by a count of 59-9, with 10abstentions. Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, who sources say helpedbroker the bill, has not said when she will sign the legislationinto law.