Asm. Antwan McClellan

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates tiered retirement benefits in New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), moving all current non-retired members to the "Tier 1" benefit level previously available to members who joined before July 1, 2007. It requires public employers to enroll eligible employees (earning above minimum salary but not meeting hour requirements) into PERS within 60 days, and automatically transfers service credit from the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) to PERS for DCRP participants - without transferring their contributions - unless they opt out within six months. Disability recipients under long-term insurance become eligible for disability retirement benefits if they apply within two years. Changes apply only to retirement applications processed after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds $4 million in supplemental funding to the 2026 state budget for Hinchliffe Stadium Partners, a private entity. The funds are designated to support the development and maintenance of sports, entertainment, and tourism infrastructure at Paterson Great Falls National Park. This supplement builds on a prior $900,000 appropriation for the same project in the same budget year. The funding requires approval from the Division of Budget and Accounting before use.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow New Jersey to issue special license plates to honorably discharged veterans. To qualify, applicants must provide proof of honorable discharge (such as a DD-214 form) and pay a $15 fee in addition to standard vehicle registration costs. The plates would display the word "Veteran" and the specific military branch served (e.g., Army, Navy). Surviving spouses of veterans can continue using these plates on their vehicles. The Motor Vehicle Commission would inform drivers about this option during registration renewals.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public school staff in New Jersey to complete training on caring for students with epilepsy or seizure disorders every two years. It directly affects school staff (including teachers, coaches, and support personnel) and students with these conditions. The training, provided through Department of Health-approved courses by nonprofit organizations, covers recognizing seizures, emergency response, and daily care. This update builds on existing law (P.L.2019, c.290) that already requires schools to develop individualized health plans for affected students but adds the mandatory biennial staff training requirement. The law applies to all school-sponsored activities, including those outside regular school hours.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $34 million from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax (CBT) revenues to fund farmland preservation. It provides counties with base grants ($500,000-$1 million) and eligibility for competitive grants (up to $7.5 million per county) to cover up to 80% of costs for acquiring development easements - conservation agreements that permanently protect farmland from development. The funds target specific counties and municipalities approved for farmland preservation projects under existing state law. The bill redirects existing constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues (approved by voters in 2014) to the Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund, with no new tax revenue required.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows municipalities hosting state prisons to collect additional revenue through two specific mechanisms. First, it requires the state to pay municipalities a "payment in lieu of taxes" (PILOT) equal to $2.50 per day per inmate, based on a facility's maximum capacity. Second, it permits these municipalities to impose a 1% payroll tax on employees working at the prison. The funds collected must be used for municipal services and school purposes, with school portions transferred to local school districts. The bill clarifies that state prisons qualify as "State property" for PILOT requirements, which was previously unclear under existing law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1941) requires the New Jersey Commission on Human Trafficking to expand public awareness signage about human trafficking to 12 new types of establishments, including gas stations, staffing agencies, law enforcement offices, nail salons, and Motor Vehicle Commission offices. The signage must display the national 24-hour human trafficking hotline number and meet specific size (8.5" x 11") and language (English/Spanish) requirements. Businesses failing to comply face civil penalties of $300 for a first offense and $1,000 for subsequent violations. The bill directly affects all covered establishments by mandating visible signage to educate the public on trafficking resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the definition of "qualifying municipality" for urban aid under New Jersey law, broadening eligibility criteria to include more municipalities. Currently, municipalities must meet specific population, tax rate, and property valuation thresholds to receive aid; this bill expands those conditions to cover additional communities, particularly those with certain population ranges and tax rate characteristics. As a result, more municipalities - especially smaller or distressed areas - may become eligible for state urban aid funds. The bill does not alter the amount of aid provided but changes which municipalities qualify under the existing program.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a proportional property tax exemption for New Jersey veterans who are honorably discharged and have a service-connected permanent disability rated at 10% or higher. It directly affects qualifying veterans (and their surviving spouses) by reducing their property taxes in line with their disability rating, with a $10,000 cap for exemptions below 100% disability. Veterans deemed unemployable due to service-connected disability receive a full 100% exemption, matching current benefits for those with 100% disability ratings. The bill also requires the state to reimburse municipalities 102% of the tax costs for these exemptions, including administrative expenses, through annual reporting by local tax authorities.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A5862 appropriates $34 million from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax (CBT) revenues to fund farmland preservation. The funds will provide planning incentive grants to eligible counties - specifically five counties receiving base grants of $500,000-$1 million, plus 10 additional counties eligible for competitive grants - to cover up to 80% of costs for permanent land protections (development easements) on farmland. The grants are administered through the State Agriculture Development Committee under the Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund, with a county’s maximum total award capped at $8.5 million. This bill directly affects participating counties in agricultural areas by enabling local governments to preserve farmland through permanent land protections.