Asm. Erik Simonsen

Maddy summaryThis bill (A772) requires that at least one member of New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) must reside in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, or Ocean County. It amends the state law governing BPU appointments by adding this residency requirement for all new appointees. The change applies to all future appointments to the BPU, ensuring representation from these four coastal counties. This is a procedural change affecting BPU membership rules, not the board's policy responsibilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a working group to help New Jersey coastal communities identify and safely remove abandoned vessels, and establishes a $25 million fund to reimburse municipalities for these removal costs. The working group, consisting of 21 members including federal and state agency representatives, must report to the Governor and Legislature within one year of formation and annually thereafter. Municipalities must adopt vessel registration ordinances for vessels in municipal waterways to qualify for reimbursement, and the fund will be supported by $25 million in state appropriations plus civil penalties collected from vessel abandonment violations.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 57) urges New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to impose an immediate moratorium on sonar testing and wind turbine mapping activities off the New Jersey coast. It is prompted by the unexplained deaths of at least 12 whales (including 8 humpbacks) and 5 dolphins recorded near offshore wind development areas since December 2022. The resolution calls for pausing these activities to allow for scientific study of potential links between sonar/mapping technologies and the marine life deaths. As a resolution, it does not create law but formally requests federal and state agencies to halt related operations pending investigation.

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes New Jersey municipalities' use of regional contribution agreements to meet their fair share housing obligations. Currently prohibited since 2008, these agreements would allow a municipality to transfer up to 50% of its affordable housing requirement to another municipality within its housing region. The Council on Affordable Housing would review and approve these agreements to ensure they provide reasonable access to affordable housing near employment opportunities. This change would restore a mechanism that was previously permitted before the 2008 prohibition.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows each New Jersey county's Surrogate (probate court official) to create electronic systems that accept digital signatures for specific probate documents. It covers forms like applications for probate, executor qualifications, surety bonds, and asset affidavits, but explicitly excludes wills. The Surrogate must establish these systems to replace paper-based processes for these designated forms. The Supreme Court may issue rules to support implementation, and the law takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2638) requires New Jersey's chief law enforcement officers or the Superintendent of State Police to notify federal immigration authorities when a non-citizen who is unlawfully present in the United States applies for a firearms purchaser identification card (FPIC) or handgun purchase permit. The notification requirement applies specifically to applicants who are undocumented non-citizens, as federal law (18 U.S.C. §922(d)(5)) prohibits firearm sales to such individuals. This bill incorporates the existing federal standard into New Jersey's state law by mandating that law enforcement agencies notify federal immigration authorities when they determine an applicant is unlawfully present in the U.S. The bill does not change who qualifies for firearm permits but adds a notification process for certain non-citizen applicants.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Attorney General to publish quarterly crime data collected from police departments within six months after each quarter ends, making it available on the Department of Law and Public Safety website. It also mandates an annual report on crime data to the Governor and Legislature within 13 months of the reporting period. The law directly affects the Attorney General's office and the Division of State Police, which will manage the data repository. These deadlines replace the current lack of specific timelines for releasing crime statistics.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a state grant program to fund paid internships at local manufacturers for students at New Jersey county colleges. County colleges applying for grants must partner with approved manufacturers, with 85% of grant funds covering student stipends for internship hours and 15% supporting program administration and career counseling. Priority is given to internships in manufacturing jobs designated as high-demand occupations, and students completing the program earn academic credit while potentially receiving job offers. The program requires annual reporting on partnerships, student participation, skills gained, and employment outcomes to the state government.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows state employees who were temporarily working at New Jersey psychiatric hospitals or correctional facilities before joining the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to apply for accidental disability benefits if injured during that temporary employment. It deems injuries sustained while performing duties (e.g., as nurses, correction officers, or healthcare workers) at those facilities as occurring "during membership" for PERS benefit eligibility, even if the injury happened before PERS enrollment. The change applies retroactively to January 1, 2003, and covers employees who later become PERS members without interruption in their job. This specifically affects temporary workers in state psychiatric or correctional facilities who were previously ineligible for PERS disability benefits after becoming members.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's county mental health programs to include mental health services for veterans and prohibits denying these services based solely on veteran status. It amends existing law to explicitly list veterans as a target population for state funding grants, ensuring programs receiving state funds must expand services to meet veterans' mental health needs. The bill also mandates that counties must refer veterans to the VA for eligibility assistance while waiting for VA services, and cannot deny care during this process. These changes apply directly to veterans in New Jersey who qualify for county mental health programs.