Asm. Greg McGuckin

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all newly-constructed grocery stores (including supermarkets and convenience stores) to install automatic standby generators that provide sufficient power to continue selling food and basic necessities during power outages. The generators must be maintained and tested per future regulations, ensuring stores can operate during emergencies like natural disasters. It directly affects new grocery store developers and builders, applying to stores where construction permits are still pending before the bill's effective date. The policy aims to maintain public access to essential goods during extended power disruptions, as highlighted by issues seen after Hurricane Sandy.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates demand side management programs (like energy efficiency initiatives) from being funded through New Jersey's societal benefits charge. It deletes a specific provision (section 12(3)) that previously allowed electric and gas utilities to recover costs for these programs via a mandatory charge on all customers. The change means utilities can no longer use this specific charge to fund demand side management programs, shifting how those costs might be recovered. This directly affects utilities and the programs they administer, removing a dedicated funding mechanism for energy efficiency and related initiatives.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Medical Examiners to create a certification process for non-physicians (like licensed estheticians or technicians) to legally perform laser tattoo removal. It mandates that non-physicians must meet specific qualifications, pass approved testing, and complete continuing education to obtain certification. Certification is required before offering these services and must be renewed every two years. The law directly affects non-physician service providers seeking to enter the tattoo removal field, establishing standardized safety and competency requirements.

Maddy summaryBill A 651 extends the certification period for Class Two special law enforcement officers who are members of the U.S. military. Currently, these officers (who have full police powers and can carry firearms) are certified for three years after completing training. This bill automatically extends that three-year period by the exact amount of time the officer was deployed in active military service, eliminating the need to retake training. The extension applies to military members including all branches, National Guard, and the merchant marine under federal law.

Maddy summaryACR 80 is a non-binding resolution passed by New Jersey's legislature urging Congress to place a statue of Charles "Charlie" Kirk in the U.S. Capitol. It honors Kirk, a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA who was assassinated in 2025 during a campus event. The resolution cites prior congressional actions, including a resolution condemning his assassination and a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom. It does not create new law but formally requests Congress to memorialize Kirk's legacy in the Capitol. The resolution was introduced to the Assembly Oversight Committee in January 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows drivers with standard non-commercial licenses (after specific training) to operate small school buses called "Type S" without needing a commercial driver's license or school bus endorsement. It directly affects school districts, transportation contractors, and drivers who currently transport students in these smaller vehicles. The key mechanism requires employers to provide safety training on student interactions and special needs before drivers operate Type S buses. The bill updates existing laws to include Type S bus drivers in safety and conduct regulations, while maintaining that probationary drivers or those with suspended licenses cannot operate them.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 179) requires correctional facilities to determine if inmates are U.S. citizens or lawfully present in the U.S. If an inmate is not a citizen or lacks legal status, the facility cannot release them to the general public - only to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials. Facilities must document citizenship status and legal presence for all inmates, and if they cannot verify it, they must assume the inmate is unlawfully present. Violations carry civil penalties set by the Corrections Commissioner. The bill directly affects correctional facilities and non-citizen inmates deemed unlawfully present in the U.S.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill creates tax credits for businesses that hire immediate family members (spouse, child, or parent) of military personnel killed in action. Employers receive a 10% credit on qualified wages paid to these new full-time employees, capped at $1,200 per family member annually, for employment lasting at least nine consecutive months. The credit is nonrefundable but can be carried forward for up to 20 years, and it cannot be combined with other state employment tax credits. The bill applies to wages subject to New Jersey's Gross Income Tax and includes provisions for recapturing credits due to noncompliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a temporary seven-member "Affordable Housing Obligation Study Commission" to examine New Jersey's affordable housing policies. The commission, including the head of the state housing agency and members appointed by legislative leaders and the Governor, will study past housing practices, analyze population trends and housing needs, and gather public input over a one-year period. It must produce a final report with recommendations for municipalities and state agencies on meeting legal affordable housing requirements before expiring. The commission itself does not enact policy - it only studies existing obligations and provides findings to guide future decisions.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 733) increases daily compensation for election workers from $300 to $400 per election (primary, general, or special) and raises additional pay for workers handling signature copy registers. Election workers managing these registers will now receive $20 per election (or $10 each if shared), up from $12.50 or $6.25. The state will also increase its reimbursement to counties from $225 to $325 per worker, while counties cover the remaining $75. The bill directly affects election workers serving on district boards during all statewide and local elections in New Jersey.