Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 659) stops utilities from charging customers directly for infrastructure upgrades needed due to construction on the customer’s property to prevent natural disaster damage. It requires customers to submit a contractor’s certification within 90 days proving the construction was for disaster mitigation. Instead of direct billing, utilities can recover these costs through regular rate increases paid by all customers. Customers who fail to provide certification on time may still be charged directly for the upgrades.
Asm. Greg McGuckin
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires insurers selling flood insurance through the federal National Flood Insurance Program to provide specific claim-related documents to policyholders who filed damage claims after Superstorm Sandy (October 28, 2012). It mandates that insurers share all reports, drafts, photos, and communications prepared by their agents, adjusters, or contractors regarding the property damage. Insurers who repeatedly violate this requirement face civil penalties of up to $5,000 per offense. The law directly affects flood insurance policyholders in New Jersey who have filed claims for storm-related damage and their insurers.
Maddy summaryThis bill (A 296) increases penalties for human trafficking involving children under 18 in New Jersey. It expands the definition of human trafficking to cover all forms of child exploitation (both sexual and labor), not just sexual activity. Offenders face mandatory life imprisonment without parole, a $25,000 fine (funded to a victim assistance program), and restitution based on the victim’s labor value. The law directly affects individuals convicted of trafficking children, replacing current penalties that allowed parole eligibility after 20 years. This change applies to all child trafficking offenses, regardless of whether the perpetrator mistakenly believed the child was 18 or older.
Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Homestead School Property Tax Reimbursement Act," would provide a 50% reimbursement for the school portion of property taxes paid by eligible seniors aged 65 or older. To qualify, applicants must own or lease a homestead (including traditional homes, mobile homes in parks, condos, or cooperatives) as their primary residence, with income limits of $35,000 in the first year, $75,000 in the second year, and no limit thereafter. The reimbursement covers half the school tax portion paid on qualifying property, excluding commercial units or secondary residences, and adjusts for existing tax reductions. The bill is currently pending before the Assembly State and Local Government Committee (introduced January 13, 2026).
Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3181) prohibits using cadaveric fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions for any research and bans using any cadaveric fetal tissue to research cosmetic treatments. It specifically allows research using tissue from miscarriages or stillbirths but does not affect existing bans on buying or selling fetal tissue. The bill also requires physicians treating infertility patients to provide written information about embryo disposition options and document patient acknowledgment in medical records. These changes apply to research institutions and healthcare providers in New Jersey conducting such studies.
Maddy summaryThis bill raises the annual income limit for New Jersey residents to qualify for homestead property tax reimbursement. It increases the threshold from $80,000 (for tax years 2009-2016) to $100,000 or less for both single and married individuals in tax year 2017 and subsequent years. The reimbursement program assists seniors (65+) and disabled residents who own or rent homes as their primary residence and meet income requirements. This change directly affects eligible homeowners and renters whose income falls below the new $100,000 cap, expanding access to tax relief. The policy modifies eligibility criteria without altering the program's core mechanism of reimbursing the difference between current and base-year property taxes.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act to upgrade penalties for two specific offenses. It makes forging a patient's request for end-of-life medication (with intent to cause death) or coercing a patient into requesting such medication a first-degree crime. The key change is imposing a mandatory 25-year prison sentence without parole eligibility for these offenses, up from second- or third-degree penalties under current law. It directly affects healthcare providers, family members, or others interacting with terminally ill patients under the act. The bill does not change the core provisions of the Medical Aid in Dying Act itself.
Maddy summaryThis bill (A 318) modifies New Jersey's requirements for condominium and cooperative associations managing certain multi-story residential buildings. It expands the timeframes for associations to conduct required capital reserve studies - extending the deadline for first-time studies from five years to one year after the law's effective date - and mandates these studies be reviewed by licensed professionals every five years. The studies must assess funding for maintaining the building's structural components (like foundations and load-bearing systems) and include detailed cost projections for repairs, replacements, and future inspections. Associations with less than $25,000 in common-area assets are exempt from these requirements.
Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for identity theft when the victim is a senior citizen (62+) or veteran. It elevates the offense level: a first offense against these vulnerable groups becomes a third-degree crime (previously fourth-degree), and repeat offenses become second-degree crimes (previously third-degree). The bill also raises penalties for cases involving multiple victims when at least one victim is a senior or veteran. These changes apply to all identity theft offenses under New Jersey law that cause financial harm or fraud.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires long-term care facilities (nursing homes, assisted living, etc.) in New Jersey to implement specific infection control measures during declared outbreaks, epidemics, or pandemics. It mandates weekly rapid testing for all staff and immediate testing for symptomatic staff/residents, with facilities (for larger facilities) or county health boards (for smaller facilities) providing free rapid-result testing access. The bill also limits in-person visits to two pre-designated individuals per resident during outbreaks and requires facilities to isolate infected residents in separate rooms. These provisions directly affect facilities, their staff, residents, and visitors during public health emergencies.