Asm. Greg McGuckin

Maddy summaryThis bill allows licensed organizations in New Jersey - such as charities, churches, veterans' groups, and civic clubs - to conduct a new type of raffle game called "Queen of Hearts." The game uses a board with 54 shuffled playing cards; a randomly drawn winner selects a card. If the card isn't the Queen of Hearts, the winner gets a cash prize immediately, and the game continues weekly until the Queen is chosen. If the Queen is selected, the winner receives half the prize, with the rest kept by the organization. The state's gambling control commission will establish rules for how these raffles must be run.

Maddy summaryThis bill would restore approximately $331 million in municipal aid reductions that occurred during fiscal years 2009-2011 by gradually increasing distributions from the Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund over five years. Starting in fiscal year 2017, municipalities would receive incremental increases (20% in 2017, 40% in 2018, 60% in 2019, 80% in 2020, and 100% starting in 2021) to fully restore aid levels from fiscal year 2012. The bill requires municipalities to subtract any additional aid received from their property tax levy when calculating their next year's tax amount. This directly affects all New Jersey municipalities that received aid from these funds, allowing them to lower property tax rates for residents while maintaining their overall aid levels.

Maddy summaryThis bill would amend New Jersey's tax code to exclude certain retirement contributions from gross income tax calculations. Specifically, it would exclude contributions to qualified pension plans, deferred compensation plans, and provide a deduction for qualifying individual retirement account (IRA) contributions. Currently, private sector employees benefit from tax deferral on retirement contributions, but public sector employees (including government workers, school employees, and nonprofit staff) do not have the same tax treatment. The bill would extend similar tax advantages to these workers, making retirement savings more accessible for them. It would apply to taxable years beginning after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryACR 85 proposes a constitutional amendment to increase New Jersey's annual veterans' property tax deduction from $250 to $1,250, effective 2024. It directly affects honorably discharged veterans and their surviving spouses who reside in the state, allowing them to deduct the full $1,250 from property taxes (or cancel the tax if it's less than $1,250). The current $250 deduction has remained unchanged since 2003, and this amendment requires voter approval to take effect. If passed, it would be the first increase since 1999, when the deduction rose from $50 to $250.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A1059 requires every public school with a library to post a comprehensive, publicly accessible list of all library resources - including books, periodicals, DVDs, and digital databases - on the school’s website. Schools must update this list within 10 days of adding new resources. The school library media specialist is responsible for maintaining the list; if no specialist exists, the principal must appoint staff to handle it. This law applies to all public school districts in New Jersey and takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Attorney General to establish a formal agreement with the U.S. Attorney General under a federal immigration enforcement program (Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act). It would authorize specific, trained corrections officers in state and county facilities to investigate whether inmates are lawful U.S. residents *at the time of incarceration*. If an inmate's status is found to be unauthorized under federal law, officers would report this information to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The agreement would outline training, reporting protocols, federal funding for costs, and clarify that these officers act under federal authority for legal immunity purposes. This directly affects designated corrections officers and inmates in New Jersey's correctional system.

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits under the Pension Adjustment Act (P.L.1958, c.143) for members of New Jersey's State-administered retirement systems. It directly affects retirees and beneficiaries of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund, Judicial Retirement System, Public Employees' Retirement System, Police and Firemen's Retirement System, and State Police Retirement System. The bill reverses a 2011 provision that had eliminated these automatic annual adjustments, ensuring benefits will adjust each year to help maintain purchasing power against inflation. By reinstating COLAs, the bill prevents gradual erosion of retirement benefits' value over time. This change provides concrete financial protection for retirees as the cost of living increases.

Maddy summaryBill A805 amends New Jersey's bribery statute (N.J.S.2C:27-2) to criminalize accepting benefits (such as campaign contributions) as consideration for future official actions, even before taking office. It specifically applies to candidates for public office who solicit, accept, or agree to accept such benefits in exchange for future decisions or actions. The law sets penalties: second-degree crime (5-10 years in prison, up to $150,000 fine) for benefits over $200, or third-degree (3-5 years, up to $15,000) for $200 or less. It explicitly excludes standard campaign activities that comply with election laws, such as public speeches generating lawful contributions under the Campaign Contributions Act.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require New Jersey to annually adjust its income tax brackets for inflation using the national consumer price index (CPI-U), preventing "bracket creep" where inflation alone pushes taxpayers into higher tax brackets without real income growth. The Director of the Division of Taxation would calculate these annual adjustments based on the CPI-U measure. This change would affect all New Jersey residents who pay state income tax by ensuring their tax brackets keep pace with rising prices. The bill follows the same model used for federal income tax brackets, which has been in place since the 1980s.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection from planting non-native species in landscaping at state parks and forests, effective three months after enactment. It establishes a $250,000 grant program to help local governments (counties and municipalities) replace non-native plants with native species in their public parks and forests, with each grant capped at $5,000 per project. Native plants are defined as species naturally occurring in New Jersey or the Mid-Atlantic region without human assistance. The program requires grantees to report on fund usage and program effectiveness to the governor and legislature annually.