Asm. Paul Kanitra

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 expands requirements for public awareness signage about human trafficking. It adds 10 new locations where businesses and facilities must display the Commission on Human Trafficking's sign, including gas stations, staffing agencies, law enforcement offices, nail salons, and New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission offices. The sign must be 8.5x11 inches, in 16-point font, and bilingual (English/Spanish), containing the national trafficking hotline number. Businesses failing to display or replace defaced signs face $300 fines for first offenses and $1,000 for subsequent violations. The bill directly affects the listed establishments by mandating visible signage to aid trafficking victims.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 619) creates a new criminal offense for "doxxing," defined as knowingly sharing someone's personal details (like address or phone number) online without consent to cause fear of harm, violence, or stalking. It specifically targets disclosures that create a serious risk of bodily injury, stalking, or severe emotional distress (mental anguish) to the person or their close relations - such as family, household members, or close associates. Exceptions apply for good-faith disclosures to the public about suspected unlawful conduct, to law enforcement, or during official investigations. Violations are a fourth-degree crime (up to 18 months in jail or $10,000 fine), escalating to a third-degree crime if serious harm occurs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a program requiring New Jersey's Department of Agriculture to establish grants for nonprofit organizations running seafood gleaning operations. Nonprofits must collect excess fish from commercial sources and donate it to food pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens serving food-insecure individuals. The bill appropriates $250,000 to fund initial grants (with up to 10% for administrative costs) and mandates annual reports detailing seafood donated, program participants, and recipient locations. It sets criteria for grant eligibility, application procedures, and requires nonprofits to report on fund usage and program outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 32) creates a temporary, bipartisan committee to study New Jersey's historical claims to Staten Island. The 12-member committee - six appointed by the Assembly Speaker and six by the Minority Leader - will investigate colonial land grants, the 1834 boundary compact, and relevant legal history to explore potential annexation pathways. It will examine lawful options for New Jersey to pursue annexation, but only with consent from Staten Island residents, New York State, and the U.S. Congress. The committee will produce a final report and expire upon completion of its work. This is purely an investigative measure with no immediate policy impact.

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 bill increases penalties for stealing catalytic converters by automatically raising the theft offense one criminal grade. Under current New Jersey law, theft penalties depend on factors like property value, but this bill specifies that any catalytic converter stolen will be treated as a more serious crime - such as elevating a fourth-degree theft (for property valued between $200-$500) to a third-degree offense. The change applies directly to anyone who steals a catalytic converter, regardless of the item's value or other circumstances. This policy adjustment aims to deter thefts of these vehicle parts, which often contain valuable metals targeted by thieves.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to create and issue enhanced driver's licenses and non-driver ID cards meeting federal security standards for land/sea border crossings to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean. It directly affects New Jersey residents who apply for these IDs, mandating they provide proof of citizenship, legal name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number. Key provisions include mandatory security features (machine-readable barcodes, encrypted radio frequency technology), strict document verification by the MVC, and restrictions on how facial images/signatures may be shared. The enhanced IDs function like standard licenses but are federally approved for border travel, with applicants paying up to $30 for the application.

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.