Asm. Paul Kanitra

Maddy summaryThe "Energy Subsidies Transparency Act" (A6249) requires energy companies receiving state subsidies - such as renewable energy certificates or grants - to disclose financial and operational details to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and Rate Counsel. It mandates the BPU to publish an annual, public list of all state energy subsidies (including funding sources, duration, and recipient numbers) and to implement uniform reporting standards for all energy generators. Companies opting into these subsidies must provide data on subsidy use, power generation, and operational metrics, with the BPU required to submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. The law applies only to entities choosing to accept subsidies, not to all energy companies.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates salt water taffy as New Jersey's official state candy. It does not create new regulations, allocate funding, or affect any individuals or businesses. The legislation simply establishes a symbolic recognition of salt water taffy's historical connection to New Jersey, referencing its origins in Atlantic City and association with shore communities. The designation takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's human trafficking law to include individuals who financially benefit from trafficking operations, regardless of whether they are organizers, supervisors, or managers. It expands the statute so that receiving any financial gain - such as from exploiting victims in sex or labor trafficking - now constitutes the crime. The law applies to all financial beneficiaries, closing a gap that previously allowed some profiteers to avoid prosecution. This change updates the statute to hold all participants who profit from trafficking accountable under criminal law.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a proportional property tax exemption for New Jersey veterans who are honorably discharged and have a service-connected permanent disability rated at 10% or higher. It directly affects qualifying veterans (and their surviving spouses) by reducing their property taxes in line with their disability rating, with a $10,000 cap for exemptions below 100% disability. Veterans deemed unemployable due to service-connected disability receive a full 100% exemption, matching current benefits for those with 100% disability ratings. The bill also requires the state to reimburse municipalities 102% of the tax costs for these exemptions, including administrative expenses, through annual reporting by local tax authorities.

Maddy summaryThis bill would change New Jersey's income tax system to a flat tax rate of 5.9% for taxable income over specific thresholds. For single filers, married individuals filing separately, and estates/trusts, the tax would apply to income over $37,500. For married couples filing jointly, heads of household, and surviving spouses, the tax would apply to income over $75,000. Taxpayers with income below these thresholds would not owe any income tax under this bill. This would replace New Jersey's current progressive tax system, which has rates ranging from 1.4% to 10.75% across multiple income brackets.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school districts and charter schools to verify the work authorization of teaching staff and school employees using the federal E-Verify system. Starting with hires for the next full school year after enactment, schools must check eligibility at hiring and annually thereafter. It directs the state education commissioner to provide guidance on the requirement and federal E-Verify rules to school boards. The bill explicitly allows schools to hire noncitizen teachers with valid limited certificates under existing state law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires contractors and subcontractors working on public projects to submit payroll records to New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD). It applies to any business performing work for public bodies (like state/local governments or projects funded by public money), including construction, maintenance, or repair work. The key mechanism mandates that these contractors must register with DOLWD and provide payroll details to verify compliance with prevailing wage laws and apprenticeship program requirements. This affects all employers engaged in public work contracts, ensuring transparency in worker compensation and program participation.

Maddy summaryThe "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act" (S 3309) requires used car dealers to check for open recalls on vehicles before sale using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website and provide prospective buyers with printed recall information if any are found. Dealers cannot sell vehicles subject to stop-sale or do-not-drive notices issued by NHTSA. The bill mandates dealers to report vehicles with unresolved recalls (for which repairs remain uncompleted six months after initial notice) to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission every 180 days, prompting the Commission to send notices directly to vehicle owners. For vehicles with unavailable parts for recalls, dealers receive monthly compensation equal to 1.75% of the vehicle's value until repairs are completed.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1682) requires New Jersey public school districts to include instruction on labor history in social studies curricula for students in grades 6 through 12. It mandates teaching four specific topics: the history of organized labor, notable historical strikes, unionization drives, and the collective bargaining process with workplace legal protections. The Commissioner of Education must provide age-appropriate lesson resources to help schools implement this requirement. The policy applies to all school districts under the state's existing social studies learning standards, beginning with the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 862, now P.L.2025, c.11) requires New Jersey's Department of Transportation (DOT) to include significantly more detailed information in its annual report on road conditions. Specifically, the report must now list numerical rankings of roads needing repair, detail completed maintenance projects (including pothole repairs), provide cost estimates for each project, track material usage (tonnage), and include data on pothole damage claims and associated costs from the Treasury Department. The report must be made publicly available on the DOT's website. This affects the DOT directly by expanding its reporting duties and provides the public with more transparency about road maintenance spending and road conditions.