Asm. Paul Kanitra

Maddy summaryThis bill would prohibit New Jersey local governments (municipalities, counties, and their agencies) from setting minimum wage rates or mandating paid sick leave requirements for private employers within their jurisdictions. It would make any local ordinance, resolution, or regulation establishing employment terms for private employers "null and void" and "against public policy." The bill specifically excludes school districts from this prohibition and clarifies that local governments may still include labor requirements in public contracts with vendors or contractors. This legislation would amend New Jersey's existing minimum wage law to prevent local jurisdictions from establishing higher wage standards than the state minimum.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A773 requires electric utilities to install smart meters and smart meter technology at customer locations upon request (with the customer covering costs) and in new building construction. Utilities must submit a plan to the Board of Public Utilities within 90 days detailing smart meter deployment and data access for third parties with customer consent. Within 24 months, utilities must propose time-of-use pricing plans for customers with smart meters, which customers may voluntarily adopt. Utilities can recover installation costs through regulated rate adjustments but cannot recover lost revenue from reduced electricity usage due to smart meter adoption. The bill directly affects residential and commercial customers who request smart meters or live in newly constructed buildings.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a toll relief program for New Jersey drivers using electronic toll collection (E-ZPass). It requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) and South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) to provide 50% credits on tolls paid for qualifying transactions - defined as 35+ paid transponder-based tolls per month on specific highways like the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway - credited to eligible private prepaid accounts within one month. The state appropriates $250 million to NJTA and $250 million to SJTA from the General Fund to cover these credits, prohibiting use of funds for administrative costs. Authorities must submit quarterly reports detailing credits issued, and the program expires one year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents reductions in New Jersey state school aid for specific districts. It protects districts in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties (fifth/sixth class counties) if their property value assessments (equalized valuation) for the current year are lower than in the 2012-2013 school year. If this condition is met, the district’s total state aid cannot be less than what it received in the 2017-2018 school year. The protection excludes preschool aid, special education costs aid, school choice aid, and debt service aid.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits using fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions for any research purposes and bans using any fetal tissue (regardless of source) for cosmetic research. It amends New Jersey law to make these uses illegal, with violations punishable by fines up to $50,000 per offense. The bill does not restrict research using fetal tissue from miscarriages or stillbirths, nor does it affect existing rules about donating unused embryos from fertility treatments or genetic testing for health reasons. This policy change directly impacts researchers and institutions seeking to use such tissue for the banned purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides a $250 annual state income tax credit to homeowners within 1,000 feet of Barnegat Bay and its tributaries who replace grass lawns with non-maintained alternatives like stone or crushed shells. Property owners who already made this change before the bill's effective date are also eligible. The credit aims to reduce chemical runoff - such as fertilizers and pesticides - from lawns into the bay, which the bill identifies as a major factor degrading the bay's water quality and ecosystems. The tax credit applies to all qualifying properties and takes effect immediately for future tax years.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey municipalities to grant a temporary property tax exemption for homeowners who elevate their homes after natural disasters (e.g., floods) to create additional space underneath. The exemption covers the increased taxable value specifically from the new space created by elevation, excluding other improvements, for up to five years. Municipalities must adopt an ordinance declaring the area "in need of rehabilitation" due to a declared disaster, and assessors must exclude the elevation-related value from tax calculations during the exemption period. Homeowners still pay taxes on other value increases from repairs or upgrades beyond the elevated space.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A800) changes how New Jersey compensates beachfront property owners when the government takes land for dune construction or beach replenishment projects. It requires compensation to include the increased property value from added safety and protection provided by the dunes or replenished beach, not just the value lost from the taken portion. The bill also states that public access rights arising from these projects cannot be used to reduce the property's overall compensation value. It directly affects coastal property owners in New Jersey whose land is condemned for these specific public safety projects. The law applies immediately to all pending cases.

Maddy summaryAR 86 is a symbolic Assembly Resolution expressing New Jersey's support for Israel following Hamas' October 7, 2023 attacks. It condemns Hamas for launching a "massive, unprovoked war" involving rocket attacks, killings, abductions, and violence against civilians (citing 1,400 Israeli deaths and 30 American citizens among the casualties). The resolution formally supports Israel "as it defends itself" and directs copies to Israel's Prime Minister, U.S. ambassadors to Israel and the U.S., and New Jersey's members of Congress. As a non-binding resolution, it does not enact new laws but publicly affirms New Jersey's stance on the conflict.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Consumer Affairs to maintain and display a public list of all registered ticket brokers on its official website. It directly affects ticket brokers who must register with the division and consumers seeking transparency in ticket purchasing. The key provision mandates that the division update and post this list online within 120 days of processing registration applications, making it easily accessible to the public.