Asm. Paul Kanitra

Maddy summaryThis bill (A676) designates a specific 0.45-mile segment of State Highway Route 71 in Spring Lake Heights (from milepost 3.25 to 3.70) as the "John Tarantino Highway" to honor Angelo John Tarantino, a WWII veteran who served in the European Theater and participated in key battles including D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. The bill requires the Commissioner of Transportation to erect signs bearing this designation but explicitly prohibits using state or public funds for the signs. Instead, it authorizes the Department of Transportation to accept private funding - such as gifts, grants, or donations - from non-governmental organizations to cover the costs of producing, installing, and maintaining the signs. The designation takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the annual income limit for New Jersey residents to qualify for homestead property tax reimbursement. Currently, applicants must have an income of $80,000 or less (for both single and married filers) to receive this tax relief. The bill raises this limit to $100,000 or less for all tax years starting in 2017 and beyond. This change directly affects senior citizens (65+) and disabled persons who own or rent a primary residence, allowing more households to qualify for property tax reimbursement.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's state education commissioner to encourage school districts to adopt the Natural High Drug Prevention Program. The program provides school-based resources including videos, research-backed curricula, educator training, and support for student clubs focused on positive activities. It requires curriculum covering seven key topics: identifying natural highs (positive activities), drug consequences, goal-setting, peer pressure strategies, role models, value-based choices, and media literacy about drug use. The policy applies to all public school districts starting in the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes New Jersey law to allow 14- and 15-year-old minors to work until 11 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. between Memorial Day and October 1 each year, with written parental permission. It specifically affects young workers in retail, restaurants, or similar settings during this summer period. The bill does not alter other restrictions, such as minimum age requirements, maximum weekly hours, or the need for parental consent. Current law already permits this age group to work until 9 p.m. during a similar timeframe (Memorial Day to Labor Day), so this extends the evening curfew by two hours.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates a supplemental fee charged on real estate transactions in New Jersey. The fee, established in 2003, was a graduated charge based on property sale price (e.g., $0.25 per $500 for the first $150,000). It directly affects home buyers and sellers by removing this cost from the total real estate transfer fee, which previously split proceeds between counties and the state. The bill repeals the specific fee provision (P.L.2003, c.113) while leaving the base realty transfer fee unchanged.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits courts from granting custody or visitation rights to individuals convicted of specific sex crimes against minors, including first-degree kidnapping, criminal sexual contact, human trafficking involving minors, luring children (with prior sex crime convictions), lewdness, and promoting child prostitution. It expands existing law, which previously barred custody for sexual assault convictions, to cover these additional offenses. Courts may still award custody or visitation only if a parent demonstrates by "clear and convincing evidence" that it serves the child’s best interest, though orders must be stayed for 10 days to allow appeals. The law directly affects parents or guardians with these convictions, ensuring their access to children is restricted unless a court specifically determines it is necessary for the child’s welfare.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to create special "Domestic Violence Awareness" license plates featuring a purple ribbon and the phrase "Domestic Violence Awareness." Vehicle owners pay a $50 application fee and $10 annual renewal fee, with the revenue deposited into a dedicated fund. The fund, managed by the Department of Children and Families, provides annual grants to nonprofit organizations supporting domestic violence victims. Implementation requires 500 initial applications and $25,000 in private funding to cover startup costs before plates can be produced.

Maddy summaryBill A1241 establishes the Code Blue Shelter Matching Grant Program within New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA). It provides matching funds to community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that offer shelter during Code Blue alerts (cold-weather emergency alerts), requiring these groups to first receive a grant from a county or municipality within the past year. The DCA will match these local grants up to $50,000 per county/municipality annually, with no cap on the total number of grants or individual nonprofit funding. Nonprofits must submit applications detailing their finances, the original grant amount, and how funds will be used, and the DCA must report program effectiveness to the Governor and Legislature within three years.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to study whether the state's electric distribution system meets reliability standards. The BPU must assess if electric companies comply with existing safety and maintenance rules, compare New Jersey's system performance to other states, evaluate storm response efforts, and check infrastructure against national safety codes. Within six months, the BPU must submit a report to the Governor and Legislature with findings and recommendations for improving system reliability. The study directly affects electric public utilities operating New Jersey's power distribution network.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts senior citizens (65+), blind individuals, and disabled persons from specific state fees when buying or selling their primary residence. It waives the State portion of the basic fee and general purpose fee for sales by these individuals and the 1% fee for purchases exceeding $1 million. The exemption applies only to one- or two-family homes owned and occupied by the qualifying seller or buyer, and excludes jointly owned properties where not all owners qualify. Fees saved through these exemptions would be redirected to New Jersey's Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The policy change directly benefits qualifying homeowners in property transactions.