Asm. Paul Kanitra

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey elementary and secondary schools larger than 12,000 square feet to install automatic fire suppression systems. It directly affects existing large public and private schools meeting the size threshold, extending a requirement previously only applied to new construction since the 1980s. The Commissioner of Education, with input from the Commissioner of Community Affairs, must create implementation rules - including prioritization for installation - and the State Treasurer can allocate existing state funds (including economic development bond proceeds) to help schools comply. The mandate takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows courts to require individuals convicted of certain offenses to pay for public rescue operations they triggered. Specifically, it applies when someone commits criminal mischief (like damaging property) AND one of three driving violations: reckless driving, careless driving, or operating a vehicle unsafely. Courts can then charge the offender for costs incurred by public entities - such as police, emergency medical services, or rescue teams - during the recovery of the person, their pet, or property. The law aims to hold accountable those whose reckless actions directly cause public resources to be used for rescues.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases fines for commercial vehicle owners who fail to display required owner and location markings. The current $10 fine is raised to $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for third or subsequent offenses. Commercial vehicles must display the owner's name and principal business municipality in clear, 3-inch letters. Fines collected will fund road repairs across New Jersey, as specified in the existing law.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 29) is a symbolic statement urging the U.S. President to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) and stop funding it. It directly addresses the President, citing concerns about the WHO's pandemic response - including delayed actions, inconsistent guidance on masks, and perceived deference to China during the COVID-19 crisis - as reasons for withdrawal. The resolution does not create new law or change policy but expresses the New Jersey General Assembly’s position that the WHO’s failures and broad authority warrant U.S. disengagement. It is a non-binding request, not a legislative mandate.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state employees, agencies, and contractors from downloading or using the TikTok app or visiting its website on any state-issued or state-leased electronic device (including phones, computers, and tablets). It exempts law enforcement officers using TikTok for investigations, requiring the Attorney General to create guidelines for such use. Violations carry fines up to $1,000 or up to six months in jail. The law takes immediate effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases minimum auto insurance coverage requirements in New Jersey. It raises the minimum bodily injury coverage to $50,000 per person and $100,000 for multiple people injured in an accident. It also increases minimum property damage coverage to $25,000 per accident for standard automobile insurance policies. Basic auto insurance policies will see their property damage coverage raised from $5,000 to $15,000 per accident. These changes apply to all drivers purchasing standard or basic auto insurance policies in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Taxation to include property sales in age-restricted developments (such as senior living communities) handled by third parties - like guardians, trustees, or executors - in the state's table of equalized valuations. Currently, these sales are excluded because they are not considered typical market transactions, but the bill states this exclusion unfairly burdens residents of such communities. By including these sales, the bill aims to create more accurate property tax assessments based on actual transaction data. This change directly affects residents of age-restricted communities by potentially adjusting their tax valuations to better reflect market conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires water purveyors (those operating public community water systems) to submit quarterly and annual reports to the municipalities they serve about water supply allocations and quality. The reports must include permit details, water sources, any exceedances of permitted usage, and water quality test results for contaminants like chemicals and radionuclides. If water purveyors exceed their permitted allocation, they must publish a notice in a local newspaper explaining conservation measures and alternatives for additional water rights. Violations of these reporting requirements can result in fines of up to $100,000 for repeated offenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey shore municipalities to adopt local ordinances providing free or reduced-cost beach access for the spouse and dependent children (over age 12) of qualifying veterans. It expands current law - which already offers similar access to active military personnel and National Guard members - to include veterans who served at least 90 days in active duty or were discharged due to a service-connected injury or disability. Municipalities would track usage of this benefit but are not required to implement it. The policy change directly affects veterans' families and applies only to beaches managed by shore municipalities under existing beach access regulations.

Maddy summaryThe Reliability, Preparedness, and Storm Response Act of 2020 requires New Jersey's electric public utilities to annually submit three specific plans to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) by May 15: a service reliability plan for quick power restoration during outages, an emergency communications plan for contacting customers and officials during crises, and a review of strategies to reduce flood risks at substations in flood zones. The BPU must review these plans and can order utilities to make changes if deficiencies are found, or impose penalties for failures that worsen outage durations or communication effectiveness. The bill increases penalties for non-compliance from $100 to $25,000 per violation (capped at $2 million for related events) and creates a fund using collected penalties to improve service quality, with costs not passed to ratepayers.