Asm. Luanne Peterpaul

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Agriculture Development Committee to create educational materials (like handouts and pamphlets) explaining the benefits of the state's farmland preservation program. These materials must be provided to all municipalities, which are then required to distribute them to commercial farm owners or operators when they apply for farmland assessment. The materials must also be made available at public municipal buildings. The bill directly affects commercial farm owners by providing them with information about a program that helps preserve agricultural land. It focuses on improving access to information, not changing program rules or eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Civil Service Commission to create a free mentoring program for civil service firefighter applicants living in municipalities with a median income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level. The program provides support through workshops, study groups, and guidance during the application, exam, and hiring process to help applicants overcome barriers. Mentors - current or former firefighters or other approved volunteers - match with mentees based on background when possible, with no fees for participants. The Commission must annually review the program's effectiveness and remove mentees once they accept a job offer.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 149) amends the New Jersey General Assembly Rules to require all members to be formally addressed as "State Representative" instead of "Assemblyman" or "Assemblywoman." It adds Rule 25:1 stating: "All members of the General Assembly shall be addressed, and referred to, as State Representative." The resolution aims to adopt a gender-neutral title, aligning with the state constitution's use of "members" and the practice of 45 other states. This change affects all current and future General Assembly members in formal communications and records.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4736) amends New Jersey's Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act to explicitly protect teachers and staff members from harassment, intimidation, and bullying, not just students. It expands the definition of "harassment, intimidation, or bullying" to include acts using deceptive audio or visual media, such as AI-generated deepfakes that falsely depict someone speaking or acting. School districts must update their anti-bullying policies to include these protections, with specific procedures for reporting incidents against staff and addressing AI-generated harassment. The bill also requires schools to implement new reporting mechanisms specifically for staff members who experience bullying. This change directly affects teachers, staff, and all public school districts across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Senate Bill S 2607 requires private bus companies operating regular routes to give advance notice and hold public meetings before making significant service cuts. Specifically, operators must provide 4 months' written notice to the state Motor Vehicle Commission and NJ Transit, 3 months' notice to riders, and host a public meeting near the busiest stop within 15 days of notifying riders. The bill also mandates that companies notify local officials, including mayors and county commissioners, before holding these meetings. Private operators who fail to comply face civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. This bill directly affects private bus operators and their riders in New Jersey communities experiencing service changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides an additional $100 million in state funding to New Jersey's Affordable Housing Production Fund, managed by the Department of Community Affairs. The funds will specifically support the completion of 100-percent affordable housing projects, where all residential units must be reserved for low- and moderate-income households. Municipalities will use this money to contract with developers to finish projects already identified in their fair share affordable housing obligations. This supplemental appropriation builds on existing law (P.L.2022, c.49) to accelerate housing availability for income-qualified residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits real estate appraisers in New Jersey from considering protected characteristics - including race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or national origin - when valuing properties. It directly affects licensed and certified real estate appraisers by banning these discriminatory factors from appraisal analysis. The key mechanism requires appraisers to complete a mandatory fair housing and appraisal bias training course (approved by the Appraisal Qualifications Board) as part of their continuing education for license renewal. The law codifies existing anti-discrimination protections and aligns with national standards for appraisal practice.

Maddy summaryS 2822 increases the maximum contingency attorney fee cap in New Jersey workers' compensation cases from 20% to 25% of the settlement or award amount. This directly affects attorneys representing injured workers who typically work on a contingency basis (paid only if they win the case). The bill amends R.S. 34:15-64 to adjust this fee limit, which has not been updated since its original establishment. The change applies to all pending and future workers' compensation claims after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $101.7 million from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues and Green Acres funds to the Department of Environmental Protection for local government open space acquisition and park development projects. The funds will support $24.3 million in land acquisition projects (including planning incentive, standard, site-specific, and urban aid acquisition) and $75 million in park development projects (including inclusive playgrounds required by "Jake's Law" and projects in densely populated areas). Local governments across New Jersey will receive grants or loans to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, with $2.4 million allocated for administrative costs. The bill defines eligibility based on population density criteria to target funding to areas with higher population needs.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill revises property tax lien foreclosure procedures to align with a recent Supreme Court ruling requiring property owners to retain equity beyond unpaid taxes. It allows property owners to protect remaining property equity by requesting a judicial sale (like mortgage foreclosures) or online auction through the county sheriff within 45 days of receiving foreclosure notice. If owners don't make this request, lien holders (municipalities or private investors) can take full property title without conducting a sale. Lien holders must clearly inform property owners about this option in bold text with foreclosure notices. The bill ensures any surplus funds from a sale would go to the property owner after lien holders are paid.