Asm. Alex Sauickie

Maddy summaryThis bill allows public utilities, cable television companies, and telecommunications service providers in New Jersey to use drones to inspect and maintain their critical infrastructure. It requires the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness to create rules permitting these operations, provided they follow federal aviation laws. The legislation also allows these companies to hire third-party contractors to operate the drones under state and federal regulations, aiming to help quickly identify and repair damaged infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a transportation grant program to help spouses of veterans travel to visit them at long-term care facilities or Veterans Affairs medical centers in New Jersey. The program provides financial reimbursement for travel expenses incurred by spouses who cannot drive themselves and are not covered by other existing state or federal programs. Funding of $500,000 is allocated to the Department of Veterans Affairs to administer the grants, which may cover costs for public transit, county transportation services, or private vehicle use. The legislation also requires participating government entities to maintain liability insurance for travelers and mandates public notification about the program's availability.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that medication be administered only by a registered nurse or a certified medication aide working under a nurse's supervision in licensed residential programs and day programs for individuals with developmental disabilities. It mandates that parents or legal guardians provide detailed medical documentation with specific medication instructions and dosages before admission and whenever a medication or dosage is changed. The legislation also authorizes the Department of Human Services to create rules necessary to implement these requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to allow electricity providers to bid on one, two, and three-year supply periods during basic generation service auctions for certain commercial and industrial customers. The legislation mandates that the board select the most price-competitive bids and adopt rules to manage how these new contracts blend with existing three-year agreements. It does not apply to customers in the Commercial and Industrial Energy Pricing class, which are excluded from these bidding changes. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities from hiring third-party consultants who have worked for public utilities within the past 365 days. It also requires consultants hired by the board to disclose a list of public utility clients they have worked with in the previous three years. These disclosures must be published on the websites of the utilities listed, with the board determining the specific format and timing. The measure aims to increase transparency and reduce potential conflicts of interest when the board relies on outside experts for decision-making.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Agriculture Development Committee to create educational materials explaining the benefits of the state's farmland preservation program for commercial farm owners and operators. The materials, which may include handouts and pamphlets, will be distributed to all municipalities and provided to farmers when they apply for farmland assessment through local tax collectors or assessors. Additionally, municipalities must make these educational resources widely available at public municipal buildings to increase awareness of the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey's Department of Agriculture to designate an institution of higher education as the "School of Agriculture for the Next Century" to focus on education, research, and workforce development in advanced agricultural technologies. The designated school must demonstrate expertise in areas such as drones, artificial intelligence, gene-editing, robotics, and precision farming, while satellite schools may be added to expand access across the state. The legislation encourages academic pathways that allow students to transfer coursework between community colleges and the designated school, but does not create new institutions or require additional state funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection to create and run a pilot program that helps counties and municipalities restore streams, improve water quality, reduce flooding, and store carbon in natural areas. The program will provide grants for three projects across the state's southern, central, and northern regions, focusing on smaller waterways and tributaries rather than major rivers. Eligible activities include cleaning streams, stabilizing stream banks, dredging, and restoring historic stream beds, with specific definitions provided for terms like "bank," "sediment," and different water classifications to guide implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new program within New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development to help workers who lose their jobs due to automation. It creates a dedicated account within the existing Workforce Development Partnership Fund that will receive 2% of annual program revenues to support training and employment services for displaced workers. The program aims to provide grants and customized training opportunities to help affected workers gain new skills and find employment in other industries.

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic cost-of-living adjustments for retirement benefits of certain members of the State Police Retirement System in New Jersey. The legislation amends existing state laws to restore COLA provisions that were previously removed, ensuring that eligible retirees receive annual benefit increases tied to inflation. The bill directly affects current and former state police officers who are part of the SPRS and whose retirement benefits would otherwise remain fixed without automatic adjustments. No new funding mechanisms or changes to the retirement board structure are included in this measure.