Asm. Alex Sauickie

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals a 2.5% surtax known as the "Corporate Transit Fee" that applied to corporations with New Jersey taxable income exceeding $10 million during tax periods starting in 2024-2028. It directly affects large corporations paying the Corporate Business Tax (CBT) in New Jersey, eliminating their requirement to pay this additional fee for future tax periods. The fee, which generated revenue for NJ Transit operations and capital projects starting in 2026, is now removed from law. The repeal takes effect immediately upon enactment, applying to all tax periods beginning after the bill’s passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's electric public utilities (companies delivering power to homes and businesses) to submit detailed plans to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) within 180 days. The plans must outline how they will strengthen ("harden") their electric distribution substations - facilities that convert high-voltage power to lower voltage for local delivery - to protect against criminal attacks. The BPU must review each plan within 180 days and, if approved, order the utility to complete the hardening work within one year. The bill also mandates the BPU to establish security standards for these substations within 120 days of the law's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's implied consent law to include blood testing for marijuana and certain controlled substances, not just alcohol. It establishes a "per se" standard, meaning drivers with specific levels of these substances in their blood would automatically be considered impaired under the law. The law applies directly to drivers operating vehicles in New Jersey who are found to have these substances in their system. Key mechanisms include requiring police to request blood tests when suspected of impairment from these substances and creating automatic violations based on test results, rather than requiring proof of actual impairment.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $50 million grant program within New Jersey's Department of State to protect Revolutionary War sites (battlefields, encampments, and skirmish locations) threatened by development. Local governments and qualifying nonprofit organizations can apply for competitive grants to fund preservation, expansion, or management plans for these historically significant sites. The program requires applicants to submit detailed plans demonstrating public benefit and administrative capability, with the Department of State establishing application guidelines and monitoring grant use. The legislation appropriates $50 million from the General Fund immediately upon enactment to implement this preservation effort.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts residential customers in New Jersey from paying state sales and use tax on natural gas and electricity purchases. It directly affects homeowners and renters who pay for home energy services. Utilities must deduct the tax amount from monthly bills before charging customers, effectively removing the tax from their bills. The Division of Taxation and Board of Public Utilities will create implementation rules, and the law takes effect immediately. This change reduces costs for residential energy consumers by eliminating a state tax on these essential services.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A2865) allows resident homeowners to deduct the full cost of purchasing and installing a qualifying whole-house backup generator at their primary residence from their gross income tax. The generator must be permanently connected, run on natural gas or propane, operate only during power outages, and comply with all state and local installation regulations. It directly affects New Jersey homeowners who own a primary residence and install such a generator, providing a tax benefit for these expenses. The deduction applies to the year the generator is purchased and installed, and the bill takes immediate effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey municipalities to create a "dredging control reserve fund" using unspent annual dredging budget funds. The fund can be used for dredging activities like removing sand or silt from waterways to maintain navigation channels, managing dredged materials, or supporting maritime, recreation, or tourism industries. Any costs paid from the reserve must be reimbursed back into the fund. The Local Finance Board can establish rules to implement this program, and the bill takes effect immediately. It directly affects municipalities with waterway maintenance needs.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey Assembly Resolution (AR 94) expresses support for President Trump's declaration of a national energy emergency and his executive order aimed at expediting energy infrastructure projects. It does not create new laws but formally endorses efforts to streamline permitting for pipelines, refineries, and other energy projects to improve grid reliability and reduce energy costs. The resolution highlights concerns about grid strain, high energy prices, and the need for critical minerals to support energy infrastructure development. It will be sent to federal officials as a statement of legislative backing for these policy approaches.

Maddy summaryThis bill, now law as P.L.2025, c.272, provides employment protections for New Jersey paid first responders (including police, firefighters, EMTs, and 9-1-1 dispatchers) diagnosed with work-related PTSD. It prohibits employers from firing, harassing, or discriminating against employees who take leave for qualifying PTSD treatment, requiring reinstatement to their previous position after documented recovery. Employers violating these protections face civil fines ($5,000 for first violation, $10,000 for subsequent), court-ordered reinstatement, lost wages, and attorney fees. The law applies only when PTSD arises from on-the-job trauma or vicarious trauma experienced during official duties.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Education (DOE) to provide any school district with a request the specific data, software algorithms, and detailed calculations used to determine state school aid. It mandates disclosure of all data for every district - including how adequacy budgets, equalization aid, and local shares are calculated, adjusted when local shares exceed budgets, and the reconciliation showing total local share plus equalization aid equals statewide adequacy budgets. The DOE must share this information regardless of whether the software is considered proprietary. This transparency measure aims to help school districts verify that state aid formulas are applied correctly under existing law.