Asm. Alex Sauickie

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Farm to School Local Food Procurement Reimbursement Grant Program to help school districts increase their sourcing of local foods for students. It appropriates $6,500,000 from the General Fund, with $5.5 million dedicated to grants and $1 million for administrative costs. Eligible school districts (those serving students eligible for subsidized meals) can apply for annual grants based on size: small districts (under 5,000 students) receive $10,000-$50,000, medium districts (5,000-10,000 students) get $20,000-$125,000, and large districts (10,000+ students) receive $44,000-$250,000. At least 80% of grant funds must reimburse costs for sourcing additional local foods, while up to 20% can cover equipment or staff training, with priority given to districts in food deserts or those sourcing from small/mid-sized farms.

Maddy summaryThe bill modifies New Jersey's definition of Class I renewable energy to include nuclear fission, which was previously excluded from renewable energy classifications. It establishes a Corporation Business Tax (CBT) credit of $1,000 per gigawatt hour for facilities producing "clean baseload energy" (defined as reliable, continuous power generation without greenhouse gas emissions). Nuclear power plant operators would be directly affected, as they could claim this credit for electricity generated from nuclear fission. To qualify, taxpayers must apply for certification from the Board of Public Utilities, and the credit would be limited to 50% of tax liability for the relevant tax period.

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural resolution (not a bill) establishing a special committee. It creates the "Assembly Special Committee on Staten Island Annexation" with 12 members (6 appointed by the Assembly Speaker, 6 by the Minority Leader). The committee's sole purpose is to investigate New Jersey's historical, legal, and geographic claims to Staten Island - including colonial land grants, the 1834 boundary compact, and relevant case law - and to report on lawful avenues for annexation, subject to consent from Staten Island residents, New York State, and Congress. The committee must publish a final report after completing its work.

Maddy summaryACR 172 proposes a constitutional amendment to lower New Jersey's minimum farmland acreage requirement for property tax assessment from five to three acres. This change would allow smaller farms (3-5 acres) to qualify for partial tax benefits, with 60% of valuation based on agricultural use for 3-4 acre plots and 80% for 4-5 acre plots. Land of five acres or more would retain full agricultural assessment, unchanged from current law. The amendment maintains the existing two-year consecutive agricultural use requirement for qualification.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires owners or operators of solar energy facilities 1 megawatt or larger to inspect power inverters and related infrastructure within six months for remote-access devices that could allow unauthorized disruption. Any insecure components must be replaced with secure alternatives. New facilities of this size cannot begin operations until they complete this inspection. The law applies directly to large-scale solar facility operators and aims to prevent security vulnerabilities in grid-connected solar infrastructure.

Maddy summaryBill A5939 transfers authority for inspecting on-farm dairy processing activities from the New Jersey Department of Health to the Department of Agriculture. It requires the Agriculture Department to collaborate with the Department of Health and local health boards when conducting these inspections. The bill also allows the Agriculture Secretary to create necessary rules under state administrative law. This change directly affects dairy farmers who process milk on their farms, as their inspections will now be managed by the Agriculture Department instead of Health. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, South Jersey Transportation Authority, and their contracted administrators from charging service fees to E-ZPass account holders. It specifically bans fees added to monthly bills solely for enrolling in the E-ZPass system, not for actual toll usage. The bill defines "service fee" as an extra charge for enrollment, not for toll transactions, and applies to all current and future E-ZPass account holders in New Jersey. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits electric and gas public utilities in New Jersey from charging residential customers fixed fees based on account management (like meter reading, billing, or service line maintenance) instead of usage. It directly affects residential utility customers by banning these "customer charges," which are currently assessed regardless of how much electricity or gas a household uses. The law defines these prohibited charges as any fixed fee not tied to actual consumption, covering administrative costs like billing and metering. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryACR 171 proposes a constitutional amendment to prevent New Jersey governments from using eminent domain (taking private property for public use with fair compensation) to acquire land actively used for farming or gardening, except when the property is permanently restricted for agricultural use. It would apply to the state, counties, municipalities, school districts, and local public entities. The amendment would prohibit taking active farmland for non-farming purposes like development, but allow acquisition if the land is legally bound to remain in agricultural use forever. This change requires voter approval after legislative passage.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A3558 bill establishes the state's official definition of antisemitism using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) standard, including specific examples of antisemitic conduct. State agencies and institutions must use this definition when reviewing, investigating, or deciding on cases involving discriminatory acts motivated by antisemitism. The bill appropriates $100,000 for a public awareness campaign by the Attorney General's office to educate residents on identifying and reporting bias crimes through community outreach and the existing bias crimes hotline. This campaign aims to improve reporting of antisemitic incidents without affecting First Amendment rights or conflicting with existing anti-discrimination laws.