Asm. Wayne DeAngelo

Maddy summaryThis bill allows municipalities, counties, school districts, and fire districts in New Jersey to voluntarily enter into pre-hire agreements (called project labor agreements) for public works projects costing less than $5 million. Currently, such agreements are only permitted for projects meeting or exceeding the $5 million threshold. The bill does not change the existing $5 million requirement for other public works projects but gives local governments the option to use these agreements for smaller projects if they determine it benefits cost, efficiency, or labor stability. It requires local entities to negotiate agreements in good faith and allows the state labor commissioner to review them for compliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides $3 million in supplemental funding to the New Jersey Division of State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit. The funds will directly support the unit's mission by covering costs for personnel training, equipment, vehicle purchases, software licenses, and staff mental health initiatives. The allocation is intended to help the ICAC Unit address rising online child exploitation, particularly as federal funding is currently unavailable due to a government shutdown. This is a funding measure, not a new policy, and applies solely to the State Police ICAC Unit's operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $3 million in supplemental funding to New Jersey's State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit. The funds cover specific operational needs including training, equipment, vehicle purchases, software licenses, and staff mental health support. Unspent funds from prior fiscal years must be carried forward to continue these efforts. The ICAC Unit directly serves children at risk of online exploitation by investigating digital crimes against minors.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates tiered retirement benefits in New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), moving all current non-retired members to the "Tier 1" benefit level previously available to members who joined before July 1, 2007. It requires public employers to enroll eligible employees (earning above minimum salary but not meeting hour requirements) into PERS within 60 days, and automatically transfers service credit from the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) to PERS for DCRP participants - without transferring their contributions - unless they opt out within six months. Disability recipients under long-term insurance become eligible for disability retirement benefits if they apply within two years. Changes apply only to retirement applications processed after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes municipalities and school districts to install school bus monitoring systems with cameras to capture vehicles illegally passing school buses. If a violation is recorded by such a system, the violator would face a $250 civil penalty instead of criminal penalties, with collected funds going to the municipality or school district for safety programs. The monitoring systems must capture specific evidence including the bus's flashing lights, the violating vehicle's license plate, and the date/time/location of the violation. Recorded images are not public records and must be purged within 95 days of recording. The registered owner of the vehicle would be liable for the penalty unless they can prove the vehicle was used without consent or was stolen.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows energy companies to build transmission and distribution infrastructure (like power lines) on farmland protected by conservation easements, but only under strict conditions. It requires projects to stay within a 50-foot right-of-way near the preserved farmland's edge, prohibits on-site energy generation, and mandates landowner approval. Projects meeting these rules automatically clear without committee review, while others require a 90-day application process where easement holders get 30 days to comment. The State Agriculture Development Committee must balance agricultural use against New Jersey’s energy needs when reviewing non-compliant requests.

Maddy summaryThe "John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey" requires all voting policies to be interpreted in ways that maximize voting access for all eligible voters, particularly members of racial, color, and language-minority groups. It prohibits voting practices that burden protected class members and mandates language assistance for limited English proficient voters. The bill creates a preclearance process for voting changes in jurisdictions with a history of voting rights violations and establishes the New Jersey Voting and Elections Institute to maintain public voting data. These provisions aim to ensure equitable access to voting and protect against voter suppression and vote dilution.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish an Alzheimer's disease public awareness and education program. The program must develop public campaigns about symptoms, early detection, and safety; create accessible educational materials for health providers; and train emergency responders, judicial staff, and social services personnel. DHS must consult with the Alzheimer's Association and make materials available online in English and Spanish. The initiative is subject to available funding and aims to improve community understanding and response to Alzheimer's disease.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires limited liability companies (LLCs) purchasing residential rental properties with one or two units to disclose their registered agent's name and business address when recording deeds. If the registered agent isn't a company member, the LLC must also provide the name of at least one member. The requirement applies to both domestic and foreign LLCs and affects deed submissions at county recording offices. It mandates these disclosures specifically for residential rental properties, not all real estate transactions.

Maddy summaryThe "Citizen's Fund Act" (A5980) establishes a trust fund that allows public entities (such as municipalities, counties, and school districts) to transfer revenue-producing assets like water or wastewater systems to the fund. The fund manages these assets to maximize their long-term value, with the increased value benefiting public pension systems through certificates of trust that are credited to a Common Pension Fund. This process requires an independent valuation of assets, a transfer agreement between the public entity and the fund, and ensures assets are managed to meet safety standards while increasing pension fund assets. The fund operates as a separate legal entity with its own board, and public benefit plans cannot pay for the asset transfer costs.