Asm. Wayne DeAngelo

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's state and county hazard mitigation plans (used to qualify for federal disaster aid) to include climate change impacts. Any new or revised plan must analyze climate-related threats to infrastructure (like roads and utilities), assess risks to vulnerable communities, and detail prevention strategies based on current science. It directly affects state and county emergency management offices responsible for creating these plans. The law also mandates that other related plans (like floodplain or recovery plans) align with the updated hazard mitigation strategies.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3171) requires the New Jersey Veterans' Memorial Homes in Paramus and Menlo Park to convert at least one section in each facility to single-occupancy rooms and upgrade their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to infection control standards. The Adjutant General may also require additional modifications like negative pressure ventilation for infectious disease control. Funding will come first from federal block grants (including American Rescue Plan Act funds) allocated to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, with state General Fund money covering shortfalls if needed. The changes directly affect veterans residing at these two specific facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new criminal offense called "victimization of a senior citizen or a person with a disability" in New Jersey. It applies when someone commits any crime listed in Chapters 11-18 of Title 2C (like assault or theft) against a person aged 62 or older, or someone with a medically determinable disability that substantially limits their ability to resist. The victimization charge is sentenced as one degree more serious than the underlying crime (e.g., a disorderly persons offense becomes a fourth-degree crime), requires separate sentencing for both the underlying crime and victimization, and adds mandatory parole supervision (3-5 years) after prison if the underlying crime was first or second degree. The bill defines "senior citizen" as 62+ and "person with a disability" as someone meeting federal Social Security disability criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1098) exempts New Jersey disabled veterans from admission fees at state parks and forests, and also removes fees for motor vehicle access to park beaches for fishing. It directly affects disabled veterans who are New Jersey residents and have been honorably discharged with a service-connected disability certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill amends existing law to add "disabled veteran" as a qualifying category for free admission (currently covering residents 62+, totally disabled individuals, and National Guard members with training completion) and specifically exempts this group from beach access fees. The policy change takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A515 allows utility lines for solar energy facilities approved by the Board of Public Utilities to cross municipally-owned preserved open space under specific conditions. It directly affects solar developers seeking to connect facilities to the grid and local municipalities managing conservation lands. Key provisions require lines to be underground with land restoration, prove no alternative routes exist, obtain local unit approval, and provide compensation - while ensuring the land remains usable for recreation and conservation. The bill streamlines grid connections for solar projects without altering land preservation status, pending compliance with these safeguards.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a public registry for individuals convicted of specific financial crimes in New Jersey, including insurance fraud, mortgage fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering. The Department of Law and Public Safety will operate a website listing offenders' names (excluding internet identifiers), physical descriptions, photos, and the crimes committed. Registration lasts 10 years for a first offense, an additional 10 years for a second, and for life for a third conviction. Offenders may apply for removal after five years if they've paid all restitution, completed court-ordered treatment, and have no new convictions (excluding minor traffic offenses). The registry includes disclaimers about accuracy and prohibits harassment, with strict verification of removal applications.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's wiretap law to allow law enforcement to obtain court-approved wiretap orders for investigating four specific crimes: luring or enticing a child, identity theft, stalking, and third or fourth degree cyber-harassment. It adds these offenses to the existing list of crimes for which wiretaps may be authorized, requiring law enforcement to still demonstrate probable cause to a judge. The policy change affects law enforcement agencies and individuals suspected of committing these crimes, without altering the standard judicial approval process. This update aligns wiretap authorization with modern digital and interpersonal crimes while maintaining existing legal safeguards.

Maddy summaryThis bill would establish a process for New Jersey voters to approve a constitutional convention specifically focused on reforming the state's property tax system. If voters approve the convention in November 2012, delegates would be elected in April 2013 to propose constitutional amendments and statutory changes aimed at creating a more equitable property tax system that reduces local government reliance on property taxes while maintaining revenue neutrality. The convention's proposals would be submitted to voters in November 2013 for approval as a single package, with specific prohibitions against changes to school funding obligations, affordable housing requirements, or collective bargaining rights. The bill appropriates $3.8 million for implementation and requires the convention to complete its work by August 2013.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new misdemeanor offense for harassing, intimidating, or bullying a minor based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or sexual orientation, whether through physical acts, electronic communication, or verbal gestures. It directly affects minors targeted by such behavior and juveniles charged with the offense. Key provisions mandate that juveniles charged with this offense must be diverted to remedial education or counseling programs (instead of court prosecution), designed to teach about legal consequences, long-term impacts, and connections to cyberbullying. Fines of up to $100 for a first offense and $250 for repeat offenses apply to both adults and juveniles.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey water and sewer authorities to charge residential customers based solely on metered water consumption, rather than factors like household size, number of fixtures, or property type. It allows for tiered rate structures where customers pay different rates based on their total water usage within a billing cycle. The bill specifically exempts residential customers with separate outdoor water accounts from sewer charges related to outdoor water use. This applies to all municipal water and sewer authorities and takes effect immediately, though entities without existing meters must implement it within four years.