Asm. Anthony Verrelli

Maddy summaryThis bill reorganizes New Jersey's State Health Benefits Program governance by expanding the State Health Benefits Commission to 11 members and eliminating the previous Plan Design Committee. It requires the program to offer exactly five health plans for employees and non-Medicare-eligible retirees, including a new "NJ Gold" plan that doesn't require salary-based employee contributions. The bill establishes an escalator system to adjust employee contribution rates based on premium cost trends, increasing rates if premiums rise significantly above inflation and decreasing them if premiums fall. Additionally, it mandates that local government employers must decide within one year whether to join the SHBP, with a two-year commitment if they choose to participate.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to create secure mobile driver's licenses and digital non-driver ID cards for residents who voluntarily request them. The digital versions will include all the same information as physical licenses, be accessible on smartphones or tablets, and allow users to update their motor vehicle records (like address changes) in real time, with updates overriding physical copies. The MVC must implement security features to prevent fraud and will be permitted to charge a reasonable fee for the service. The bill also explicitly allows drivers to display these digital IDs to police officers instead of physical cards, while protecting the privacy of other device contents.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the Capital City Redevelopment Corporation (CCRC) to issue grants for projects within the Capital City District. It removes a requirement that the CCRC must recover at least 65% of funds through repayment. The CCRC can now set repayment terms per project to suit economic feasibility. This change increases the CCRC's flexibility in financing redevelopment projects without the fixed recovery percentage.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey's Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) to provide supplemental tax credits to housing developers who have received four-percent low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) but would qualify for nine-percent LIHTC. The supplemental credits cover the "project financing gap" for qualifying housing projects, ensuring developers receive a subsidy equivalent to a nine-percent LIHTC. The agency can award these credits to developers who demonstrate a financing gap, with the credit amount limited to the smaller of either the gap amount or the amount needed to reach a nine-percent subsidy level. Developers may transfer or sell these tax credits under specific conditions, including minimum sale amounts and restrictions on further transfers.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that client companies (businesses using employee leasing services) must handle reporting separations from employment (like when a worker leaves a job), not the employee leasing companies. It explicitly states client companies are solely responsible for complying with these reporting rules and liable for penalties if they fail to report. The change overrides previous conflicting language in state law (R.S. 43:21-6 and R.S. 43:21-16) regarding separation reporting. This directly affects businesses that hire workers through staffing agencies, ensuring they manage this administrative requirement.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution, not a policy bill. It honors the late Congressman William J. Pascrell, Jr. (who served in Congress from 1997 until his death in 2024), specifically recognizing his founding role in the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force. The resolution urges New Jersey's current and future U.S. Congress members to join and support this bipartisan task force, which focuses on advancing brain injury awareness, research, and policy. It has no effect on laws or funding - it is purely a commemorative statement.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act" to improve transparency around vehicle recalls and provide fair compensation for dealers. It requires motor vehicle dealers to check for open recalls on used vehicles using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website before sale, inform prospective buyers about any recalls found, and not sell vehicles subject to stop-sale or do-not-drive notices. Dealers must also provide the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission with lists of vehicles with long-unfixed recalls (six months or more), triggering the Commission to send official notices to vehicle owners. The bill also establishes compensation requirements for dealers when parts are unavailable for recalled vehicles, requiring 1.75 percent of the vehicle's value per month for used vehicles or the manufacturer's suggested retail price for new vehicles.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill revises licensing requirements for ambulatory care facilities that provide surgical services. It removes a previous restriction requiring relocated facilities to stay within 20 miles of their current location or move to a designated "Health Enterprise Zone." The bill maintains other requirements including accreditation from CMS-recognized bodies, annual reporting of medical leadership, and timely reporting of ownership changes. This change primarily affects surgical practices and ambulatory care facilities seeking to relocate or obtain licensure for surgical services. The bill aims to streamline the licensing process while maintaining patient safety standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises licensing requirements for residential facilities providing substance use disorder treatment in New Jersey. It mandates new applicants to submit a financial audit by an independent accountant (paid by the applicant) and undergo criminal background checks for owners/principals, with licensure denied for findings of fraud or dishonesty. The Department of Health must also conduct unannounced facility inspections. These changes directly affect new and existing treatment facilities seeking or maintaining state licensure.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey electric utilities to obtain a certificate from the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) before starting new transmission lines or modifying existing ones (except for projects already approved by PJM Interconnection). Utilities must submit an application with necessary details and pay a fee, and the BPU must review the request within 150 days (with a possible 75-day extension), evaluating if the project is necessary, cost-effective, and financially feasible for both the utility and its customers. If approved, the BPU authorizes the project and sets a completion timeline, ensuring projects align with reliability and cost-efficiency standards.