Asm. Anthony Verrelli

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2833) requires municipal courts in New Jersey to notify applicants for public defender services about any required application fee and the process to waive it if they cannot afford the fee. It applies to municipalities that have ordinances requiring such fees (capped at $200 under existing law). The bill mandates that courts provide this notice to all applicants and prohibits charging any fee beyond the $200 limit permitted by current law (P.L.1997, c.256). It takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey electric, gas, and water utilities to notify customers about service outages using automated phone calls, text messages, and email alerts - using contact information already on file with the utility. The alerts must include outage location, estimated duration, utility and emergency contact details, and how to report related issues. Outages caused by non-payment are excluded, and state/local emergency agencies may share utility-provided outage information through their own alert systems. The requirement takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill would raise the minimum age to obtain a firearms purchaser identification card (required for purchasing rifles and shotguns) from 18 to 21 years old. It would not affect the existing requirement that handgun purchasers must be at least 21 years old. Under the bill, people under 21 could still possess firearms for specific purposes like hunting with a valid license and safety certification, military training, or target practice under supervision. Active duty military members, reservists, and National Guard members would remain eligible for the card before age 21. Those who already had the card before the bill's effective date could continue to use it.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Municipal Land Use Law to explicitly list "sterile syringe access programs" as an "inherently beneficial use." This change means these programs will automatically meet a key requirement for zoning approvals, reducing the need for municipalities to conduct lengthy reviews when considering their establishment. Sterile syringe access programs provide clean needles to people who inject drugs, helping prevent the spread of HIV and hepatitis C. The bill does not alter how these programs operate but simplifies their local approval process.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Invasive Species Task Force within the Department of Agriculture. The task force, composed of nine members including department heads (Agriculture, Environmental Protection, Health, Forestry, and Rutgers Agricultural Experiment Station) and four public members with invasive species expertise, will study control methods and develop statewide plans. Key provisions require the task force to create an updated list of all invasive species every three years, identify regulatory barriers, and submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature detailing species impacts, spread patterns, and recommendations for prevention and ecosystem restoration. The task force must hold quarterly public meetings across all regions of New Jersey and post its work online.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases financial aid to New Jersey municipalities from the Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund over two years, restoring approximately $331 million in reduced aid payments that municipalities received during fiscal years 2009-2011. In fiscal year 2023, municipalities will receive 50% of the difference between their 2008 and 2012 aid distributions, with full restoration beginning in 2024. Municipalities must subtract any additional aid received from their property tax levy calculations and cannot anticipate this aid when creating annual budgets. The bill requires municipalities to amend their budgets to properly reflect the total aid amount, ensuring the aid directly reduces the amount they need to raise through property taxes.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey registrars to issue certified electronic copies of vital records - including birth, death, marriage, civil union, and domestic partnership certificates - alongside paper copies upon request. It requires the Commissioner of Health to establish security standards for electronic copies, including identity verification, data encryption, and privacy protections. The change applies to authorized requesters (such as individuals, family members, or government agencies) who already qualify for paper certified copies under current law. Electronic copies must be distinguishable from non-certified informational versions and maintain the same authentication requirements as paper records.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a five-year WATER Pilot Program within New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development to support new apprenticeship programs in water infrastructure, utilities, and related sectors. It appropriates $1 million to fund grants for eligible organizations (including businesses, colleges, nonprofits, and public utilities) that partner with industry to create accredited apprenticeships, with priority given to programs serving underserved communities. Grant recipients must demonstrate workforce needs, recruitment plans, and how funds will be used, while annual reports will track participant enrollment, completion, and job placement outcomes. The program requires coordination with New Jersey's existing workforce development initiatives and mandates annual evaluations of its effectiveness by the Department of Labor.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's homestead property tax reimbursement program to exclude veterans' disability compensation from the income calculation used for eligibility. Specifically, it removes U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs disability payments (for service-connected injuries) from the income count when determining if a veteran qualifies for the program. Currently, the program has income limits (e.g., $37,174 for single applicants in 2000), but this change ensures veterans' disability compensation is not counted toward those limits. As a result, more veterans receiving VA disability benefits will become eligible for property tax reimbursements they might otherwise be disqualified from due to income thresholds.

Maddy summaryThis bill lowers the age at which minors can consent to behavioral health care services from 16 to 14 years old. It allows minors aged 14 or older to independently consent to temporary outpatient mental health treatment (excluding medication) under licensed professionals like psychologists or social workers, without needing parental permission. The consent is binding as if the minor were an adult, and the treatment remains confidential. This change applies specifically to outpatient services for mental illness or emotional disorders, not inpatient care or medication administration.