Asm. Roy Freiman

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $60 million from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax (CBT) revenues - funds already set aside by voter-approved constitutional amendment - to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for specific improvements at state parks, forests, and conservation lands. The funds will directly support projects like repairing bridges and buildings, developing camping facilities, enhancing habitat access, and maintaining historic structures across state-managed recreation areas. It uses existing tax revenues (not new taxes) that were constitutionally earmarked for open space preservation under the Preserve New Jersey Act. The DEP can implement these projects without requiring separate budget committee approvals, as specified in the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires telecom, cable, and internet providers in New Jersey to let customers cancel service contracts without early fees when moving to a long-term care facility for at least 90 days. It applies to individuals receiving a physician's referral or care plan for relocation to licensed facilities like nursing homes, assisted living, or dementia care homes. Customers must typically provide 45 days' notice (or 48 hours if a physician orders immediate relocation), and providers may request a physician's letter as proof. The bill does not relieve customers of equipment return fees or payments for equipment they already purchased.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the lists of environmental infrastructure projects approved for long-term funding under New Jersey's FY2025 environmental infrastructure funding program. It creates two specific eligibility lists: one for clean water projects (including 152 projects totaling $1.4 billion) and one for drinking water projects (including 67 projects totaling $536 million), detailing each project sponsor, project number, and estimated loan amounts. The bill authorizes the Department of Environmental Protection to make zero-interest and principal-forgiveness loans for these projects, with varying levels of principal forgiveness based on project type, community size, and affordability criteria. The loans are intended to finance infrastructure improvements for water quality and drinking water systems across the state, with specific repayment terms and priority rankings established for different project categories.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5155) allows current or former members of New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to purchase up to one year of retirement service credit for time spent as an Eagleton Science and Politics Fellow at Rutgers' Eagleton Institute. To qualify, members must pay contributions based on their salary at the time of the fellowship, submit documentation signed by the Eagleton Institute Director, and not already have retirement benefits for that service. The member pays all costs - employers are not liable - and the credit is calculated using actuarial factors. This applies only to fellowship service completed before the member's first PERS-eligible job.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey public bodies, such as city councils and county boards, to meet public meeting notice requirements by posting official notices online in qualified online newspapers or, if no qualified newspaper exists, by publishing on their official website and posting in a public location. It expands the legal definition of "newspaper" to include online publications that meet specific criteria, such as having a general paid circulation and being published within the state. Notices must be prominently displayed and remain available for the same duration required for traditional newspaper publication, ensuring continued public access to meeting information without mandating print media.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes significant changes to New Jersey's school funding system. It eliminates the use of census-based funding for special education aid, replacing it with a system that calculates aid based on the actual number of special education students in each district. The bill also establishes a reimbursement program for school districts to cover actual fuel costs for student transportation services. Additionally, it creates a 2% cap on annual reductions to State school aid and provides a Stabilization Aid program for districts facing budget imbalances.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies New Jersey's Farmland Assessment Act of 1964 by stating that land taxed at agricultural rates will not trigger additional "roll-back" taxes if farming stops due to retirement, disability, or similar reasons - without actively converting the land to non-farming use (like building homes or commercial sites). Roll-back taxes, which equal the difference between the lower farmland tax rate and the standard rate for non-farm land, are only required when the land is actively changed to non-agricultural purposes. The bill also maintains existing exemptions for land acquired by government or conservation groups for parks and recreation. This update aligns with a 1981 court ruling that deemed it unfair to penalize farmers who cease farming without altering land use.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's law governing employment programs for people with disabilities, renaming the "Sheltered Workshop Act" to the "Extended Employment Act." It changes eligibility requirements by redefining disabilities from "severe" to "significant" and removes the need for participants to complete workshop programs or prove they can't compete in the regular labor market. The bill eliminates oversight by the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, revises funding mechanisms to adjust annually based on inflation, and repeals outdated provisions about product labeling and sales from these programs. The changes aim to modernize the program to better serve people with disabilities who may not have qualified under previous rules. The bill directly affects nonprofit extended employment providers and people with disabilities enrolled in these programs.

Maddy summarySJR 71 designates the first full week of May each year as "Wounded Warrior Appreciation Week" in New Jersey to honor veterans who sustained physical or mental injuries while serving. The resolution requests the Governor issue a proclamation encouraging public awareness and support for wounded veterans adjusting to civilian life. It does not create new programs or funding but formally recognizes the challenges faced by veterans, including those with combat-related stress, depression, or traumatic brain injuries. This ceremonial designation applies statewide and became law in December 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 4148, now P.L.2024, c.103) requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education (DOE) to create and distribute informational materials about type 1 diabetes to parents and guardians of public school students. The materials must explain type 1 diabetes, its warning signs, screening recommendations, treatment planning, and school care protocols, as specified in the law. School districts must make these resources available to families through the DOE website. The law took effect immediately upon approval and directly affects all parents/guardians of students in New Jersey public schools.