Asm. Joe Danielsen

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's electric utilities to create special pricing rules (tariffs) for data centers within 180 days of the law taking effect. The tariffs must protect regular electricity customers (non-data center ratepayers) from cost increases caused by data centers' high energy use. Utilities must also design tariffs to encourage data centers to improve energy efficiency, including using technologies that capture and reuse waste heat. The Board of Public Utilities will review and approve these tariffs, and utilities must implement them for all data centers in their service area one year after the law passes.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 2373 (the "New Jersey First Responders PTSD Protection Act"), protects paid first responders (including police, firefighters, EMTs, and 911 dispatchers) who are diagnosed with work-related PTSD. It prohibits public employers from firing, harassing, or discriminating against these employees for taking leave related to a PTSD diagnosis verified by a licensed medical professional. Employers must reinstate employees to their prior roles after medical clearance and face civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation if they retaliate. The law applies only when PTSD arises from trauma directly tied to job duties, such as witnessing incidents or experiencing vicarious trauma while performing official responsibilities.

Maddy summaryS 2961 requires contractors working on New Jersey public works projects (funded by public money) to certify that each employee meets one of three minimum qualifications: a high school diploma or GED, enrollment in an equivalent apprenticeship program, or four years of documented trade work experience verified by tax filings. Contractors must submit this certification as part of their registration with the state, alongside other required documentation like business details and insurance proof. Non-compliance could lead to denial, suspension, or revocation of the contractor’s public works registration. The bill directly affects contractors bidding on public projects and the workers they employ on those projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes deputy county clerks in New Jersey to perform marriage and civil union ceremonies, which they were previously unable to do under state law. It amends statute R.S.37:1-13 to explicitly include "deputy county clerk" as an authorized official, alongside county clerks and other existing roles like judges and mayors. The change directly affects deputy county clerks statewide, expanding their official duties without requiring new training or certification. The bill does not alter requirements for other authorized officials or create new administrative processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 3-year pilot program requiring New Jersey counties to establish "Code Red" alerts during extreme heat events when the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory. It directly affects at-risk individuals living outdoors or in poorly insulated housing who face weather-related health risks. Counties must coordinate with municipalities and social service agencies to set up cooling centers, transportation, and outreach plans during alerts, with volunteer organizations operating under county guidance. The program includes liability protection for participants and requires a state report on the pilot’s effectiveness after three years, with counties eligible for reimbursement of administrative costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill would add sickle cell anemia to the list of qualifying medical conditions for New Jersey's medical cannabis program. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized by chronic anemia and periodic pain episodes. If enacted, the bill would allow patients diagnosed with sickle cell anemia to obtain medical cannabis under the state's existing medical cannabis laws. The bill amends P.L.2009, c.307 to expand the list of qualifying conditions without changing the process for obtaining medical cannabis.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A5935 bill makes several changes to charter school operations. It requires charter schools to provide application materials in the seven most common non-English languages spoken by limited-English proficiency students in their district, based on census data. The bill prohibits charter schools from establishing admission criteria for students selected through random selection and mandates student placement liaisons to coordinate student transitions and track enrollment data. Charter schools must also report annual exit data (reasons, dates, placements) and set specific requirements for non-resident students participating in athletics.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new requirements for New Jersey charter schools, their boards of trustees, and charter management organizations. It mandates transparency by requiring charter schools to maintain public websites with budgets, meeting notices, annual reports, and board member information. The bill sets standards for board membership (requiring relevant experience and local residence), prohibits non-disclosure agreements as employment conditions, and requires charter management organizations receiving public funds to file tax documents. These provisions aim to increase accountability and governance standards while maintaining charter schools' independence from traditional public schools.

Maddy summaryS 4835 allows New Jersey voters to correct mail-in ballots with certain envelope issues instead of having them rejected. The bill expands the current process (which only permitted curing for signature issues) to include cases where voters failed to insert ballots in inner envelopes, didn't sign certificates, or had missing/unsealed envelopes. If a ballot is rejected for these reasons, county election offices must send a "cure letter" within 24 hours, giving voters 48 hours before non-general election results are certified (or 11 days after general elections) to either submit a corrected ballot or vote in-person using a provisional ballot. This change aims to prevent legitimate votes from being lost due to minor technical errors.

Maddy summaryS 4858, the "New Jersey Veterans and Military Spouses Asset Protection Act," provides enhanced creditor protections for veterans, active-duty service members, and their military spouses. It exempts their primary and secondary homes from forced sale for debts (with exceptions for mortgages, taxes, or fraud), protects retirement accounts and veterans' benefits from creditors, and shields up to two vehicles per household valued at $25,000 each. The law applies to debts incurred on or after January 1, 2025, and supplements existing federal protections like the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. It does not cover debts from willful misconduct, fraud, or government obligations.