Rep. Kevin Egan

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts sales of refined precious metal bullion (like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bars) and high-value numismatic coins ($1,000 or more) from New Jersey's sales and use tax. It directly affects buyers purchasing these specific investment-grade items, not jewelry or art made from them. The law defines "investment bullion" as unprocessed metals where value depends on metal content, excluding fabricated items like jewelry. It also excludes commemorative medallions and coins used in artistic works from the exemption.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2812) exempts the sale of defined investment metal bullion (like refined gold, silver, platinum, or palladium) and investment coins (numismatic coins valued at $1,000 or more) from New Jersey's sales and use tax. It directly affects buyers purchasing these specific items for investment purposes, excluding jewelry, art made from coins, and commemorative medallions. The exemption applies to retail sales made after the bill's effective date, which is the first day of the fourth month following enactment. This policy change aligns the tax treatment of these items with other investment instruments like stocks, which are not subject to sales tax.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4522) requires criminal history background checks for construction and public works workers entering school buildings during school hours, aligning their check standards with those for regular school employees. It directly affects school districts (which must update visitor policies to register these workers upon entry) and third-party contractors (who must certify all workers have passed checks). Key provisions include mandating checks through the State Bureau of Identification, applying the same disqualification criteria as for school staff (e.g., violent crimes or certain drug offenses), and increasing fines for non-compliance to $1,000 for first offenses. The bill also requires the State Board of Education to revise safety guidelines to help districts implement these policy updates.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey taxpayers to deduct union dues paid to labor organizations from their gross income when filing state taxes. It directly affects individuals who pay dues to labor organizations, including public employees represented by such groups. The key provision requires taxpayers to provide verification of dues paid to the Division of Taxation to claim the deduction. The bill defines "union dues" broadly to include all required membership fees, and "labor organization" as any group addressing work conditions like wages or grievances. The deduction applies to taxable years beginning after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the sale, distribution, manufacture, or import of jewelry containing more than 0.03% cadmium by weight in New Jersey. It directly affects jewelry manufacturers, distributors, importers, and retail stores, requiring immediate recalls of non-compliant products. Retailers must remove recalled jewelry from sale within 48 hours and return all inventory to the manufacturer within 14 days at the manufacturer's cost. Manufacturers must dispose of recalled jewelry within 60 days to prevent public access, with violations enforced under the Consumer Fraud Act.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3778) reaffirms the ongoing operation of the Rutgers Institute of Management and Labor Relations, established in 1947, and appropriates $750,000 annually from the state General Fund to support its work. The Institute will continue offering affordable educational programs - including classes, conferences, and webinars - focused on labor-management relations, with tuition designed to be free for New Jersey residents. It mandates an advisory council with equal representation from labor, management, and the public to guide the Institute’s programs. The funding is supplemental to existing state allocations and must be used to support the Institute’s educational and research activities on workplace issues.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 15-member Task Force on Mercury Exposure in Schools and Child Care Centers within New Jersey's Department of Health. The task force will examine health risks from mercury in flooring, develop testing protocols for schools and licensed child care centers, create remediation standards, and provide implementation strategies. It requires the task force to submit a final report with recommendations within one year of its formation, after which it will dissolve. The bill directly affects public and nonpublic schools and licensed child care centers statewide by creating a structured process to address potential mercury hazards in their facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A564) amends New Jersey law to explicitly include "emergency, transitional, and permanent housing" as a permitted use of the "Domestic Violence Victims' Fund." The fund, which is administered by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, currently receives civil penalties ($50-$500) imposed on domestic violence offenders and other designated funds. This change ensures that housing assistance for domestic violence victims is directly funded through this dedicated source, alongside existing services like shelter, legal advocacy, and transportation. The bill applies to all domestic violence victims in New Jersey receiving services through the Department of Children and Families.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows registered qualifying patients who are 21 years or older to grow up to four mature cannabis plants and four immature plants for their personal medical use at home. Patients must notify the Cannabis Regulatory Commission of their intent to home cultivate and specify who will be authorized to grow the cannabis, with no more than one person allowed to cultivate for a patient at any time. Patients can change their designated home cultivator with 10 days' notice, and any plants not transferred to the new cultivator must be surrendered to law enforcement. The bill also prohibits selling, donating, or distributing home-cultivated cannabis to unauthorized individuals, with penalties including civil fines up to $1,000 and loss of registration with the commission.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A563) amends New Jersey law to classify disclosing a domestic violence or sexual assault victim's personal information as a second-degree crime, regardless of the monetary value involved. It directly affects public servants (like law enforcement or government employees) who might improperly share such sensitive details. The key change removes the current $200 threshold that would downgrade similar misconduct to a third-degree crime if the benefit was minor. Under this bill, any disclosure of victim information would automatically be treated as a more serious second-degree offense, carrying penalties of 5-10 years in prison or fines up to $150,000.