Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes municipalities and school districts to install school bus monitoring systems with cameras to capture vehicles illegally passing school buses. If a violation is recorded by such a system, the violator would face a $250 civil penalty instead of criminal penalties, with collected funds going to the municipality or school district for safety programs. The monitoring systems must capture specific evidence including the bus's flashing lights, the violating vehicle's license plate, and the date/time/location of the violation. Recorded images are not public records and must be purged within 95 days of recording. The registered owner of the vehicle would be liable for the penalty unless they can prove the vehicle was used without consent or was stolen.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a regulated framework for psilocybin use in behavioral health treatment for New Jersey residents aged 21 and older. It creates an 18-month development period during which a Psilocybin Advisory Board will develop guidelines, followed by licensing requirements for psilocybin product manufacturers, service centers, and facilitators. The bill decriminalizes psilocybin use for those 21+ and expunges past convictions related to psilocybin offenses. It also includes a social opportunity program to promote equitable access and requires strict tracking of psilocybin products for safety and regulatory purposes.
Maddy summaryThe "John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey" requires all voting policies to be interpreted in ways that maximize voting access for all eligible voters, particularly members of racial, color, and language-minority groups. It prohibits voting practices that burden protected class members and mandates language assistance for limited English proficient voters. The bill creates a preclearance process for voting changes in jurisdictions with a history of voting rights violations and establishes the New Jersey Voting and Elections Institute to maintain public voting data. These provisions aim to ensure equitable access to voting and protect against voter suppression and vote dilution.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's film and digital media tax credit program to require that all original music and musical scores developed for qualifying productions must be produced and recorded domestically within the United States. The requirement directly affects film and digital media companies seeking tax credits under the program, making domestic music production a necessary condition for eligibility. The tax credit program allows eligible producers to claim credits of 30-40% of qualified production expenses, with additional requirements related to New Jersey-based work. This policy change updates the program to ensure that music content for eligible productions is created within the U.S.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires all electric public utilities in New Jersey to create and submit detailed grid modernization plans within one year. The plans must outline specific projects to modernize the electricity distribution system, including integrating energy storage, improving storm resilience, supporting renewable energy connections, and reducing outages. Utilities must include cost estimates and timelines, and the Board of Public Utilities must review and approve the plans within 240 days. Once approved, utilities must begin implementing the plan within 90 days. The bill directly affects all electric utilities serving New Jersey customers, aiming to enhance grid reliability and support state climate goals.
Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill amends local budget processes to extend key deadlines for municipalities and counties. It pushes the budget submission deadline to February 28, extends the budget approval period to March 31, and lengthens the audit deadline to eight months after the fiscal year ends. The bill increases penalties for governing body members who fail to comply with budget requirements from $25 to $100 and raises the allowable temporary budget amount from 26.25% to 35% for municipalities using a calendar fiscal year. Additionally, it requires filling key budget-related positions within 90 days, with possible extensions from the Director of the Division of Local Government Services.
Maddy summaryThis bill changes how New Jersey workers' compensation benefits calculate the value of employer-provided board and lodging. Instead of automatically counting it at $25 per week, it requires using current market value unless the employee agreed to a different amount at hiring. However, if a worker continues to receive board or lodging during total temporary disability, its value will not be included in compensation calculations. The change affects workers' compensation claimants whose employers provide housing or meals as part of their wages.
Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $52,798,268 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and existing farmland preservation funds to New Jersey's State Agriculture Development Committee. It funds the protection of farmland through purchase or easements, providing grants to counties (up to 80% of acquisition costs) and nonprofits (up to 50% of costs), plus $3.45 million for stewardship activities like soil conservation and deer fencing. The funds also cover administrative costs ($28.3 million) for program management and enforcement. This directly supports landowners selling easements, local governments acquiring farmland, and farm operators maintaining preserved land.
Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $52,798,268 from existing farmland preservation funds to the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) for farmland preservation. It provides $21 million for acquiring development easements or fee simple titles to farmland, including grants to counties (up to 80% of costs) and nonprofits (up to 50% of costs). An additional $3.45 million supports stewardship activities like soil conservation and deer fencing on preserved farmland, while $28.3 million covers administrative costs for SADC operations and enforcement. The funding directly affects landowners, local governments, and nonprofit organizations working to preserve agricultural land in New Jersey.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey health insurance plans (both hospital and medical service corporations) to cover specific lipedema treatments, directly affecting patients diagnosed with this chronic condition and their insurers. It mandates coverage for compression garments, manual lymphatic drainage, medical nutrition therapy, mental health care, and medically necessary lipectomies (including pre- and post-surgery appointments). Insurers must accept physician diagnoses and surgeon documentation (including photos for diagnosis support) but cannot deny coverage based solely on photos, and must cover the full number of lipectomies deemed necessary by the surgeon. The bill also requires prior authorization for lipectomies to remain valid for one year without arbitrary revocation, aligning with existing prior authorization rules.