Asm. Robert Karabinchak

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the State Capitol Joint Management Commission to create and implement an environmental sustainability plan for the New Jersey State House Complex. The plan must include specific measures like improving energy efficiency (using Energy Star products and alternative energy), water conservation, adopting green building standards, using sustainable food services (like locally sourced foods and compostable utensils), and reducing carbon emissions. The Commission must update the plan every four years, issue annual public progress reports online, and track performance metrics. This requirement directly affects all operations and management of the State House Complex, including maintenance, renovations, and contracting decisions.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A-1522 reduces mandatory parking requirements for new residential developments based on their distance to public transportation. The bill requires a 20% reduction in parking spaces for developments within 0.5-1 mile of transit, 30% for 0.25-0.5 miles, and 50% within 0.25 miles of rail stations, bus routes (with five or more regular routes), or bus stops (with 15+ stops). This directly affects residential developers building near qualifying transit infrastructure across the state. The policy aims to encourage transit-oriented development by lowering construction costs for projects close to public transportation. The bill is currently pending in the Assembly State and Local Government Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a $1.5 million grant program to help New Jersey local governments (municipalities, counties, and other units) hire efficiency review consultants. Local governments apply for grants up to $150,000 (counties) or $100,000 (municipalities), with the applicant contributing 25% of the grant amount. Recipients must report on how funds were used, cost savings achieved, and operational improvements within one year. The bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was approved as P.L.2025, c.377.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to add social media development services to its existing Small Business E-commerce Support Program. The program currently provides e-commerce and digital marketing consulting to eligible small businesses (like restaurants, retail stores, and personal care businesses in commercial locations), and this bill mandates that social media platform development assistance be included alongside current offerings like website and digital marketing support. It applies only to this specific pilot program under the Main Street Recovery Finance Program, established by the 2020 Economic Recovery Act. The change would take effect immediately upon enactment, but the requirement ends when the pilot program terminates.

Maddy summaryThis bill would prohibit the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) from charging extra fees for online services that cost nothing when completed in person at MVC offices. It directly affects New Jersey drivers who use the MVC website for tasks like license renewals, vehicle registration, or title transfers. The key provision requires online and in-person services to have identical fees, eliminating the online service fee reinstated by the MVC in 2019. If enacted, this would make all MVC online transactions free, matching the cost of in-person visits.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds $10 million from the off-budget Universal Service Fund to the NJSHARES-S.M.A.R.T. Program for utility payment assistance in New Jersey's fiscal year 2026. It directly helps low-income homeowners and renters facing financial hardship by providing grants to cover past-due utility bills (arrearages) and ongoing payments. The program requires applicants not to receive duplicate benefits from private insurance or other existing aid programs. The funding supplements a prior $5 million General Fund appropriation for the same program, directing the Commissioner of Community Affairs to establish quick-processing guidelines for eligible residents.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 2486) requires the Division of Taxation to create and maintain a free, online training program specifically for small and micro-businesses. The program will teach how to file and pay state taxes, including corporation business tax, gross income tax, and sales tax. It must be updated as tax laws change and made available on the Division's website. The bill directly affects small and micro-business owners who need help navigating state tax filing processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs to track and publicly report natural disaster-related spending by state agencies, counties, municipalities, school districts, and other local governments. It mandates organizing spending into four clear categories: preparedness (like training and planning), mitigation (reducing future damage), response (immediate actions after a disaster), and recovery (restoring communities). The department must publish simple, annual summaries online showing funding sources and whether reimbursements are expected, including data from local budget reports. This applies to all units of government that already submit budget summaries under existing laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey's Attorney General to file public nuisance lawsuits against lead paint manufacturers (both current and former) seeking monetary damages, rather than being limited to court orders to stop the problem. It removes requirements the Attorney General previously had to meet, such as proving a manufacturer physically controls lead paint or property containing it, or demonstrating a special injury. The bill also updates a product liability law to explicitly include lead paint claims under an exemption for environmental torts, ensuring these cases aren't barred by existing rules. This change directly responds to a 2007 court ruling that blocked similar claims by municipalities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to update the State Uniform Construction Code for parking structures to accommodate the heavier weight of electric vehicles (EVs). It mandates new parking structures to include at least 10% EV parking spaces, distribute EV spots to reduce weight concentration, and meet new load requirements for EVs and chargers. For existing structures, the DCA must develop monitoring systems for load performance and require owners to create 90-day remediation plans if structures are deemed unsafe due to EV weight, with potential closure for non-compliance. The changes directly affect developers of new parking facilities and owners of existing structures statewide.