Asm. Sterley Stanley

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public agencies receiving state funds for public work to publicly post on their websites a monthly breakdown of how much of those funds was used for contracts with minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses versus other businesses. If an agency lacks a website, it must submit the data to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, which will post and update it monthly. The Department of Labor must also annually summarize this information in a report to the Governor and Legislature. The requirement applies to all state and local government entities, including departments, boards, and public institutions, but excludes contracts for goods or products.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires developers to include sufficient onsite parking spaces for tractor trailers at new "large warehouses" (defined as facilities over 100,000 square feet used for storage/loading/unloading) as a condition of preliminary site plan approval. The parking must prevent overnight overflow onto neighboring properties or public roads between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Municipalities may create zoning ordinances that allow reduced parking requirements if they address overflow issues. It amends New Jersey’s zoning law to mandate this provision for large warehouse developments.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) Review Committee to examine how New Jersey's open records law operates in practice. The 11-member committee - including government officials, media representatives, law enforcement, and public advocates - will review OPRA's implementation, focusing on balancing public access with privacy rights, addressing commercial use concerns, and investigating complaints of harassment through records requests. It will consider potential changes like limiting commercial requests, adding response time buffers for agencies, and modernizing fees, but will not amend the law itself. The committee must report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature and Governor within one year of its first meeting, after which it will expire.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires natural gas utilities and other heating fuel suppliers in New Jersey to annually purchase "clean heat credits" representing greenhouse gas emissions reductions from qualifying clean heating measures. Suppliers must cover 5% of emissions in the first year after implementation, increasing to 20% by 2030, 50% by 2040, and 80% by 2050. Property owners who install eligible measures - such as heat pumps, energy efficiency upgrades, or renewable energy systems - generate credits for each ton of avoided emissions, which they sell to suppliers. Suppliers may also pay an alternative compliance fee into the Global Warming Solutions Fund instead of buying credits.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new "restricted convenience store license" allowing convenience stores to sell beer and wine (not hard liquor) for off-premises consumption. It requires that at least 20% of alcoholic beverages displayed must be made by New Jersey breweries, wineries, or cideries, and defines convenience stores as those between 800-5,000 square feet primarily selling groceries. Stores must pay a $5,000 initial fee (75% to the municipality) and $1,000 annual renewal fee. Municipalities can opt out of issuing these licenses, but the bill removes existing limits on how many such licenses can be granted in a community.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3371) removes the current 72-hour waiting period for marriage and civil union licenses in New Jersey, requiring licenses to be issued immediately upon application. It directly affects couples applying for these licenses by eliminating the mandatory delay that currently applies, except in emergency cases (which the bill removes as a separate exception). The key change amends state law to state that licenses "shall be issued immediately upon filing of the application," while maintaining the existing 30-day validity period for issued licenses. This is a substantive policy change affecting all applicants, not a procedural or commemorative measure.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Assembly Bill A3373 establishes a state-funded campaign to recruit more lifeguards, aiming to reduce drowning deaths. The Department of Health must develop a public awareness effort using social media, radio, TV, and printed materials - including an informational pamphlet about lifeguard requirements, training, and benefits - to be distributed at beaches, schools, sports facilities, and other public venues. The bill appropriates $1 million from the state general fund to cover campaign costs. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 15-member task force to study the feasibility of transitioning New Jersey's Executive Branch to a paperless government system. The task force will examine cybersecurity needs, technology options, cost-benefit analyses, legal changes required, and specific processes like electronic permits and records retention. It must issue an interim report within six months and a final report within one year, after which the task force will expire six months later. The study aims to inform potential future legislation but does not mandate any immediate changes to government operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a "Direct Wine Shipping License" that would allow wineries (both in New Jersey and out-of-state) to ship wine directly to consumers, with a limit of 12 cases per year (each case not exceeding nine liters). To qualify, wineries must not have distributed wine through a New Jersey licensed wholesaler in the 120 days before applying, and they must not distribute wine through a New Jersey wholesaler during the license term. The license is available to wineries that produce 250,000 gallons or less annually, which is already the current limit for direct shipping under New Jersey law. License holders would also be required to collect and pay applicable taxes on direct shipments.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's Volunteer Tuition Credit Program to cover volunteers (active members of fire/rescue squads) and their eligible dependents (children or spouses) enrolled in four-year public colleges, previously limited to county colleges and vocational schools. It increases the annual tuition credit from $600 to $1,000, raising the maximum total credit over four years from $2,400 to $4,000. To qualify, volunteers must agree to serve for four years and maintain a "C" grade average. The program remains limited to students with available classroom space and those meeting minimum enrollment requirements.