Rep. Craig Coughlin

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey municipalities to qualify for preferential treatment when applying for state-funded grants by adopting specific strategies to encourage denser residential development. Municipalities must update their master plans and zoning regulations to include housing strategies like permitting accessory dwelling units, reducing parking requirements, or allowing multi-unit buildings in areas previously restricted to single-family homes. After implementing these changes and submitting the updated plans to the state, eligible municipalities receive priority in competitive grant distributions. The preference applies to most state grants but excludes programs focused on fair housing obligations or shared services.

Maddy summaryAJR 119 designates November 7 of each year as "Shwachman Diamond Syndrome Awareness Day" in New Jersey. This symbolic resolution directly affects residents of New Jersey living with Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome (SDS), a rare genetic disorder impacting bone marrow, pancreas, and skeletal development. The bill requires the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and citizens to observe the day with awareness activities. It aims to increase public understanding of SDS, support affected individuals, and promote further research into the condition. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but serves as a formal recognition of the disorder.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services (DHS) to create a web-based tool and mobile app to help residents meet new work requirements for NJ FamilyCare and SNAP programs. It directs DHS to partner with the Governor's Office of Volunteerism to build a searchable database of approved volunteer opportunities that count toward the 80-hour monthly community service requirement for NJ FamilyCare (affecting 1.8 million recipients) and expanded SNAP work rules (affecting 425,000 households). The system will allow beneficiaries to find, register for, and document volunteer hours online, with annual audits to verify compliance. The law aims to prevent beneficiaries from losing coverage due to administrative hurdles under federal changes to these safety-net programs.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill introduces a 9 percent surtax on income generated by prediction markets, affecting both the companies that run these platforms and the individuals who earn money from them. The law defines prediction markets as systems where people bet on the outcomes of future events, such as elections, sports games, or entertainment releases, and applies to operators starting July 1, 2025, while taxing individual earnings beginning January 1, 2026. Under the new rules, these taxes are calculated on net income for businesses and gross income for individuals, with very limited options for tax credits available to offset the liability.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public schools to prominently display a direct link to the subsidized school meals application on their official websites. It directly affects public schools by adding this website posting requirement to existing rules about meal applications. The key provision mandates that schools place the link in a visible location on their internet sites, making it easier for families to access the application. This change aims to improve accessibility to school meal programs without altering eligibility rules or funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Commissioner of Education to provide school districts with two key notices annually: a preliminary notice of the minimum state aid amount due for the next school year (by the end of the first week in December, starting 2026) and a maximum aid notice within two days of the Governor's budget message. It mandates the creation of a New Jersey Education Funding Portal to centralize these notices, along with district-specific adequacy budgets and projected local funding rates. The bill also modifies how state aid is calculated, requiring the use of budget year pupil counts with adjustments for actual counts in the following school year. These changes directly affect all New Jersey public school districts by improving the transparency and timing of funding information for budget planning.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies New Jersey's NJBEST educational savings program to expand eligibility for matching grants. Taxpayers with gross income of $75,000 or less who open an NJBEST account will now qualify for a dollar-for-dollar match on **all initial deposits** (not just the first deposit), up to a total $750 grant. The change clarifies that all initial contributions to the account - within the $750 cap - will be matched, whereas current law only referenced "the initial deposit." It directly affects low-to-moderate-income New Jersey residents opening these accounts for education savings.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors Thomas Mundy Peterson as the first African American to vote in the United States following the ratification of the 15th Amendment. It commemorates his historic March 31, 1870, vote in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, after the amendment guaranteed voting rights regardless of race. The resolution recognizes his civic contributions, including serving on a city charter committee and becoming Perth Amboy's first African American jury member. It is a commemorative measure with no legislative provisions or policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 250) is a ceremonial measure that directs the New Jersey General Assembly to hold a special commemorative session at Princeton University’s Nassau Hall on February 5, 2026. It marks the 250th anniversary of the first meeting of the State Legislature, which occurred at Nassau Hall in August 1776. The resolution does not create new laws or affect any specific groups; it solely schedules a historical observance to reflect on New Jersey’s founding and its enduring relationship with Princeton University. Copies will be sent to Princeton’s president as part of this commemorative event.

Maddy summaryThe "Transparency in Government Act" (A-3147) would require New Jersey's State Treasurer to create and maintain a public website showing detailed state financial data. The website must display annual spending (like salaries, vendor payments, and bond debt), revenues (taxes, grants, and fees), and bond information starting from fiscal year 2000, all in a searchable format. State agencies must provide this data from existing financial systems within 45 days after each fiscal year ends, and the site must be updated annually without removing historical data. This bill directly affects all state agencies, which must supply the data, and benefits the public by making government finances accessible online.