Asm. Don Guardian

Maddy summaryThis bill provides free hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses and free admission to New Jersey state parks and forests for disabled veterans (honorably discharged with a service-connected disability), active and retired New Jersey National Guard members, active duty military personnel stationed or residing in New Jersey, and members of the state's military reserves. It amends existing laws to eliminate fees for these groups and requires the state to cover the cost by appropriating funds from the General Fund to the hunters' and anglers' license fund. The Department of Environmental Protection will determine acceptable documentation for verifying eligibility, such as military service records or VA disability certifications. The bill takes effect January 1 following enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an annual grant program to fund county public safety answering points (PSAPs), which are local emergency call centers handling 9-1-1 calls. It allocates 10% of the $0.90 fee collected from telephone bills (under existing law) to support PSAPs in purchasing, upgrading, maintaining, and operating essential emergency call technology. The Office of Information Technology, with input from the Office of Emergency Management, will administer the grants and submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. The program directly affects New Jersey counties by providing recurring funding to modernize their emergency response systems.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3668) allows New Jersey couples to obtain marriage or civil union licenses and have ceremonies solemnized via live video calls, replacing the current requirement for in-person appearances. It directly affects couples seeking marriage/civil unions, licensing officials, and officiants (like religious leaders), requiring live video interaction, valid ID verification, and digital signing of documents transmitted between parties. Key provisions mandate that video conferences must allow real-time interaction, all participants must confirm their New Jersey location, and signed documents must be transmitted securely to officials. The bill modernizes the process by enabling remote compliance with legal requirements for licensing and ceremonies. If enacted, it would update New Jersey law to permit these services via audio-visual technology, as currently required to be done in person.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts volunteer emergency service organizations (like fire departments and ambulance services) from New Jersey's charitable organization registration and reporting requirements. It modifies existing law to remove these groups from the obligation to file detailed "long form" registrations and annual financial reports with the Attorney General. The exemption specifically applies to organizations that would otherwise need to comply with the state's charitable solicitation rules. This change reduces administrative burdens for these volunteer groups without altering their tax-exempt status.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's 9-1-1 trust fund law to explicitly allow state funds to cover costs incurred by counties and municipalities for 9-1-1 emergency services. It permits the use of trust fund money for expenses like emergency response training, operating costs, and equipment purchases related to maintaining 9-1-1 systems. The bill establishes a priority system for distributing funds, directing them first to county, regionalized, or large centralized 9-1-1 centers, then to other local providers. This change expands the fund's existing scope to directly support local governments' 9-1-1 operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey electric utilities to create an interest-free loan program helping residential customers buy standby emergency power generators. It directly affects homeowners who qualify for loans up to $8,000 per household to purchase generators integrated into their homes. Utilities must establish a revolving loan fund and collect an energy resilience fee (itemized on monthly bills) to repay program costs, with fees not exceeding what's needed for repayment. The fee is non-bypassable and cannot be challenged in bankruptcy, while utilities recover implementation costs through their regular revenue structure.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A3675, now law as P.L.2025, c.196) allows pharmacists to dispense HIV prevention medicine (PrEP) and emergency HIV treatment (PEP) without individual prescriptions under specific conditions. It directly affects patients seeking HIV prevention or post-exposure treatment, requiring pharmacists to follow strict protocols: verify recent HIV-negative test results, screen for symptoms/contraindications, provide counseling, and notify primary care providers. Pharmacists must complete state-approved training covering medication use and financial assistance programs. The law mandates a 30-60 day supply for PrEP (with limits on frequency) and requires PEP to be dispensed within 72 hours of potential exposure, aligning with federal CDC guidelines.

Maddy summaryThis bill redirects fines collected from vehicle size and weight enforcement (under C.39:3-84.3) to the Transportation Trust Fund. It ensures these specific enforcement revenues - previously not dedicated to transportation - are now allocated exclusively for transportation projects. The fund supports road maintenance, infrastructure improvements, and debt service for transportation bonds across New Jersey. This policy change reallocates existing enforcement revenue without creating new taxes or fees.

Maddy summaryAJR 16 designates March 16 as "Paws Healing Heroes Day" in New Jersey to recognize service dogs' role in assisting veterans with conditions like PTSD, traumatic brain injury (TBI), military sexual trauma, and seizure disorders. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation to promote public awareness, highlighting that service dog training costs $3,000-$5,000 (not covered by veterans' benefits) and relies on nonprofit organizations like Paws Healing Heroes. This ceremonial resolution does not create new funding or legal requirements but aims to honor the support service dogs provide to veterans.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1183) amends New Jersey's gross income tax code to exclude certain retirement contributions from taxable income. It directly affects New Jersey residents who contribute to qualified pension plans, deferred compensation plans, or certain individual retirement savings accounts (like IRAs). The key provision allows these specific contributions to be excluded when calculating taxable income, reducing the tax burden for eligible individuals. The bill creates a new deduction for eligible retirement savings, aligning New Jersey tax treatment more closely with federal rules for these contributions. This is a procedural tax code change with no new programs or funding mechanisms.