Asm. Don Guardian

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits of certain retired police and firefighters in New Jersey's Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS). It applies specifically to members who have been retired and receiving benefits for at least 10 years, excluding those hired after the bill's effective date, those in deferred retirement, and those with 20-24 years of service. The COLAs are tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners, with benefits up to $75,000 receiving full adjustment, while higher benefits are capped at a 1% annual increase. The $75,000 threshold will adjust annually based on inflation, and the bill requires the Legislature to appropriate funds to cover both state and local costs for these adjustments.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) to provide current non-retired members and those applying for retirement after the bill's effective date with the same benefits as members enrolled before July 1, 2007. It eliminates tiered membership by moving all current TPAF members to Tier 1, requires public employers to enroll eligible employees (earning above minimum salary but not meeting hour requirements) in TPAF, and allows Defined Contribution Retirement Program participants to transfer service credit to TPAF without transferring contributions. Participants in the Defined Contribution Retirement Program have six months to opt out of the transfer after receiving notice. These changes apply only to retirement applications processed after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $150,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Community Affairs for a one-year pilot clinic at the Atlantic County Animal Shelter. It provides free spay/neuter surgeries and vaccinations for cats to help manage the local feline population. The funding is specifically allocated to the Atlantic County Animal Shelter and must be used for this clinic within the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. The bill does not create new requirements but directs existing funds toward this targeted animal population control measure.

Maddy summaryThe "Small Modular Nuclear Energy Incentive Act" (A5103) establishes a program for New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities to incentivize construction of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) through a competitive bidding process. The bill directs the BPU to develop a program within one year of enactment, offering financial incentives per megawatt hour of electricity produced, with preference given to projects at former nuclear or fossil fuel plant sites and those that retrain former plant workers. Incentives would be funded from the "Global Warming Solutions Fund," which collects revenue from New Jersey's Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative participation. Selected SMR projects would be required to pay an annual administrative fee to cover program costs and could not sell environmental benefits associated with their energy production. The program must begin its first solicitation within two years of the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill would exclude tips earned from gross income tax calculations. Currently, tips are considered taxable income under state law, but this bill would remove them from the definition of gross income for tax purposes. The change would directly affect service industry workers who receive tips, making those earnings non-taxable for state income tax. The bill specifically amends tax code sections to treat tips as "property acquired by gift" rather than taxable income.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4914) requires New Jersey's Cannabis Regulatory Commission to create rules allowing individuals to voluntarily exclude themselves from cannabis dispensaries. It directly affects cannabis consumers who wish to restrict their own access and all licensed cannabis retailers. Key provisions mandate the Commission to establish procedures for adding/removing names from the self-exclusion list, sharing the list with retailers, and requiring retailers to deny entry and stop marketing to excluded individuals. The self-exclusion list itself is exempt from public disclosure, ensuring privacy for those who choose this option.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands school transportation eligibility for nonpublic school students in New Jersey by requiring school districts to provide transportation or a reimbursement payment if the student resides in the same county as their nonpublic school, regardless of the school's distance from home. Currently, districts only cover transportation for nonpublic schools within 20 miles of a student's residence. The bill repeals a prior law (P.L.1999, c.350) that established the 20-mile limit, aligning with the new county-based requirement. This change affects school districts and nonpublic school students in New Jersey, particularly those attending schools in their home county beyond the previous 20-mile radius.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A4830 bill authorizes the Division of Gaming Enforcement to join a national self-exclusion program, allowing individuals who wish to voluntarily exclude themselves from gambling to register once for exclusion across multiple states. The bill requires the Division to create forms enabling self-excluders to select which states they want to join and prohibits sharing their information without explicit consent. This directly affects gamblers seeking to avoid casino access and requires casinos to verify exclusion status and deny services to self-excluded individuals. The policy change streamlines the process for multi-state self-exclusion while maintaining privacy protections for participants.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the interchange between State Highway Route 42 and Interstate Route 295 as the "Ensign John R. Elliott Memorial Interchange" to honor Ensign John R. Elliott, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate killed in a 2000 drunk driving accident. The bill requires that private funding - not public funds - be used for producing, erecting, and maintaining signs bearing this designation, with the New Jersey Department of Transportation authorized to accept gifts or grants from private entities for this purpose.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 138) symbolically designates June 2024 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in New Jersey. It urges public officials and citizens to commemorate the month with appropriate activities, recognizing the contributions and struggles of LGBTQIA+ individuals (including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual, and non-binary people). The resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges the community's achievements and ongoing advocacy. It follows similar designations by federal and state governments, emphasizing visibility and equality.