Asm. Jim Kennedy

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection to prioritize projects that include or allow for flood mitigation when funding land acquisition for recreation and conservation (known as "Blue Acres" projects) and certain environmental infrastructure projects. It mandates that these projects receive additional priority points in the ranking system used to determine which projects get funded through the Green Acres Program and environmental infrastructure programs. The change affects local governments, nonprofit organizations, and others applying for DEP funding for projects that protect against flooding while serving recreation, conservation, or infrastructure needs. The bill implements this by amending existing laws to require the DEP to factor flood mitigation into its evaluation criteria for funding applications.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to include potential impacts on natural resources when classifying dams by hazard level. Currently, dams are classified based on risk of loss of life and property damage; this bill adds impacts to wildlife, fish, aquatic life, habitats, plants, and historic/archaeological resources as a required factor. The DEP must consider these natural resource impacts alongside existing criteria when adopting its dam hazard classification system. This change applies to all dams subject to the state's dam safety inspection program, directly affecting how the DEP evaluates and regulates dam safety.

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 extends New Jersey's existing telemedicine pay parity law, requiring health insurance plans to pay providers the same rate for telehealth services as in-person visits for covered services. It applies to all health benefits plans in New Jersey (including Medicaid and private insurers) and affects providers delivering telehealth care. The extension, now ending December 31, 2025 (previously 2024), maintains the requirement that telehealth reimbursement equals in-person rates for covered services, excluding audio-only visits (which receive 50% of in-person rates) and behavioral health services (which receive full in-person rates). This is a procedural extension of an existing policy, not a new mandate.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to review the electricity rates and revenues of all electric utilities using smart meters. Specifically, the BPU must compare each utility's rates and revenue amounts before and after installing smart meters. Within six months of the bill taking effect, the BPU must submit a written report summarizing its findings to the Governor and Legislature. The bill directly affects electric utilities that have deployed smart meters, focusing on transparency around billing impacts rather than changing rates themselves.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A5078 prohibits the farming (aquaculture) of any octopus species for human consumption within the state. It also bans businesses from selling, possessing, or transporting octopus products resulting from aquaculture. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, with each continuing day treated as a separate offense. The law specifically excludes wild-caught octopus and research-related activities. This directly affects commercial aquaculture operations and food businesses handling farmed octopus.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the Common Eastern Bumble Bee (*Bombus impatiens*) as New Jersey's State Native Pollinator. It does not create new regulations or funding but formally recognizes this species through state law. The designation applies symbolically to all New Jersey residents and highlights the bee's ecological role as a native pollinator supporting agriculture and ecosystems. No implementation mechanisms or policy changes are included beyond the official naming.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires paint producers to implement or join a statewide program for managing leftover architectural paint (interior and exterior coatings sold in 5-gallon containers or less), with fees included in paint prices to fund the program. The program must provide convenient statewide collection of unused paint (ensuring 90% of residents have access within 15 miles), promote reuse and recycling, and follow a waste management hierarchy prioritizing source reduction. Retailers cannot sell paint unless the producer has an approved program, and producers must submit annual reports to the Department of Environmental Protection. The program must be amended within 5-6 years to include aerosol paint.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act, prohibits state and local government agencies from collecting immigration status information unless strictly necessary for service eligibility and from assisting federal immigration authorities. It requires government entities to adopt policies protecting sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, and shelters from immigration enforcement activities, ensuring immigrants can access public services without fear. The law mandates law enforcement training on these restrictions, prohibits detaining individuals based on immigration status, and requires annual reporting on interactions with federal immigration authorities. It also establishes a public awareness campaign to inform immigrants of their rights under the law.