Asm. Erik Peterson

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) from requiring certain municipalities to adopt rules controlling tree removal and replacement. It specifically applies to Tier A municipalities under the state's stormwater program - those meeting criteria like being in urban areas with high population density, specific stormwater systems, or designated discharge points. The law stops the DEP from enforcing this requirement, which was recently added to the stormwater permit program in 2023. The change affects only Tier A municipalities, not all local governments.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill exempts residential purchases of specific fire and carbon monoxide safety devices from state sales and use tax. It covers smoke alarms, detectors, fire extinguishers, heat-activated sprinklers, and carbon monoxide detectors that meet Underwriters Laboratories standards. Homeowners buying these items for their homes will save money on the purchase price. The exemption applies to devices sold for detecting, warning about, or stopping fires or carbon monoxide hazards in residential settings. The tax change takes effect four months after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 2964) changes how municipalities calculate their obligation to provide low and moderate income housing. It requires each municipality to base its housing need calculation on the actual percentage of households in its area that are low/moderate income (using census data), setting a new 20% threshold for compliance. Municipalities falling below this threshold must develop additional affordable housing to reach 20%, with senior housing units counting toward up to 60% of the required affordable stock. The law revises housing statutes to implement this calculation method and exempts municipalities meeting the 20% standard from builder's remedy penalties.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a formal process for submitting proposed changes to the Governor's annual budget recommendations in New Jersey. It requires legislators and the State Treasurer to file budget resolutions (proposing additions, deletions, or changes to revenue or spending) by June 1 each year, with all resolutions published publicly online through the Legislative Budget Office by that date. The bill also mandates that sponsors disclose if they or close family members have business ties to entities benefiting from proposed funding increases. These changes directly affect legislators, the State Treasurer, and the public, ensuring transparency about budget proposals before the annual appropriations bill is finalized.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a state fund to provide financial aid to New Jersey municipalities located in the Highlands preservation area, specifically compensating them for declines in vacant land property values caused by the 2004 Highlands Water Protection Act. To qualify, a municipality must be entirely within the Highlands area or have at least 60% of its land in the area and have updated its local plans to align with Highlands protection rules. The aid amount is calculated by comparing vacant land values between 2023 (the base year) and the current year, then multiplying the difference by the municipality's tax rate. The state will distribute payments twice yearly from the established fund, directly offsetting municipalities' local tax revenue needs.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 3006) would allow corporations to carry back net operating losses to previous tax years, enabling them to claim refunds for taxes paid in those earlier years. It directly affects corporations subject to New Jersey's Corporation Business Tax that have incurred losses, particularly those that might otherwise see reduced tax liability or refunds. The key mechanism establishes a formal "net operating loss carryback deduction" under the state tax code, letting businesses offset prior-year tax payments with current-year losses. The bill is currently pending in the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee (introduced January 13, 2026) and would change how corporations apply tax losses under state law.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill allows students at public colleges to skip specific parts of health, family life, or sexual education classes if those topics conflict with their sincerely held moral or religious beliefs. Students must submit a signed statement to school officials explaining their conflict, and they will not face academic penalties like lost credit or delayed graduation for this excused portion. The law applies only to public institutions that require these classes without offering alternative courses. It mirrors existing protections for K-12 students under New Jersey law.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act to upgrade penalties for two specific offenses. It makes forging a patient's request for end-of-life medication (with intent to cause death) or coercing a patient into requesting such medication a first-degree crime. The key change is imposing a mandatory 25-year prison sentence without parole eligibility for these offenses, up from second- or third-degree penalties under current law. It directly affects healthcare providers, family members, or others interacting with terminally ill patients under the act. The bill does not change the core provisions of the Medical Aid in Dying Act itself.

Maddy summaryACR 99 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow New Jersey's Legislature to require parental notification before minors receive pregnancy-related medical care, including procedures or treatments. This would directly affect unemancipated minors seeking such care, overriding a 2000 New Jersey Supreme Court ruling that struck down similar parental notification laws as unconstitutional. The amendment specifically aims to permit mandatory parental notice for all pregnancy-related medical services, not just abortion, regardless of existing constitutional privacy rights. If approved by voters, it would enable lawmakers to pass laws requiring parents be notified before their minor children undergo these procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows licensed New Jersey attorneys to optionally affix a seal to documents they certify, such as affidavits, oaths, or acknowledgments, indicating they are authorized to perform these validations under state law. It specifies that such attorney certifications would carry the same legal weight as a notary public's validation. The bill directly affects attorneys who handle these documents and individuals relying on certified documents for legal purposes. Attorneys may choose to use the seal but are not required to do so. The measure takes immediate effect upon enactment.