Asm. Erik Peterson

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) and South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) to create a toll exemption program for disabled veterans using E-ZPass. It applies to veterans who own or lease a vehicle registered in New Jersey, display a "Disabled Vet" license plate (issued under P.L.1979, c.457), and maintain an active E-ZPass account. Veterans must first obtain the "Disabled Vet" license plate before applying for the toll exemption, and the authorities must approve all qualifying applications. The program exempts eligible disabled veterans from tolls on toll roads managed by NJTA and SJTA.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts eligibility for new affordable housing units and the state's rental assistance program to households where at least one member has either lived in New Jersey for two consecutive years or worked in the state 35+ hours per week for two consecutive years. It applies to new contractual guarantees or deed restrictions for low/moderate-income housing and updates the state rental assistance program to require these same residency or work history criteria. The key mechanism requires housing providers and the state program to verify these specific residency or employment requirements at the time of application. This affects new affordable housing developments and applicants for state rental aid, but does not change existing housing or programs.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A 1921 regulates credit card interchange fees by prohibiting payment networks like Visa and MasterCard from restricting merchants' flexibility. The bill directly affects merchants (businesses accepting credit cards) and payment networks, banning them from: forcing specific pricing displays, blocking discounts for cash/debit cards, limiting where cards are accepted, restricting minimum/maximum transaction values ($10+), or limiting which payment systems merchants can use. It requires payment networks to reimburse merchants for fees collected during violations. The law aims to increase transparency and competition in credit card fee pricing, which currently inflates consumer prices as merchants pass costs to all shoppers.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey law enforcement agencies from using drones for surveillance or other law enforcement activities, affecting police departments and officers statewide. Exceptions include drone use authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for counter-terrorism threats or by the forest fire service for wildfire monitoring (with a 350-foot altitude limit). It also bans drones for enforcing building and land-use regulations under state codes. Violating the ban can lead to civil lawsuits and the exclusion of illegally gathered evidence in court.

Maddy summaryThis bill criminalizes squatting in vacant homes by creating three new offenses: "housebreaking" (forcibly entering without permission to live there), "unlawful occupancy" (living in a vacant home without permission), and "unlawful reentry" (returning after being evicted via court order). It presumes people know they lack permission unless they have a notarized rental agreement with the owner's contact details. The law directly affects individuals occupying vacant properties without legal authorization, making these acts fourth-degree crimes punishable by up to 18 months in jail or a $10,000 fine. The bill aims to replace current eviction processes with criminal penalties for unauthorized occupancy.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 203) renames the "Blue Star Memorial Highway Council" to "Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway Council" and the "Blue Star Memorial Highway system" to "Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system." It recognizes Gold Star families - immediate relatives of service members killed in combat - by updating the official names. The bill requires the New Jersey Department of Transportation to update all state highway signage within 90 days of the bill's effective date to reflect the new names. This is a procedural change with no new funding or policy requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides New Jersey taxpayers adopting foster children with a credit against their state gross income tax for eligible adoption expenses. The credit covers medical, therapeutic, and counseling costs for "special needs" children and lasts until the child turns 18 (or 21 with special education needs), or for life if the child has a severe disability certified by state disability directors. It directly affects adoptive parents of foster children who qualify as "special needs" under state definitions. The credit applies annually to taxable years beginning after January 1, 2008, and requires the Division of Taxation to create implementing rules. The bill is pending in the Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee.

Maddy summaryThe "Restoring the Representation of Legal Residents Act" requires New Jersey's Secretary of State to adjust census data used for redistricting by excluding undocumented immigrants. It mandates using specific datasets - including U.S. Census citizenship data and New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission records - to create an adjusted population count for determining congressional, state legislative, county, municipal, and school district boundaries. This adjustment would apply to all districting processes in the state, replacing the standard census count that includes all residents. The bill specifies that if the federal Census Bureau provides a legal-resident-only count, that data would be used instead of the state-adjusted version.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 946), now law as P.L.2025, c.177, requires mental health services to be provided in the communication method preferred by each deaf or hard of hearing individual - such as sign language or oral communication - based on their assessment. It mandates that mental health professionals be fluent in that method, trained in cultural needs, and able to collaborate with interpreters. The law also requires a state resource guide listing specialized mental health services and ensures individuals can help shape their own care plans. It directly affects all deaf or hard of hearing residents seeking mental health support in New Jersey, addressing long-standing barriers in access and care quality.