Asm. John DiMaio

Maddy summaryThis bill requires municipalities to share certain payments in lieu of property taxes (PILOTs) with school districts when urban renewal entities receive long-term property tax exemptions. For residential projects, school districts would receive an amount calculated by multiplying the number of school-age children residing in the project by the base per pupil amount determined by the Commissioner of Education. For nonresidential or mixed-use projects, school districts would receive 5% of the PILOT amount or an equivalent in-kind contribution. The bill also mandates that municipalities provide school districts and the Department of Community Affairs with information about property tax exemptions, including posting applications and financial agreements on the DCA website.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A410) requires New Jersey public school districts to provide vouchers to parents who withdraw their child from public school due to objections about curriculum materials or activities they deem "harmful." The voucher covers 75% of the nonpublic school's tuition and fees, calculated based on the district's per-pupil spending and prorated for remaining school days. It specifically defines "harmful" objections to include conflicts with parental beliefs about sex, sexuality, gender identity, religion, or morality. The bill applies to parents of students enrolled in public schools who choose to enroll in nonpublic schools for these reasons.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey state agencies from granting new economic development subsidies to businesses that have a previously awarded state loan or loan guarantee with principal and interest payments overdue for more than 24 months. It directly affects businesses that received prior state economic development loans or guarantees but are significantly behind on repayments. The key change updates current law by setting a specific 24-month overdue threshold instead of relying on a general "default" definition. The policy applies to all state public bodies (like agencies or authorities) awarding subsidies exceeding $25,000 for economic development purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts receiving preschool education funding to place at least half of preschool students in licensed child care programs, rather than in district-run programs or Head Start. It directly affects school districts that receive state preschool aid under the School Funding Reform Act of 2008. Districts may request a waiver from the Department of Education if licensed child care spots are unavailable locally, but must provide justification for the request. The requirement takes effect in the first full school year after the bill is signed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a permit program allowing New Jersey dairy farms to sell raw milk directly to consumers at the farm, subject to strict health and safety requirements. To obtain a permit, farmers must comply with dairy laws, undergo inspections, avoid growth hormones, and conduct regular bacterial testing to ensure milk meets limits for bacteria (10,000 colonies/mL), coliform (10/mL), and somatic cells (300,000/mL). All raw milk containers and farm signage must display a clear warning that raw milk is unpasteurized and may contain harmful organisms. The Department of Agriculture, with input from the Department of Health, will set permit fees to cover program costs and enforce testing, labeling, and cooling standards (milk must cool to 40°F within 2 hours of milking). Failure to meet testing standards twice in one year results in permit revocation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to implement safeguards to prevent ineligible individuals from registering to vote through automatic voter registration during driver's license or ID card applications. Specifically, it mandates the MVC to provide separate application forms for people who do not meet voting eligibility requirements (such as citizenship or residency), which cannot include voter registration options. The bill also requires clear notices about voter eligibility rules and disqualifications, including penalties for false registration, and ensures applicants can decline automatic registration. These changes aim to protect the integrity of voter registration by preventing ineligible applicants from accidentally registering to vote.

Maddy summaryThe New Jersey Disability Savings Act (A115) creates a state tax deduction for contributions to New Jersey ABLE accounts (disability savings accounts) and offers a one-time $750 matching grant for new accounts opened by residents with gross income of $150,000 or less. It directly affects New Jersey residents with disabilities or their families who use these accounts for qualifying disability-related expenses like housing, education, or medical costs. The bill allows a full state tax deduction on contributions (similar to NJ’s 529 education savings plan) and provides the matching grant as an incentive to save, though funding for the grant depends on annual state appropriations. The deduction and grant apply only to New Jersey ABLE accounts, not accounts from other states.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 57) urges New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to impose an immediate moratorium on sonar testing and wind turbine mapping activities off the New Jersey coast. It is prompted by the unexplained deaths of at least 12 whales (including 8 humpbacks) and 5 dolphins recorded near offshore wind development areas since December 2022. The resolution calls for pausing these activities to allow for scientific study of potential links between sonar/mapping technologies and the marine life deaths. As a resolution, it does not create law but formally requests federal and state agencies to halt related operations pending investigation.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1098) exempts New Jersey disabled veterans from admission fees at state parks and forests, and also removes fees for motor vehicle access to park beaches for fishing. It directly affects disabled veterans who are New Jersey residents and have been honorably discharged with a service-connected disability certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill amends existing law to add "disabled veteran" as a qualifying category for free admission (currently covering residents 62+, totally disabled individuals, and National Guard members with training completion) and specifically exempts this group from beach access fees. The policy change takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2517) prohibits New Jersey state agencies and local governments from entering into or renewing public service contracts with contractors who knowingly employ or contract with unauthorized workers. It requires all such contractors to verify employee work authorization using the federal E-Verify program and certify that subcontractors also comply. Contractors must report violations to the state agency within three days and may terminate non-compliant subcontractors after a notice period, unless the subcontractor provides proof of compliance. Contractors found violating these rules are listed publicly by the Department of Labor for two years, unless cleared by court. The law applies specifically to contracts for labor or services, not goods or products.