Asm. Dawn Fantasia

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a Forest Fire Preparedness Commission within New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection to improve wildfire prevention, mitigation, and response efforts. The commission will consist of 20 members, including state officials, fire service representatives, and public stakeholders, who will meet at least six times per year and hold public hearings. Its main tasks include auditing the state's current wildfire readiness, reviewing existing fire plans and interstate agreements, and developing coordinated communication protocols among emergency responders. The commission will also create a comprehensive roadmap for emergency response coordination, update evacuation procedures, and establish plans for ensuring water supply for firefighting aircraft.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill prohibits state agencies and local governments from entering into contracts or providing financial benefits to entities identified as engaging in prohibited activities in Nigeria. The legislation requires the Department of Treasury to create and maintain a publicly accessible list of such entities, with a process for notice and comment before adding any organization to the list. Companies seeking state contracts, tax abatements, or development subsidies must certify they are not on this list, and those found to have submitted false certifications face penalties including fines, contract termination, and a three-year ban from participating in state programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey municipalities to offer reduced or free beach fees for children aged 12 to 17 and expands fee exemptions for veterans. It amends existing state law to permit local governments to set these discounts through ordinances while maintaining the current exemption for children under 12. The legislation specifies that veterans, including active duty service members, National Guard members, and those with Gold Star Family designations, qualify for fee reductions, and requires municipalities to track the number of eligible individuals receiving these benefits. Additionally, the bill clarifies that disabled veterans do not need to pay fees to obtain, replace, or renew permits for operating motorized vehicles on beaches.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes amending the New Jersey Constitution to increase the property tax deduction for veterans from $250 to $2,500 over a four-year period. The increase would occur in annual steps, reaching the full $2,500 amount by tax year 2029, and would apply to honorably discharged veterans and their surviving spouses. The amendment also clarifies how the deduction works for veterans living in continuing care retirement communities, ensuring they receive the benefit through a payment or credit from the facility. If approved by the legislature and voters, the change would become permanent and cannot be altered or repealed.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require all employers in New Jersey to use the federal E-Verify system to check the work authorization status of new employees, with larger companies (100+ employees) starting by December 2020 and smaller businesses following by December 2021. The legislation prohibits employers from intentionally or knowingly hiring individuals who lack legal work authorization under federal law. To enforce these rules, the state would conduct random audits and investigate complaints, imposing civil penalties of $100 to $1,000 per violation for non-compliance. The Attorney General or county prosecutors would handle investigations into intentional violations, while state officials would rely on federal verification for immigration status rather than making independent determinations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's electric public utilities to create and submit a vegetation management plan within six months of enactment. The plan must map areas near power lines needing vegetation work (like tree trimming), describe the required actions, and set timelines for completion. Utilities must update and resubmit this plan annually to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU). The BPU will define "dangerous vegetation" (e.g., trees near power infrastructure) and review plans within 60 days, with an appeal process for rejected plans. The bill directly affects utilities managing power distribution systems across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a grant program administered by New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to help school districts fund substance abuse prevention programs for eighth grade students. The programs must include two required components: training for school staff and parents on recognizing substance abuse risks, and a four-phase student program featuring real-life stories from rehabilitation residents, family members affected by substance abuse, correctional facility inmates, and positive role models. School districts must apply for grants and prove they have funding (from district budgets, private donations, or federal sources) to cover the program. Parents may opt their child out of the student program without academic penalty if it conflicts with their religious or moral beliefs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4510) requires New Jersey's Department of Transportation (DOT) to consult with the Department of Agriculture and local County Agriculture Development Boards when creating the state's annual list of transportation infrastructure projects. Specifically, DOT must develop a method to include agricultural transportation needs identified through these consultations into its standard infrastructure evaluation tools. This applies directly to DOT planning processes for highway and road projects, ensuring farm-related transportation needs are formally considered alongside other infrastructure priorities. The bill does not create new funding but changes how DOT evaluates projects to better address agricultural community needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises how New Jersey municipalities receive funding from the Alcohol Education, Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund (AEREF) for maintaining municipal courts. Starting January 15, 2023, each municipality must annually report its previous year's drunk driving arrest count to the Administrative Office of the Courts. Funding allocation is calculated using a two-part formula: 50% based on the current year's arrest rate and 50% based on the municipality's five-year average arrest rate, then combined to determine each municipality's share of available funds. The funds must be used specifically for municipal court operations, including overtime pay for judges, prosecutors, and court staff.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution urges the New Jersey Supreme Court to replace the term "Drug Court" with "Recovery Court" in its publications when describing the state's treatment program for nonviolent drug and alcohol offenders. The program, established under N.J.S.A. 2C:35-14, currently uses the term "Drug Court" in public materials despite the statute referring to it as "special probation" and not mentioning the term. The resolution argues that "Drug Court" is misleading because it emphasizes only drug abuse while omitting the program's focus on alcohol treatment and recovery goals. As a non-binding resolution, it does not change the law but requests a terminology shift to better reflect the program's comprehensive approach.