Asm. Dawn Fantasia

Maddy summaryThis bill expands when juveniles (under 18) can be sent to adult court for motor vehicle theft or unlawful taking. It adds specific offenses - like theft of a motor vehicle under N.J.S.2C:20-10.1 or unlawful taking under N.J.S.2C:20-10 - to the list of crimes that automatically trigger a waiver to adult court if the juvenile has *previously* been found delinquent for the same offense. The key mechanism requires prosecutors to seek waiver for these cases without the juvenile’s consent, with courts considering factors like the juvenile’s prior record and maturity. It directly affects juveniles with prior adjudications for motor vehicle theft or unlawful taking, potentially leading to adult criminal sentencing instead of juvenile court processing.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 196) requires children’s psychiatric facilities in New Jersey to provide continuous visual supervision of all patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through designated trained staff. Facilities must use live video monitoring (with wireless streaming capability) when staff actively watch children via monitors, except during bathroom or shower use. It directly affects acute child psychiatric care facilities - defined as hospitals contracted for crisis services or private health care facilities - and expands staff accountability by including facility directors in supervision responsibilities. The bill amends existing law to clarify who is responsible for patient supervision and prohibits unsupervised time for children, except in limited bathroom/shower scenarios.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Commissioner of Education to appoint a State monitor for school districts receiving 70% or more of their total revenue from state aid, based on the Department of Education's Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending. The monitor will oversee the district's business operations and personnel matters, with authority matching existing State monitors under the School District Fiscal Accountability Act. It applies to districts like Trenton, Newark, and Camden City, which reported over 70% state funding in the 2022-2023 school year (e.g., Trenton at 86.3%). The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryACR 18 is a non-binding resolution opposing New Jersey's revised 2020 Comprehensive Health and Physical Education standards for sex education. It states the legislature objects to standards that include "controversial topics" on social issues, arguing they interfere with parents' rights to teach values aligned with family beliefs and expose children to "age-inappropriate sexual content." The resolution calls on the State Board of Education to revise the standards, noting the current opt-out provision for students is insufficient to prevent unintended exposure to graphic material. It directly addresses the State Board of Education and the Department of Education, not individual schools or families. The resolution was introduced in 2026 and referred to the Assembly Education Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill reduces New Jersey's Corporation Business Tax (CBT) rate for most corporations to 2.5% of taxable net income, effective retroactively from January 1, 2020. It directly affects corporations operating in New Jersey that pay the CBT, including S corporations and professional entities, by lowering their tax burden on net income. The key mechanism adjusts the tax rate calculation under Section 5 of the existing law, replacing higher historical rates (like 9% for older periods) with the new 2.5% rate for reports covering periods ending after December 31, 2019. This change will result in reduced tax payments or refunds for affected businesses for the 2020-2023 tax years.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill excludes military reenlistment and voluntary extension bonuses from state gross income tax. It directly affects active-duty service members in the U.S. Armed Forces who receive these bonuses while residing in New Jersey. The key provision amends state tax law to specifically exempt these bonuses from taxable income, meaning eligible service members won't pay state income tax on them. The change applies to taxable years beginning after the bill's enactment date.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3145) increases state aid to New Jersey municipalities from the Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund over five years to reverse previous aid cuts. It directly affects all municipalities by requiring them to reduce their annual property tax levies by the amount of the additional state aid received. Key provisions update how the fund's distributions are calculated and require that new aid amounts be subtracted from each municipality's local tax levy. The bill modifies existing laws (P.L.1997, c.167 and P.L.2007, c.62) to implement this adjustment. It does not change the total annual fund amount but ensures municipalities cannot increase their tax burden while receiving more state aid.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a New Jersey state tax deduction for businesses that donate food from their inventory to qualified charities. It allows taxpayers to deduct the same amount for state income tax as they could claim under federal tax rules (as of December 2013) for donations of "apparently wholesome" food - meaning food meeting safety standards but unsellable due to appearance, age, or surplus. The deduction applies regardless of whether the business claims a federal charitable deduction. It directly affects New Jersey businesses that donate excess food inventory to IRS-qualified charitable organizations.

Maddy summaryACR 65 proposes a constitutional amendment to guarantee New Jersey registered voters the right to vote in person at their local polling place on election day. It would also require voters to submit a written request before receiving a mail-in ballot, preventing automatic distribution of mail-in ballots to all voters. This amendment would bar the Legislature or Governor from passing laws or issuing orders that limit in-person voting or automatically send mail-in ballots. If approved by voters, the changes would become part of the state constitution. The bill is currently in the early stages of review by the Assembly committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill, introduced in New Jersey, requires health care professionals to provide the same standard of care to infants born alive after an abortion or attempted abortion as they would to any newborn. It defines "born alive" as any infant showing signs of life (breathing, heartbeat, or movement) after expulsion, regardless of gestational age or birth method. Violating these requirements could result in third-degree criminal charges (3-5 years in prison or $15,000 fine), while intentionally killing such an infant would be a 30-year-to-life offense. The bill also mandates reporting failures to comply and allows mothers to file civil lawsuits against violators. The bill is currently pending before the Assembly Health Committee.