Asm. Dawn Fantasia

Maddy summaryACR 46 proposes a constitutional amendment to transfer New Jersey's probation system from the Judiciary to the State Parole Board. The amendment would authorize the Legislature to create a "Bureau of Probation" within the Parole Board and move all probation functions, staff (including probation officers and case workers), and related responsibilities from courts to this new bureau. Existing employee contracts, bargaining rights, and terms would remain unchanged during the transfer. This follows a 2006 Supreme Court ruling that struck down a prior law attempting to grant probation officers law enforcement powers, citing separation of powers concerns.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1255) requires New Jersey's State Treasurer to issue a report to the Legislature within six months of enactment, examining New York's taxation of New Jersey residents who work for New York-based employers but live in New Jersey. The report must detail New Jersey's efforts to address this tax issue, estimate tax credits granted to residents for New York taxes paid (2011-2020), analyze potential solutions to prevent New York from collecting taxes on remote workers, and assess legal barriers. It also mandates an analysis of how other states handle similar cross-state commuting tax situations and recommendations for resolving the inequity. The bill does not change tax law but directs a study to explore protecting New Jersey residents' tax liability and state revenue.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 738) expands New Jersey's Wounded Warrior Caregivers Relief Act to provide a tax credit for family caregivers of veterans with service-connected disabilities, regardless of when the disability occurred. It directly affects New Jersey residents who are relatives (up to third degree by blood) caring for a veteran who was honorably discharged and resides with them in New Jersey for at least six months of the year. The credit equals 100% of the veteran's federal disability compensation, capped at $675 per year, and applies to caregivers earning under $100,000 (jointly) or $50,000 (single). The bill revises the definition of "veteran" to include all honorably discharged veterans, not just those with disabilities from post-9/11 service. It was introduced on January 13, 2026, and refers to the Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires individuals and employers applying for state benefits - including contracts, loans, tax breaks, grants, or licenses - to certify that their presence in the U.S. is authorized under federal law. It directly affects anyone seeking these state-provided benefits or privileges. The key mechanism is a standardized certification form (created by the Department of Labor) that applicants must sign, stating they’ve verified eligibility for employment or legal status, with penalties only for knowingly false statements. The bill mandates that state agencies incorporate this form into existing application processes rather than creating a new system.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 1234) transfers New Jersey's Division of Elections from the Department of State to the Department of Law and Public Safety, designating the Attorney General as the chief election official instead of the Secretary of State. It requires the Division to be managed by two bipartisan co-directors: one appointed based on the Governor’s party and the other based on the second-largest party in the last gubernatorial election. Both co-directors serve four-year terms tied to the Governor’s term, with appointments requiring Senate confirmation and recommendations from party leaders. These changes aim to restructure election administration while ensuring balanced leadership representation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that any bill certified for a fiscal note or estimate cannot be released from committee until a complete fiscal note or estimate is prepared. It directly affects legislative committees, bill sponsors, and the Legislative Budget and Finance Officer, who must provide the fiscal analysis. The key mechanism mandates that committees must withhold releasing such bills until the fiscal note is finalized, preventing premature committee action. The bill does not change how fiscal notes are created but enforces a procedural requirement for their completion before bills advance. This applies to all bills requiring fiscal analysis under New Jersey law.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits long-term property tax exemptions for development projects in New Jersey municipalities with school districts receiving state school aid (SDA districts). It requires developers to pay annual service charges instead of tax exemptions for school purposes, calculated as 10-15% of project revenue or 2% of project cost. These charges apply to urban renewal projects, including low/moderate-income housing, in municipalities with SDA school districts. The policy change replaces tax breaks with direct payments to municipalities for the duration of the development project (up to 35 years).

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an independent Office of the Child Advocate within New Jersey's government to protect children at risk of abuse or neglect. The Child Advocate, appointed by the Governor, will investigate state agency responses to child abuse cases, inspect facilities like juvenile detention centers and group homes, and ensure children in state care receive appropriate services. Key mechanisms include accessing relevant records (with privacy safeguards), issuing subpoenas for investigations, and operating a 24-hour hotline for public concerns. The office directly affects children in state custody, their families, and state agencies such as the Department of Children and Families.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's film and digital media tax credit program to require that all original music and musical scores for qualifying productions must be created and recorded within the United States. It directly affects film and digital media producers seeking tax credits under the program, which provides credits of up to 40% of eligible production costs. The key change adds a mandatory condition: producers must ensure domestic production of original music/scores as part of their eligibility, alongside existing requirements like spending 60% of costs in New Jersey. This policy update applies to all productions claiming the credit, without altering the credit percentages or other existing program rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands automatic voter registration to include applications for hunting, fishing, trapping, and firearms permits (including firearm purchaser ID cards and carry permits) at New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Law and Public Safety offices. It requires these agencies to electronically transmit voter registration information to the Secretary of State for eligible applicants - those who provide proof of age, citizenship, and address - unless they opt out. The policy applies to existing license/permit processes, adding to current automatic registration at driver's license offices. This change streamlines voter registration by leveraging routine government interactions without creating new requirements for applicants.