Asm. Dawn Fantasia

Maddy summaryACR 53 proposes amending New Jersey's Constitution to guarantee annual full funding for two specific property tax relief programs. It requires the state to distribute energy tax relief aid (based on 2018 levels adjusted for inflation) and Consolidated Municipal Property Tax Relief Aid (based on 2009 levels adjusted for inflation) directly to municipalities each year. The bill mandates that these funds be distributed in the same proportion to each municipality as in the specified baseline years, with inflation adjustments calculated using the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis' deflator rate. This change would prevent the state from redirecting these dedicated tax revenues to other programs, as has occurred in some past years. The bill does not alter the tax collections themselves but ensures municipalities receive constitutionally guaranteed annual aid amounts.

Maddy summaryACR 70 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow New Jersey's Legislature to extend civil service hiring preferences to all veterans, not just those who served during wartime. Currently, only veterans with wartime service receive this preference when applying for state government jobs. The amendment would enable the Legislature to create a new law defining eligibility for this hiring preference, potentially including veterans who served in peacetime. This change would directly affect all veterans applying for civil service positions across New Jersey state government. The amendment requires voter approval at the next general election following its passage.

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic resolution (AR 28) passed by the New Jersey Assembly, not a binding law. It urges the federal government to approve construction of oil and natural gas pipelines within the U.S., specifically referencing pipelines that were previously shut down or denied approval (like the Keystone XL Pipeline). The resolution states it seeks to advance U.S. energy independence, lower fuel costs, and reduce reliance on foreign energy sources from regions like Russia and Venezuela. It has no legal effect and does not change any existing pipeline approvals or regulations.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill A 1191 prohibits foreign governments and foreign persons from acquiring or owning agricultural land in the state after its effective date, with limited exceptions. Existing foreign owners must sell their land within five years to a non-foreign entity while attaching an easement to maintain agricultural use. The bill also requires the Agriculture Secretary to annually report foreign ownership statistics, including acreage, ownership trends, and top nationalities, to the Governor and Legislature. This law directly affects foreign governments, non-U.S. citizens, and foreign-owned businesses holding agricultural land in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that when New Jersey residents apply for a hunting, fishing, or trapping license through the Division of Fish and Wildlife, they are provided with a voter registration form and a declination form. The declination form includes clear language explaining applicants' rights to register or decline to register to vote without affecting their license application, and confirms that their decision remains confidential. The forms must be available in both English and Spanish in counties requiring bilingual ballots. This change applies specifically to license applicants at these state agencies, aiming to streamline voter registration access during routine interactions.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Jersey's workers' compensation law to clarify coverage requirements for self-employed individuals and business owners. It requires businesses (including partnerships and LLCs) to actively elect coverage for self-employed persons or partners when purchasing or renewing a workers' compensation policy - coverage is not automatic. Businesses only need to provide this coverage if they employ at least one other employee (not the self-employed owner). The bill also specifies that sole S-corporation owners are not automatically covered unless the corporation elects it, and insurers cannot be held liable for failing to provide coverage unless they acted recklessly. This directly affects business owners who work for their own companies but have no other employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council appointment rules. It directly affects the Governor's authority to appoint seven public members to the council, requiring that no more than four of these members belong to the same political party. The key provision limits partisan balance among these seven public appointees, ensuring no single party dominates this segment of the council. This change applies to all future appointments under the council's structure.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's human trafficking law to include individuals who profit financially from trafficking schemes, even if they aren't organizers, supervisors, financiers, or managers. It directly affects people who receive money or other benefits from trafficking activities, such as business owners who exploit victims or third parties facilitating exploitation. The key change adds a new subsection defining human trafficking to cover "receiving anything of value" from trafficking, while maintaining a 20-year minimum prison term and requiring restitution to victims based on their labor value. This makes it a crime to profit from trafficking without needing to prove a formal leadership role in the scheme.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey voters who want to receive mail-in ballots to submit a new application each calendar year, replacing the previous automatic mail-in voting designation. It directly affects all voters who currently receive mail-in ballots without reapplying annually. The key change repeals the automatic mail-in voting provision (from P.L.2018, c.72) and mandates that voters affirm their mail-in ballot preference on the registration form each year. This shifts the responsibility from a default system to an annual opt-in process for mail-in voting.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for false alarms targeting places of worship in New Jersey. It amends the state's false alarm law to make such incidents a second-degree crime (carrying 5-10 years in prison or fines up to $150,000), while raising the minimum civil penalty from $2,000 to $5,000 (or actual response costs, whichever is higher). The law specifically defines "place of worship" as a building seating over 50 people used permanently for religious services by a recognized 501(c)(3) organization. It directly affects individuals who falsely report emergencies at churches, synagogues, or temples, and requires law enforcement to report such incidents annually. The bill aims to deter false alarms that disrupt religious gatherings and strain emergency resources.