Asm. Dawn Fantasia

Maddy summaryThis bill allows parents or guardians to file a guardianship complaint for a minor up to six months before the minor turns 18, establishing a clear timeframe for these filings. It ensures any guardianship order only takes effect on the minor's 18th birthday to prevent gaps in legal protection during the transition to adulthood. The bill also specifies that guardianship complaints cannot be withdrawn without evidence the minor has capacity or has died. This change aims to streamline the process for minors who will need guardianship upon reaching adulthood.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Transportation (DOT) to add specific details to its annual pavement condition report, including the number of pothole repair projects, their costs, allocated resources, and estimated timeframes for all maintenance work. It also mandates a lifecycle cost analysis of pavement surfaces, factoring in user expenses like vehicle damage claims from potholes and associated repair costs recorded by the Division of Risk Management. Both the updated annual report and the lifecycle analysis must be published online for public access. The changes aim to increase transparency about road maintenance efforts and costs without altering current repair practices.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Assembly passed ACR 166, a concurrent resolution urging Congress to adopt the federal "Fix Our Forests Act." The resolution highlights that New Jersey experiences about 1,500 wildfires annually, damaging 7,000 acres of forests and threatening residents, homes, and wildlife habitats. It explains the proposed federal bill would establish a data-driven wildfire risk assessment center to guide forest management practices like prescribed burns and tree thinning. The resolution does not change state law but seeks federal action to reduce wildfire risks through improved forest management strategies.

Maddy summaryThis bill temporarily suspends two charges on residential electric and gas utility bills: the state sales and use tax (under the Sales and Use Tax Act) and the societal benefits charge (under section 12 of P.L.1999, c.23). It applies directly to New Jersey households receiving utility service, exempting them from these fees from June 1 to September 30, 2025. The suspension aims to provide relief from anticipated bill increases, including a 17.2-20.2% residential rate hike starting in June 2025. The bill expires on October 1, 2025, and does not alter the underlying utility rates themselves.

Maddy summaryThis bill would exclude certain retirement savings contributions, qualified withdrawals, and rollovers from New Jersey's gross income tax calculation. It specifically applies to contributions to 401(k) plans, 401(a) pension plans, 403(b) annuity plans, 457 deferred compensation plans, Thrift Savings Plans, and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). Qualified withdrawals from these accounts and rollovers from Traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs would not count toward taxable income. The policy aims to provide tax advantages for retirement savings, potentially encouraging more New Jersey residents to save for retirement.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection to ensure annual prescribed burns on minimum acreage in the Pinelands area and statewide, starting within one year of enactment. The acreage targets increase annually: beginning at 25,000 acres in the Pinelands plus 10,000 statewide, rising to 50,000 acres in the Pinelands and 20,000 statewide by year six. Prescribed burns must occur between November and March, prior to wildfire season, and may be conducted by the state, federal government, or approved landowners under existing law. All relevant state agencies must integrate these requirements into environmental and land management plans.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Lottery Commission to display the overall estimated odds of winning any prize on lottery tickets and the official website. For non-draw games (like scratch-offs), the odds must appear prominently on every ticket sold. For draw-based games (where numbers are randomly drawn), the odds must be available at point of sale and on the website, expressed in a standardized format determined by the Commission. The bill directly affects lottery players by making winning probabilities more transparent and targets the Commission to implement these disclosure rules.

Maddy summaryBill A5678 prohibits New Jersey state contractors and financial institutions from sharing data with "foreign adversaries" (defined as entities acting against U.S. national security). It requires the Department of the Treasury to create and maintain a public list of entities that sell, transfer, or disclose data to such adversaries, making them ineligible for state contracts, subsidies, tax benefits, or public works registrations. Entities listed must be notified and given a chance to contest inclusion, with false certifications risking fines up to $2 million and a five-year contract ban. The bill also bans state banking or insurance with financial institutions on the list, aiming to protect state data from foreign security threats.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public high schools (grades 9-12) to hold an annual 30-minute assembly in November (coinciding with Veterans Day) providing age-appropriate information about the U.S. military's structure, veterans' contributions to society, ROTC, service academies, and other military pathways. Schools must also host a separate veterans appreciation event each year, such as honoring veterans, featuring veteran speakers, or participating in military-themed educational activities. Public schools must consult local veterans associations to develop these events. The law applies to all affected schools starting with the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's bribery statute (N.J.S.2C:27-2) to clarify that it applies to benefits received either before or after an official act. The amendment explicitly states that "benefit as consideration" includes any unauthorized benefit, regardless of timing relative to the act. It directly affects public officials who may accept or offer benefits in exchange for votes, decisions, or duties in government matters. The change responds to a 2024 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited federal bribery law to pre-act benefits, ensuring New Jersey's law covers all such exchanges.