Asm. Dawn Fantasia

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4783) requires New Jersey electric utilities to provide portable emergency power generators to areas experiencing power outages lasting six or more hours. Utilities must deliver these generators by the end of the sixth hour of an outage, supplying enough to restore temporary power for all residents until the outage ends. The bill defines "affected area" as the entire geographic region without power for six+ hours and specifies utilities determine the required number of generators. It applies to all electricity distributors in New Jersey under state law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's electric public utilities to create and submit a vegetation management plan to the Board of Public Utilities within six months of the law taking effect. The plan must map areas near power lines needing vegetation work (like trees or shrubs that could cause hazards), describe how the vegetation will be managed (e.g., trimming or removal), and set timelines for action. Utilities must update and resubmit this plan annually. The Board of Public Utilities must define "dangerous vegetation," review plans within 60 days, and establish an appeal process for rejected plans. The law applies to all utilities distributing electricity across New Jersey, excluding individual home service lines.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A4773) requires the Secretary of State to adjust census data used for redistricting by excluding undocumented immigrants from population counts. It directs the Secretary to develop an accurate legal resident count using datasets like Census citizenship data and New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission records. The adjusted data would then determine boundaries for congressional, state legislative, county, municipal, and school districts. This change aims to ensure districts reflect the population of legal residents only, rather than including undocumented immigrants in apportionment calculations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey electric utilities to publicly report specific outage details on their websites and submit the same information to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU). Utilities must post, at minimum, the affected area, outage start time, number of affected customers, statewide ongoing outages, estimated restoration time, and the outage cause once known. They must update this information regularly until power is restored. Utilities also must report the same data to the BPU within 30 days after service is restored. The bill applies directly to all electric public utilities distributing power to end users in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey electric public utilities to pre-position repair equipment in service areas that experience frequent power outages caused by high-risk events (like severe storms, heatwaves, or blizzards). Utilities must place this equipment 12-24 hours before such events and ensure it is regularly maintained and functional. The Board of Public Utilities will establish rules specifying the types of equipment needed and best practices for pre-positioning. The law applies to all utilities distributing electricity in the state, aiming to accelerate power restoration after disruptive weather.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (AJR 194) urges the U.S. Senate to pass the federal "Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act." The SAVE Act would amend the National Voter Registration Act to require states to collect documentary proof of U.S. citizenship and identity when registering voters for federal elections, including documents like a passport or birth record. It also proposes using federal databases to verify citizenship and remove ineligible voters from rolls. New Jersey's legislature supports this as a measure to address documented errors in voter registration systems that mistakenly enrolled noncitizens, aiming to bolster election security and public confidence. The resolution itself has no legal effect but formally advocates for the federal bill's passage.

Maddy summaryBill A4771 requires individuals and businesses receiving New Jersey state benefits - including contracts, loans, tax breaks, grants, or licenses - to certify that they are authorized to be in the U.S. under federal law. It directly affects anyone seeking state financial assistance or privileges, including employers who must verify employees' work eligibility. The bill mandates the Department of Labor to create a standard certification form requiring this verification, with penalties only for knowingly false statements. State agencies must incorporate this form into existing application processes rather than creating a new system. The policy aims to ensure state benefits are reserved for those legally permitted to reside or work in the U.S.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts residential customers in New Jersey from paying state sales and use tax on natural gas and electricity purchases. It requires utilities to automatically deduct the tax amount from monthly residential bills instead of charging it upfront. The exemption applies only to home energy use (not businesses) and takes effect immediately upon enactment. The Division of Taxation must create rules to implement this change within the Administrative Procedure Act framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits foreign governments and certain foreign individuals or organizations (including non-U.S. citizens and entities controlled by them) from owning or acquiring land within 10 miles of military facilities in New Jersey. It bans new ownership after the bill’s effective date and requires current foreign owners to sell their land within five years to a U.S. citizen, trust, or non-foreign entity. Exceptions allow limited retention for land acquired through debt collection (requiring sale within two years) or inheritance, but all sales must transfer ownership to non-foreign parties. The law takes effect immediately with no application to U.S. treaty obligations.

Maddy summaryThis bill renames the "Blue Star Memorial Highway Council" to the "Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway Council" and the "Blue Star Memorial Highway system" to the "Blue and Gold Star Memorial Highway system." The change acknowledges Gold Star families - immediate relatives of New Jersey military personnel who died in service - by adding "Gold Star" to the names. The bill requires the New Jersey Department of Transportation to update all highway signage to reflect the new names within 90 days of the law taking effect. This is a naming change only, with no alteration to the highway system's purpose, management, or funding.