Asm. Mike Inganamort

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey state, county, municipal, and school district governments from using private funds or personnel for election administration - including voter registration, ballot processing, and election operations. It specifically bans accepting or spending money from private entities (like corporations, nonprofits, or political parties) for these functions, though public funds from the state or federal government remain allowed. The bill also makes it illegal for private individuals to hold supervisory roles in ballot counting or eligibility decisions unless authorized by existing election laws. Violations are classified as third-degree crimes, carrying criminal penalties. (Note: This bill is based on similar laws in 11 other states.)

Maddy summaryThis bill allows large food waste generators (those producing 52+ tons of food waste annually within 25 miles of a recycling facility) to continue sending their food waste to sanitary landfills that capture landfill gas for renewable energy, if they were already doing so as of April 14, 2020. Generators using this method remain compliant with existing recycling requirements without switching to authorized recycling facilities. The bill maintains standard recycling rules for other generators and includes a waiver process if recycling costs exceed disposal costs by 10 percent. It also preserves penalties for non-compliance and requires the Department of Environmental Protection to publish facility details.

Maddy summaryACR 54 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring New Jersey's Legislature to post bills and joint resolutions on its website for at least seven days before the final vote. This would replace the current one-day waiting period between the second reading and final vote with a seven-day requirement, applying to all bills except those designated as emergencies by a three-fourths vote in either legislative chamber. The amendment aims to increase public access to bill text prior to voting, ensuring more time for review. If approved by voters, it would become part of the New Jersey Constitution.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires court-ordered medical testing for individuals who may have exposed first responders to bloodborne pathogens (like HIV, hepatitis B/C) during emergencies. It applies when first responders (police, firefighters, EMTs) have direct contact with bodily fluids or needle pricks. If a person refuses voluntary testing after a first responder reports exposure within 24 hours, a public health officer can seek a court order for testing - granted if the court finds reasonable evidence of transmission risk. Test results are confidential, shared only with the tested person and the first responder, and cannot be used in court or for law enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 405) upgrades New Jersey's auto theft penalties when the theft occurs during a home invasion or residential burglary. Specifically, auto theft would become a second-degree crime if connected to residential burglary (currently a third-degree crime) and a first-degree crime if tied to home invasion burglary (which involves weapons or injury). The bill also ensures that auto theft convictions won’t merge with separate burglary convictions for sentencing. This change would increase potential penalties, with first-degree theft carrying up to 20 years in prison versus the current maximum of 5 years for third-degree theft.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends New Jersey's state income tax benefits for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to mirror the federal tax advantages currently available to individual taxpayers. It amends existing law (P.L.1992, c.161) to align New Jersey's gross income tax treatment with federal HSA rules, allowing residents to deduct HSA contributions and enjoy tax-free growth on savings. The policy change directly affects New Jersey individual taxpayers who use HSAs for qualified medical expenses. The bill does not alter health insurance plan requirements or coverage provisions but adjusts state tax treatment to match federal standards. It remains pending before the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires municipal court judges, Superior Court judges handling domestic violence cases, and judicial personnel involved in processing domestic violence complaints or sexual assault allegations (outside domestic violence contexts) to complete a minimum of three hours of annual training. The training must include at least 1.5 hours on sexual violence topics like dynamics, survivor impact, and legal procedures, plus core content on domestic violence dynamics, trauma, risk factors, and safety planning. The Administrative Director of the Courts must develop and update this curriculum every two years, with initial training required within 90 days of appointment or transfer. This establishes a standardized, minimum training requirement for all affected court staff, addressing a gap where municipal court judges previously had no statutory training mandate.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Caregiver's Assistance Act creates a tax credit for residents who pay for care of elderly relatives. Caregivers with income under $100,000 (or $50,000 for certain filers) can get 22.5% back on up to $3,000 annually in qualified care costs. Eligible expenses include home health services, adult day care, home modifications, and personal care assistance for qualifying seniors aged 60+ (or 50+ with disability) who meet income requirements. The credit does not apply to costs covered by insurance or government programs, and it's in addition to existing dependent deductions.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands eligibility for local units to join municipal or county insurance funds. It amends New Jersey law to explicitly include county colleges and municipal authorities as "local units" that can participate in these funds, which currently cover counties, municipalities, school boards, and vocational schools. The change removes existing gaps - county colleges previously could only join county funds (not municipal ones), and municipal authorities had no statutory participation authority. The bill clarifies that all eligible local units can now access these pooled insurance arrangements under a single statute.

Maddy summaryThe New Jersey Healthcare Choice Act (A-3150) allows health insurers licensed in other states to sell coverage to New Jersey residents and small businesses under specific conditions. It permits out-of-state insurers to offer individual health plans to NJ residents and small employer plans to businesses with 2-50 employees, provided they comply with their home state’s rules, obtain NJ approval, and join NJ’s insurance guaranty association. The bill requires insurers to clearly disclose differences between their plans and NJ’s standard programs in plain language. This directly affects out-of-state insurers seeking to enter the NJ market, NJ residents purchasing individual coverage, and small employers buying group plans. The law aims to expand insurance options while maintaining consumer protections through disclosure and regulatory oversight.