Asm. Mike Inganamort

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for retail theft offenses based on the value of stolen goods, with shoplifting over $500 becoming a third-degree crime. It creates a new offense for "fostering the sale of stolen property" (including online sales) and upgrades penalties for "leader of organized retail theft enterprise" to a first-degree crime. The bill establishes a retail theft unit within the Attorney General's office to investigate and prosecute organized retail theft, and includes new requirements for gift card retailers to prevent fraud through packaging standards and third-party reseller record-keeping. It also creates extended prison terms for repeat retail theft offenders and increases penalties for tax evasion related to retail theft.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey county clerks to publicly report provisional ballot data for each election district during primary and general elections. Starting on election day (not the following day), counties must post online updates every 24 hours showing the number of provisional ballots cast and their results in each district, along with early voting and election-day totals. County clerks must also provide a final report within 30 days of election certification detailing all provisional ballots counted per district. These reports will be posted on county websites and the state election division site, making election results more transparent in real time. The bill amends existing law to require district-level detail and earlier reporting.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands when juveniles aged 15+ can be sent to adult court for motor vehicle theft. It adds "theft or unlawful taking of a motor vehicle" to the list of offenses eligible for waiver to adult court, but only if the juvenile has previously been found delinquent for a similar offense. The bill also clarifies that using a minor (under 18) in vehicle theft is a strict liability crime, meaning adults cannot claim they mistakenly believed the minor was older. This makes the offense a second-degree crime punishable by 5-10 years in prison or a $150,000 fine.

Maddy summaryThis resolution commemorates the 75th anniversary of the federal Sport Fish Restoration Program, established by the 1950 Dingell-Johnson Act. The program funds conservation and habitat restoration for sportfish populations using excise taxes paid by fishing and boating equipment users. New Jersey benefits from this program through restored fish populations (like striped bass and brook trout), improved habitats, and support for recreational fishing jobs. The resolution directs copies to New Jersey’s Division of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A5327 prohibits state agencies, public schools, colleges, and local governments from purchasing electric vehicles or components if they may have been made using forced labor or child labor. The bill requires manufacturers or sellers to provide a sworn certification confirming no forced labor or child labor was used in production, including materials sourcing. Violations trigger civil penalties of $10,000 per false statement or 50% of the purchase price, whichever is greater. This directly affects public procurement contracts for EVs across New Jersey's government entities, aiming to prevent public funds from supporting labor exploitation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public utilities (such as gas, electric, or water companies) to reimburse state or local governments for costs incurred when securing potentially dangerous conditions on utility-controlled property that are accessible to the public. To file a claim, governments must first notify the utility of the hazard and deploy personnel to secure the scene, but utilities can avoid payment by responding within one hour with their own personnel. The bill establishes a fee schedule for claims based on federal disaster relief standards and mandates utilities to maintain updated emergency contact information for faster hazard response. Reimbursement amounts are excluded from utility rate cases to prevent these costs from increasing customer rates.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5340) prohibits foreign governments and foreign persons from acquiring or owning agricultural land in New Jersey after its effective date, with limited exceptions. Current foreign owners must sell or transfer their land to domestic entities within five years, including attaching a deed requiring continued agricultural use. Exceptions allow ownership through debt collection processes (requiring sale within two years), inheritance, or security interests, while respecting applicable U.S. treaties. The bill mandates annual reports to the Governor and Legislature tracking foreign-owned farmland acreage, ownership trends, and land use purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals New Jersey's existing ban on single-use plastic carryout bags, single-use paper carryout bags, polystyrene foam food service products, and single-use plastic straws. It directly affects retail stores, restaurants, and food service businesses that previously could not sell or distribute these items. The repeal removes all prohibitions on these products, allowing their sale and distribution to resume. The bill also eliminates a $500,000 annual appropriation from the Clean Communities Program Fund that previously supported public education about reusable bag alternatives. This change takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill would amend New Jersey's felony murder, aggravated manslaughter, and aggravated assault laws to include death or bodily injury occurring during the commission of auto theft. Currently, these laws apply to certain crimes like robbery or burglary, but this bill would add auto theft to the list of crimes for which the felony murder rule applies. Under the bill, causing death during auto theft would be considered felony murder (a first-degree crime), and causing injury during auto theft would be considered aggravated assault (a second-degree crime). This change would apply to anyone who causes death or injury while stealing a car, expanding the scope of these criminal charges.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5316) upgrades the criminal classification for auto theft when it occurs during specific burglaries in New Jersey. It raises auto theft to a second-degree crime if committed during residential burglary (breaking into a home without violence) and to a first-degree crime if committed during home invasion burglary (breaking into a home with violence or weapons). Currently, auto theft is a third-degree crime (3-5 year prison term) unless the vehicle is worth $75,000+ or multiple vehicles are stolen. The bill ensures auto theft convictions won’t merge with burglary convictions, meaning offenders face separate sentences for both crimes. It directly affects individuals who steal vehicles while committing these types of burglaries.