Asm. Mike Inganamort

Maddy summaryACR 130 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring New Jersey's Legislature to hold four annual meetings - once per quarter - solely to vote on bills certified as providing property tax relief. These certified bills must lower property taxes without increasing revenue, and must address specific areas like pension reform, education funding, or local government spending. The amendment mandates that if a bill passes one legislative house, the other house must vote on it within 60 days, with the final meeting required at least 70 days before the legislative term ends. It does not require voting on all property tax bills or block consideration outside these quarterly sessions. The Legislature would designate a body to certify qualifying bills, ensuring they meet defined relief criteria.

Maddy summaryAJR 165 designates the first full week of June each year as "New Jersey Fishing and Boating Week" to recognize the importance of these recreational activities. The bill directs the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public observance and requires the Division of Fish and Wildlife to publicize the week and coordinate at least one of the state's existing free fishing days with it. It does not create new laws, funding, or requirements - only establishes a symbolic observance. The bill directly affects all New Jersey residents by highlighting local fishing and boating opportunities, which include the state's coastline, lakes, and diverse species like striped bass and brook trout. This is a ceremonial resolution with no regulatory impact.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to add a special notation to vehicle registrations for drivers who are deaf or hard of hearing. To qualify, applicants must provide medical verification of 41 dB or greater hearing loss from an ENT or an audiologist certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The notation would only appear in law enforcement systems during traffic stops to alert officers, and would apply to registrations issued or renewed 180 days after the bill takes effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires websites and online platforms to verify the age of users attempting to access content containing a "substantial portion" of material harmful to minors (defined as content with over one-third harmful material, such as explicit sexual content or lacking artistic value for minors). It applies to entities like social media platforms and websites, prohibiting minors under 18 from accessing such content unless the platform verifies their age and confirms the content is suitable for them. Platforms must use reasonable age verification methods (e.g., digital ID checks) and follow division-established standards for content suitability. The bill is pending before the New Jersey Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee after being introduced on April 4, 2024.

Maddy summaryAJR 164 designates the fourth Saturday of September each year as "New Jersey Hunting and Fishing Day" to promote participation in these activities. The resolution requires the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public observance and directs the Division of Fish and Wildlife to publicize the day and coordinate at least one of the state's free fishing days with it. This procedural resolution does not create new laws but aims to highlight hunting and fishing's role in recreation, conservation, and economic activity. It directly affects state officials responsible for implementation and the public through designated events.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey Assembly Resolution (AR 108) urges the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to establish an inpatient hospital facility at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. It directly addresses veterans in southern New Jersey, where 119,200 residents live across eight counties and currently lack local inpatient VA care - forcing many to travel hours to facilities like the outdated East Orange Veterans Medical Center. The resolution highlights that establishing the facility at the base would reduce travel times (currently multiple hours for some veterans) and leverage existing veteran services at the location. As a non-binding request, it formally asks the VA to consider this action and will be sent to the VA Secretary and New Jersey’s congressional delegation.

Maddy summaryAssembly Resolution 107 urges the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to redirect funding away from current transportation providers for disabled veterans and instead support existing county paratransit services and non-profit organizations (like ARC of New Jersey and Easterseals) that already provide transportation for seniors and people with disabilities. It specifically addresses disabled veterans in New Jersey - approximately 53,000 with service-connected disabilities - who use VA medical centers in East Orange and Lyons, where current transportation has been reported as inadequate (leaving veterans stranded for hours or overnight). The resolution proposes that VA funding enable these established networks to expand their services to cover veterans’ medical travel needs, rather than relying on underfunded or inconsistent VA or volunteer-provided transport. This is a non-binding request to the VA, not a legislative mandate.

Maddy summaryThe New Jersey Transit Accountability Act (A4096) requires New Jersey Transit (NJT) to hire an independent auditor within 90 days to examine its financial management and budget reporting practices since the 2018 Executive Order No. 5 assessment. The audit must cover pandemic impacts on service demand and finances, evaluate current funding adequacy, and recommend improvements to governance, hiring, and customer service. NJT must submit the audit findings to the Governor and Legislature, then adopt the recommended policies within six months (with an option to explain exceptions). This bill directly affects NJT's operational transparency and financial accountability, aiming to address historical funding mismanagement identified in prior assessments.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the scope of practice for optometrists in New Jersey by allowing them to prescribe more pharmaceutical agents (including some controlled substances), administer certain immunizations (for coronaviruses, influenza, and varicella-zoster virus), and perform simple ophthalmologic procedures like non-invasive laser treatments. It clarifies that optometrists must complete specific training and credentialing to provide these expanded services, including evidence of competence through accredited education programs. The bill directly affects licensed optometrists in New Jersey and their patients, who will have access to a broader range of eye care services from optometrists. The legislation updates the legal definition of optometry practice to better align with optometrists' doctoral education and clinical training.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the current legal limit of 200 annual permits for beaver trapping. It allows the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife to issue as many permits as needed for managing beaver populations, without a fixed annual cap. The change applies to all permits, including those for landowners seeking to control beavers causing property damage. The bill does not alter other permit requirements, such as the $15 fee or the five-beaver limit per permit.