Asm. Mike Inganamort

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1118) revises New Jersey's tax rates for married couples filing jointly, aiming to reduce the "marriage penalty" where joint filers pay more tax than if they filed separately. It increases the threshold for the lowest tax bracket from $20,000 to $40,000 for joint filers and changes the tax rate for income between $40,000 and $70,000 from 2.5% to 1.75%. These changes apply to taxable years beginning January 1, 2020, and directly affect married couples who file joint tax returns in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Fair Housing Act to prohibit urban aid municipalities (those eligible for state aid under P.L.1978, c.14) from receiving exemptions from their affordable housing obligations. It requires these municipalities to contribute to the regional need for low and moderate income housing rather than transferring their obligations to other municipalities. The bill aims to direct affordable housing development to urban areas with existing infrastructure, which minimizes urban sprawl and allows for more cost-effective development. By eliminating exemptions for urban municipalities, the bill ensures a more equitable distribution of affordable housing development across housing regions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3005) adjusts New Jersey's $6,000 veterans' income tax exemption to keep pace with inflation. It directly affects honorably discharged veterans who file New Jersey taxes and claim this exemption. The bill requires the exemption amount to automatically increase each year based on the Chained Consumer Price Index (C-CPI-U) for the 12 months ending August 31 of the prior year. If inflation is zero, the exemption amount remains unchanged for that tax year. This change ensures the exemption's real value doesn't diminish over time due to rising costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses (APNs) in New Jersey, allowing them to practice to the full extent of their training without requiring physician supervision or joint protocols. APNs with more than 24 months or 2,400 hours of experience can practice independently, while those with less experience must maintain a joint protocol with a physician for prescribing medications. The bill updates requirements for prescribing medications (including pharmacology continuing education), authorizing medical cannabis, and practicing anesthesia, and repeals sections of law requiring physician collaboration. These changes aim to improve healthcare access, particularly in underserved areas, by expanding the scope of practice for APNs who are already trained to provide primary and specialty care. The bill also modifies documentation requirements so that APNs can use their own signatures instead of requiring physician endorsements.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A2897) requires construction industry employers to inform workers about key workplace rights, including unemployment benefits, minimum wage, overtime pay, and protections against retaliation. Employers must conspicuously post multilingual notices (in English, Spanish, and other languages based on workforce needs) in accessible locations and provide written copies at hiring or upon request. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $1,500 for a first offense and $5,000 for repeat violations within five years. The bill directly affects construction employers and their employees, supplementing existing protections under the Construction Industry Independent Contractor Act (P.L.2007, c.114).

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill 5431 creates a new category of "consumer-regulated electric utility" (CREU) that can own, operate, and sell electricity exclusively to new industrial, commercial, and other nonresidential customers. These entities are exempt from general public utility regulation by the Board of Public Utilities as long as their generation, distribution, or transmission facilities remain off-grid and not connected to the state's main transmission system. However, if a CREU connects its facilities to the state grid, it immediately becomes subject to standard public utility oversight. The bill also ensures that CREUs must still comply with environmental permitting, building codes, fire safety standards, and workplace health regulations regardless of their regulatory status.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill 5359 classifies 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a psychoactive compound found in kratom, as a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance under state law. This designation defines the substance as having a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use, effectively making its manufacture, distribution, or possession with intent to distribute illegal. The bill directly affects individuals who produce, sell, or possess 7-OH, subjecting them to criminal penalties that range from third-degree to second-degree crimes depending on the quantity involved.

Maddy summaryThe Processing Establishment Fast Track Act creates an expedited permitting program for small meat and poultry processing facilities in New Jersey, requiring state and local agencies to review applications concurrently rather than sequentially. The bill mandates that agencies provide a completeness check within 15 days of receiving an application and issue final permit decisions within 60 days, with applications deemed complete if agencies fail to notify applicants of deficiencies within the initial timeframe. Additionally, the legislation establishes a one-year pilot program run by Warren County Community College and Rutgers Cooperative Extension to offer technical assistance such as site readiness assessments and utility coordination, while also recognizing engineered composting of slaughter byproducts as an approved waste management method for compliant facilities.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill 5419 establishes the three-year Jersey Protein Pro pilot program within the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to address workforce shortages in the meat processing industry. The bill appropriates $3 million from the General Fund to provide grants to qualified institutions, such as county colleges and vocational school districts, for developing short-course training in areas like meat cutting, food safety, and plant maintenance. Participating institutions may use these funds to offer tuition assistance to students who agree to remain employed in New Jersey for at least two years after completing the program. The legislation requires biannual reports from participating institutions on fund usage and annual reports from the Labor Commissioner to the Governor and Legislature regarding the program's progress and potential future status.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill 5417 creates tax credits to encourage the construction or expansion of rural meat processing facilities by offsetting a portion of project costs against state Corporation Business Tax and Gross Income Tax liabilities. To qualify, taxpayers must obtain certification from the Secretary of Agriculture demonstrating that their investment includes specific infrastructure such as smokehouses, sausage lines, packaging facilities, or cold storage, and that the project coordinates with regional agricultural innovation centers for workforce and supply chain development. The credit is calculated at 20 percent of total costs, increasing to 30 percent if the specified infrastructure components are included, with individual credits capped at $5 million and a cumulative program limit of $50 million over a five-year period. Unused tax credits may be carried forward for up to four additional years, and the state is required to submit a report on the program's effectiveness five years after enactment.