Asm. Aura Dunn

Maddy summaryThis bill reduces the sales tax rate by 50% for eligible retail sales in municipalities where 99% or more of the area is within New Jersey's Highlands Region Preservation Area. It directly affects retailers operating in these designated municipalities (like boroughs or townships fully within the preservation zone), excluding sales of motor vehicles, alcohol, digital products, and cigarettes. The key provision exempts half of the standard sales tax on qualifying in-person retail transactions made at physical stores, not mail-order operations. The goal is to support local economic stability by helping retail businesses maintain operations and jobs in areas designated for environmental preservation.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds a "preservation bonus credit" to New Jersey's affordable housing law, allowing municipalities to count existing affordable housing units toward their fair share obligation. It directly affects New Jersey municipalities required to meet affordable housing goals under the Fair Housing Act. The key provision lets municipalities earn credit for preserving affordable units in existing buildings (rather than building new ones), reducing the number of new units they must develop. This change simplifies compliance for municipalities with older affordable housing stock. The bill amends Section 11 of the Fair Housing Act (P.L.1985, c.222) to include this credit mechanism.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits pet shops in New Jersey from selling cats, dogs, or rabbits, directly affecting pet shops, breeders, brokers, and animal shelters/rescues. It requires pet shops to collaborate with shelters for adoption showcases (without payment), bans shelters from paying breeders for animals, and fines violators $1,000 per violation - with license revocation for three or more offenses. The law aims to disrupt the "puppy-mill-to-pet-store pipeline" by prioritizing adoption over commercial breeding sales. It does not affect pet shop sales of other animals or pet supplies.

Maddy summaryAR 22 is a non-binding Assembly Resolution urging New Jersey's K-12 schools and colleges to include veterans and active military members in discussions about military service, values, and leadership. It specifically encourages institutions to integrate these perspectives into educational programming, particularly during Veterans Month in November. The resolution does not mandate changes but recommends fostering student connections with service members to promote appreciation for military values like integrity and selfless service. It applies to all public educational institutions across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill allows 12th graders who are enlisting or planning to enlist in the U.S. military or National Guard to miss school for required military activities without penalty. Absences for military enlistment activities - including testing, medical exams, interviews, or fingerprinting - must be recorded as excused and won’t appear on transcripts, job applications, or affect perfect attendance records. Schools may request documentation to verify the student’s military plans. The bill applies only to students in grade 12.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts common oral care products like toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss, and oral irrigators from New Jersey's sales and use tax. It specifically covers items designed to maintain oral health, including powered toothbrushes and interdental brushes, regardless of whether they qualify as over-the-counter drugs. The exemption does not apply to food, dietary supplements, or durable medical equipment. This change aligns with a multistate tax agreement to standardize definitions for tax-exempt products.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey municipalities to exclude environmentally sensitive and flood-prone land from being counted as available for affordable housing construction. It specifically excludes land regulated by agencies like the Highlands Water Protection Council, flood hazard areas under the Flood Hazard Area Control Act, and wetlands protected by the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act. The law changes current policy by removing the requirement that development must be "prohibited" on such land - now regulated land automatically qualifies for exclusion. This affects municipalities obligated to provide affordable housing under New Jersey's Fair Housing Act, preventing them from using these lands to meet their housing quotas.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for denying access to service dogs and their handlers in public facilities, New Jersey Transit (NJT), and ride-sharing companies (like Uber or Lyft) from civil fines to criminal charges. First-time offenders face a petty disorderly persons offense (up to 30 days in jail or $500 fine), while second or subsequent violations become a disorderly persons offense (up to one year in jail or $1,000 fine). Fines collected will fund law enforcement training on service dog access rights, and the bill mandates a public awareness campaign. It directly affects businesses, public venues, and transportation providers that deny access to service dog users.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the time limit for prosecuting human trafficking crimes in New Jersey. It specifically eliminates the current 5-year statute of limitations for offenses listed under N.J.S.2C:11-3 (human trafficking) and similar statutes. As a result, prosecutors can bring charges for these crimes at any time, regardless of when the trafficking occurred. This directly affects human trafficking victims by enabling legal action even years after the crime, and it shifts the burden to prosecutors to pursue cases without time constraints. The change applies immediately to all unbarred human trafficking cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A-1189) requires New Jersey to provide additional state school funding to reduce property tax burdens for residents. It directly affects school districts that experienced state aid reductions between 2018-2019 and 2022-2023, directing the state to pay them retroactive aid equal to their past funding losses. Key mechanisms include calculating base aid amounts based on historical funding formulas, mandating districts receiving increased state aid to lower property tax levies by the same amount, and requiring annual property tax reductions if state aid rises. The bill appropriates $2.9 billion to implement these changes, aiming to ensure school funding aligns with residents' ability to pay property taxes.