Asm. Jay Webber

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts construction, expansion, or renovation projects for municipal buildings or volunteer fire departments from New Jersey's Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act requirements. It directly affects local governments and volunteer fire departments by removing regulatory hurdles for their facility projects within the Highlands Region. The key mechanism is adding these projects to the list of existing exemptions under the Act, which previously covered limited activities like single-family homes or forest management. This change streamlines approvals for essential public infrastructure without altering broader environmental protections. The bill is procedural and does not affect other development types or environmental standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts certain military compensation from New Jersey's state income tax for residents who serve outside the state. Specifically, it excludes pay received by New Jersey-domiciled service members deployed or stationed out-of-state for at least six months during a tax year, including housing allowances, subsistence payments, and mustering-out benefits. The policy directly affects New Jersey residents serving in the U.S. Armed Forces who are not stationed within New Jersey for a significant portion of the year. The bill amends New Jersey tax code section 54A:6-7 and would take effect immediately upon enactment. (Note: The bill is pending, introduced January 13, 2026, and not yet enacted.)

Maddy summaryThis bill expands requirements for public awareness signage about human trafficking. It adds 10 new locations where businesses and facilities must display the Commission on Human Trafficking's sign, including gas stations, staffing agencies, law enforcement offices, nail salons, and New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission offices. The sign must be 8.5x11 inches, in 16-point font, and bilingual (English/Spanish), containing the national trafficking hotline number. Businesses failing to display or replace defaced signs face $300 fines for first offenses and $1,000 for subsequent violations. The bill directly affects the listed establishments by mandating visible signage to aid trafficking victims.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey municipalities to submit copies of property tax break agreements (like abatements or exemptions) to their county chief financial officer and county counsel within 10 days of signing. It directly affects municipalities that grant temporary property tax breaks to incentivize development. The bill also adds an annual requirement for municipalities to report total tax exemptions and abatements to county officials by October 1 each year, expanding current reporting to include county-level officials. This shifts filing responsibilities from state agencies (like the Division of Local Government Services) to county-level offices, increasing local oversight of tax incentive programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A-3191) changes New Jersey's gross income tax by consolidating all 16 income categories into one for loss offsetting. It allows taxpayers to use losses from one income source (like business profits) to offset gains from another (like investment income), and extends the carryforward period for unused net losses to 20 years. The bill repeals a prior limited rule that only permitted cross-offsetting for four business-related income categories. This change primarily affects businesses and investors with diverse income streams, making New Jersey's tax system more flexible compared to its previous category-based structure.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 1605) prohibits public school boards from teaching family life education, sex education, sexual health, sexual orientation, or gender identity to students in preschool through fourth grade. It directly affects school districts and educators in New Jersey who must stop providing these specific topics in early grades. The bill requires the State Board of Education to revise the statewide health education standards within 30 days to align with this prohibition. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 32) creates a temporary, bipartisan committee to study New Jersey's historical claims to Staten Island. The 12-member committee - six appointed by the Assembly Speaker and six by the Minority Leader - will investigate colonial land grants, the 1834 boundary compact, and relevant legal history to explore potential annexation pathways. It will examine lawful options for New Jersey to pursue annexation, but only with consent from Staten Island residents, New York State, and the U.S. Congress. The committee will produce a final report and expire upon completion of its work. This is purely an investigative measure with no immediate policy impact.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an 18-month mandatory prison term (with no parole eligibility during this period) for a second or subsequent offense involving an adult (18+ years) who knowingly uses, hires, or directs a juvenile (17 or younger) to commit automobile theft. It directly affects adults who exploit minors in car theft crimes, adding a strict penalty on top of existing second-degree crime charges. The law explicitly states that mistakenly believing the minor was older than 17 is not a valid defense. This change applies only to repeat offenses, leaving first-time penalties unchanged under current law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Commission on Human Trafficking to investigate how traffickers use online gaming and social media platforms to target victims, develop prevention strategies, and recommend legislative solutions. The 15-member commission, already tasked with evaluating human trafficking laws and victim services, must now specifically study online platform exploitation as part of its annual duties. The commission will report its findings and recommendations to the governor and legislature each year. This bill does not create new laws but directs the commission to focus on preventing trafficking through digital platforms.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Superintendent of State Police to annually collect and publish statistics on cannabis-related fatal motor vehicle crashes. It directly affects the State Police (who must gather and release the data) and the public (who gains access to this specific information). The key provision mandates that the data collection and publication follow the same annual schedule as the current Fatal Motor Vehicle Crash Report, using the legal definition of "cannabis" from existing law. The bill does not change cannabis laws or driving regulations, only adding a reporting requirement for cannabis-related fatalities.