Asm. Jay Webber

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 547) requires the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to identify reservoirs with a history of causing downstream flooding and study their capacity and water needs. The DEP must then set maximum water levels for these reservoirs to balance flood prevention with water supply, and require owners to create approved flood action plans - including flood gates - for reservoirs linked to past flooding. The Office of Emergency Management can order reservoir levels lowered during severe weather to prevent flooding, after consulting with the DEP. Reservoir owners who follow approved plans and comply with emergency orders are protected from related lawsuits. The bill directly affects DEP, reservoir owners, and communities downstream of affected reservoirs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state agencies to give priority processing to permit or approval applications submitted by counties or municipalities that have formal agreements for 10 or more shared services (like joint police or waste management programs). It directly affects local governments that meet the 10-shared-services threshold under the Uniform Shared Services Act. The bill mandates the Department of Community Affairs to maintain and publicly post an updated list of qualifying local governments on its website, so state agencies can easily identify eligible applicants. This creates a clear, administrative process for faster review of applications from participating local entities.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3179) grants civil immunity to licensed health care professionals who provide unpaid care at licensed health care facilities or nonprofit clinics, protecting them from lawsuits for personal injury resulting from that care. It applies to professionals like doctors, nurses, dentists, and therapists who do not bill for or expect payment for their services. The immunity does not cover cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct, as proven by clear evidence. Before providing care, professionals must inform patients about this immunity, and the law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Jersey's workers' compensation law to clarify coverage requirements for self-employed individuals and business owners. It requires businesses (including partnerships and LLCs) to actively elect coverage for self-employed persons or partners when purchasing or renewing a workers' compensation policy - coverage is not automatic. Businesses only need to provide this coverage if they employ at least one other employee (not the self-employed owner). The bill also specifies that sole S-corporation owners are not automatically covered unless the corporation elects it, and insurers cannot be held liable for failing to provide coverage unless they acted recklessly. This directly affects business owners who work for their own companies but have no other employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council appointment rules. It directly affects the Governor's authority to appoint seven public members to the council, requiring that no more than four of these members belong to the same political party. The key provision limits partisan balance among these seven public appointees, ensuring no single party dominates this segment of the council. This change applies to all future appointments under the council's structure.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's residency requirements for state employees to specifically prohibit commissioners or heads of principal departments in the Executive Branch from holding outside jobs requiring extended absence from New Jersey. It ensures these high-level officials maintain their principal residence within the state and cannot work additional positions that would require prolonged time outside New Jersey. The change tightens an existing rule (R.S.52:14-7) by explicitly excluding these roles from exemptions, requiring full-time residency to prevent conflicts of interest or absenteeism. It applies directly to top state agency leaders, not all public employees. The bill is currently pending in the Assembly State and Local Government Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's human trafficking law to include individuals who profit financially from trafficking schemes, even if they aren't organizers, supervisors, financiers, or managers. It directly affects people who receive money or other benefits from trafficking activities, such as business owners who exploit victims or third parties facilitating exploitation. The key change adds a new subsection defining human trafficking to cover "receiving anything of value" from trafficking, while maintaining a 20-year minimum prison term and requiring restitution to victims based on their labor value. This makes it a crime to profit from trafficking without needing to prove a formal leadership role in the scheme.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes investigation and security services from New Jersey's sales and use tax, meaning these services will no longer be subject to the tax. It amends the tax code (P.L.1966, c.30) by explicitly excluding such services from the definition of taxable "retail sale." Businesses providing investigation (e.g., private investigation) and security services (e.g., monitoring, guarding) will no longer collect sales tax on these services, and customers purchasing them will not pay the tax. The change directly affects service providers and their clients in these specific industries.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a program to help New Jersey volunteer emergency responders (like fire department members and first aid squad volunteers) reduce student loan debt. To qualify, applicants must be state residents, have completed an in-state undergraduate degree or certificate, and provide proof of active volunteer status. The program redeems up to $16,000 of eligible student loans over three years of continued service: $4,000 in year one, $4,000 in year two, and $8,000 in year three (capped at specified percentages of the original loan balance). Participants must maintain active volunteer status each year to receive payments.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide public boat access at state-owned lakes where boating is permitted, within two years of enactment. The DEP must either build access points or contract with private marinas via public bidding to ensure the public can launch boats with or without motors. It appropriates $1 million from the state General Fund specifically to fund this access. The law directly affects public boaters seeking access to lakes like Greenwood Lake, which currently lacks public boat launches as private marinas restrict or eliminate day-use access.