Asm. Jay Webber

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1443) establishes automatic disqualification from holding any public office or employment in New Jersey for individuals convicted of certain crimes related to their position. It requires courts to immediately issue disqualification orders alongside forfeiture orders when someone is convicted of offenses involving dishonesty, third-degree crimes, or crimes directly tied to their public role. The bill also mandates a central registry maintained by the Administrative Office of the Courts to track all disqualified individuals. This applies to both state and local government positions, with limited exceptions for minor offenses that may be waived by a court.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the standard for lawful firearm transporters who deviate from their course of travel from "reasonably necessary" to "reasonable." It specifically allows for common, brief, lawful detours like picking up passengers, obtaining supplies or medication, and using restrooms before reaching a permitted destination. The bill also explicitly permits firearm transportation during bona fide emergencies or declared disaster evacuations. This affects individuals lawfully transporting firearms under existing exemptions, such as gun owners traveling between home and business, hunters, and members of rifle/pistol clubs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2663) allows New Jersey taxpayers to deduct charitable contributions of food from business inventory on their state gross income tax return. It directly affects businesses that donate food (meeting quality standards but not readily marketable due to appearance, age, or other conditions) to IRS-qualified charities. The deduction mirrors the federal tax deduction for such contributions as it existed in 2013, applying regardless of whether the taxpayer claims the federal itemized deduction. The policy change simplifies state tax treatment for businesses donating excess food inventory to charities, aligning New Jersey's law with federal practice.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that a will in New Jersey must be either signed by the person creating it or substantially written in their own handwriting to be valid. It removes the current exception allowing a will to be considered valid without a signature if a court determines the person intended it to be their will. The law applies to all wills filed with the Surrogate's office on or after its effective date, affecting anyone creating a will in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A2640) increases penalties for certain crimes committed during a state of emergency. It upgrades offenses like robbery, burglary, theft, shoplifting, and interference with transportation to higher criminal degrees when committed during an emergency. For example, robbery during an emergency would become a first-degree crime (previously second-degree), while burglary would become a first-degree crime (previously second-degree). The bill affects anyone committing these specific crimes in a jurisdiction where a state of emergency has been declared, making those offenses more serious under New Jersey law.

Maddy summaryThis bill upgrades burglary of a home to a second-degree crime (previously third-degree) unless the person is armed with a weapon or explosive, in which case it becomes a first-degree crime. It clarifies that armed residential burglary would trigger New Jersey's No Early Release Act (requiring at least 85% of the sentence to be served before parole eligibility), while non-armed residential burglary would not. The bill directly affects individuals convicted of breaking into or remaining in a home without permission to commit a crime.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to refund a portion of registration fees for passenger cars and noncommercial trucks when vehicles are sold, transferred, or destroyed before registration expires. The refund amount is calculated based on the unexpired time, on an annual basis, but only if at least one full year remains on the registration. Owners with less than one year remaining on their registration would not qualify for a refund. The bill does not change existing rules allowing transfers of unexpired registration to other vehicles.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows public institutions of higher education and local school boards to become charter school authorizers, which are entities that review, grant, renew, and revoke charters for charter schools. It establishes a detailed application process requiring these entities to submit strategic plans, budget information, and oversight procedures before becoming authorized. The commissioner of education will oversee these authorizers and can take corrective action against them, while serving as the sole authorizer for charter schools focused on single-gender education, special education, or online learning. The bill also modifies other aspects of the charter school program, including streamlining applications for certain schools and changing teacher certification requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey to distribute a portion of federal ESSER II funds (specifically the state reserve) exclusively to school districts that met specific in-person instruction thresholds during the 2020-2021 school year. It defines "in-person districts" as those offering in-person instruction on 75%+ of days (receiving 1.5x the per-pupil funding) and "hybrid districts" as those offering it on 25%-74% of days (receiving standard per-pupil funding). Districts not meeting either definition are excluded from this distribution. Superintendents must certify compliance under penalty of perjury to qualify.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts to include specific financial details in the explanatory statement for voter-approved bond issues on school capital projects, such as building or renovating schools. The statement must list the total debt of the school district and its municipality, estimate the property tax increase for an average home, and, if applicable, provide the project's square footage per student and cost per square foot. It also mandates clear disclosure of any costs beyond standard building efficiency requirements, described as "additional to the facilities efficiency standards." The bill applies to all Type II school districts and aims to give voters more transparent information when deciding on school bond measures.