Asm. Eliana Pintor Marin

Maddy summaryThis bill adds a new sentencing mitigating factor for defendants who were victims of domestic violence (physical, sexual, or psychological abuse by a family or household member) and where the abuse contributed to their criminal behavior. It establishes new sentencing ranges (from up to six months for fourth-degree crimes to up to ten years for first-degree crimes) and allows for resentencing of individuals currently incarcerated serving eight or more years for prior offenses. The bill also creates a grant program to fund trauma-informed reentry support services including mental health counseling, peer recovery support, vocational training, and housing assistance for eligible individuals. These services are designed to support people who were victims of domestic violence and whose abuse contributed to their criminal behavior, with priority given to culturally responsive care provided by trauma-impacted individuals.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A3558 bill establishes the state's official definition of antisemitism using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) standard, including specific examples of antisemitic conduct. State agencies and institutions must use this definition when reviewing, investigating, or deciding on cases involving discriminatory acts motivated by antisemitism. The bill appropriates $100,000 for a public awareness campaign by the Attorney General's office to educate residents on identifying and reporting bias crimes through community outreach and the existing bias crimes hotline. This campaign aims to improve reporting of antisemitic incidents without affecting First Amendment rights or conflicting with existing anti-discrimination laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey state government to purchase unused tax credits from two specific programs: the New Jersey Aspire Program and the Cultural Arts Incentives Program. It mandates the Division of Taxation to buy these unused credits at 85% of their value, provided the tax credit certificate was issued at least one year before the purchase application. This applies to developers or holders who originally received these credits but did not use them. The bill changes prior law, which allowed the state to optionally purchase such credits, by making it mandatory for these two programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey's Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) to provide supplemental tax credits to housing developers who have received four-percent low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) but would qualify for nine-percent LIHTC. The supplemental credits cover the "project financing gap" for qualifying housing projects, ensuring developers receive a subsidy equivalent to a nine-percent LIHTC. The agency can award these credits to developers who demonstrate a financing gap, with the credit amount limited to the smaller of either the gap amount or the amount needed to reach a nine-percent subsidy level. Developers may transfer or sell these tax credits under specific conditions, including minimum sale amounts and restrictions on further transfers.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises how New Jersey allocates preschool education funding for the 2025-2026 school year. It requires school districts receiving preschool aid to deduct 25% of unspent carryover funds from prior years and mandates new applications for first-time recipients to demonstrate partnerships with community child care and Head Start programs. The bill allocates up to $10 million in grants to expand full-day preschool access for 3- and 4-year-olds, prioritizing districts using a "mixed-delivery" model (combining school and community programs) and funding workforce training. It also requires state departments to maintain public online lists of eligible districts and community providers.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3787) changes how 5% of annual service charges from urban renewal entities is transmitted to counties under New Jersey's Long Term Tax Exemption Law. It requires municipal tax collectors, not municipalities, to directly send this amount to county chief financial officers within seven days of receiving the payments. These annual service charges are payments in lieu of taxes for tax-exempt development projects. The bill affects municipalities, urban renewal entities, and counties involved in long-term tax exemption agreements.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $58.78 billion in state funds and $31.01 billion in federal funds for New Jersey's fiscal year 2026 budget (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026). It allocates these funds across various state departments including Agriculture, Education, Health, Human Services, and others, specifying the amounts for different programs and services. The bill authorizes the state government to operate and fund public services during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. As a standard budget bill, it does not create new policy but provides the necessary financial resources for existing state operations. This funding mechanism supports the state's ability to deliver public services but does not directly affect individual citizens.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3871) requires New Jersey public school districts to include instruction on the history and contributions of Latino and Hispanic Americans in social studies and English language arts lessons for all students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It mandates the State Board of Education to adopt specific learning standards on this topic and directs school boards to integrate these standards into their existing curriculum. The Commissioner of Education must also provide sample lesson plans and resources to support implementation, working with the Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage. This affects all New Jersey public schools and their K-12 students by making this content a required part of standard curriculum, not optional.

Maddy summaryAJR 216 is a joint resolution directing New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to investigate whether PJM Interconnection's Reliability Pricing Model (capacity market) effectively provides reliable electricity at the lowest cost. The bill requires the BPU to report its findings within 12 months and directs the state to collaborate with neighboring PJM states to promote affordable energy practices, prioritize carbon-free sources, and urge PJM to implement market reforms. It specifically addresses rising capacity costs in PJM's auctions - contributing to higher electricity bills - and delays in approving new generation projects that prevent lower-cost resources from entering the market. The resolution aims to protect ratepayers, particularly low-income households, from price increases while supporting grid reliability.

Maddy summary# Summary of New Jersey Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Bill This bill significantly modifies New Jersey's film and digital media tax credit program (the "Garden State Film and Digital Media Jobs Act") with several key changes: ## Key Changes 1. **Program Extension**: Extends the program's availability until July 1, 2049 (10 years longer than current law). 2. **Increased Tax Credits**: - Raises the tax credit rate for New Jersey studio partners from 35% to 40% of qualified film production expenses when expenses are incurred within a 30-mile radius of a specific NYC location. - Adds a new 4.5% promotional credit for qualifying film productions. 3. **New Promotion Credit**: - Requires a plan with at least 2 of 8 specific criteria to qualify for a 4.5% promotional credit (up to 9% if meeting 4 criteria). - Criteria include: - Creating promotional videos about NJ filming locations - Social media posts about positive NJ experiences - Placing NJ promotional logos - Setting films partially in NJ - Supporting workforce development programs - Providing internships for residents of disadvantaged areas - Engaging vendors in economically disadvantaged areas 4. **Definition Changes**: - Replaces "independent post-production company" with "qualified post-production company" - Modifies "highly compensated individual" definition to $750,000 threshold for all taxpayers (removing previous distinction for studio partners) - Expands "film" definition to include ongoing TV productions that relocated to NJ and feature news/current events 5. **Deferred Compensation**: - Extends supplemental report deadline from 2 to 4 years after production concludes - Allows deferred compensation payments to labor unions to be included in qualified expenses 6. **Maximum Credit Availability**: - Increases maximum cumulative award for studio partners to $300 million (from $150 million) beginning in fiscal year 2026 - Reduces additional discretionary awards from $400 million to $250 million 7. **Recapture Provisions**: - Limits recapture of tax credits to the initial recipient (not purchasers/assignees) - Adds exceptions for failure to occupy facilities due to circumstances outside the taxpayer's control 8. **Diversity Plan Credit**: - Replaces diversity plan requirements (focused on hiring minority persons and women) with requirements focused on hiring from economically disadvantaged areas, distressed municipalities, or federal land. 9. **Tax Credit Purchase**: - Requires the director to purchase unused tax credits at 95% of value (up from 75%) if certain conditions are met. This bill represents a significant expansion of incentives for film and digital media production in New Jersey, with increased financial incentives, new promotional requirements, and extended program availability.