Maddy summaryThis bill designates May of each year as "Water Safety Month" in New Jersey to raise public awareness about preventing water-related accidents and drownings. It specifically encourages the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE), in consultation with the Department of Health, to provide resources to public schools for water safety education programs targeting students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Schools may partner with nonprofit organizations to hold presentations and activities during this month, focusing on age-appropriate safety practices. The bill cites CDC data showing drowning as a leading cause of death for young children to justify its purpose. It does not create new legal requirements but promotes educational outreach through existing state departments.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill requires contractors and subcontractors working on public projects to submit payroll records to New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD). It applies to any business performing work for public bodies (like state/local governments or projects funded by public money), including construction, maintenance, or repair work. The key mechanism mandates that these contractors must register with DOLWD and provide payroll details to verify compliance with prevailing wage laws and apprenticeship program requirements. This affects all employers engaged in public work contracts, ensuring transparency in worker compensation and program participation.
Maddy summaryThis bill (A5601) requires New Jersey state agencies to offer businesses an optional electronic service for receiving certain legally required notices, such as violation alerts, underpayment notifications, and unemployment claims. It applies to all state departments, agencies, and related entities (defined as "State entities" in the bill). Within 60 days of the bill's effective date, these entities must notify affected businesses about the electronic option and provide instructions to opt in. The bill takes effect 90 days after enactment, making electronic notices a standard but voluntary option for businesses.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey state agencies to extend the 60-day cure period for certain business violations by an additional 30 days, if the agency determines denial would be contrary to equity and good conscience. It applies to businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees (or equivalent) facing first-time violations that don’t endanger public safety, harm the environment, or affect employee income. The extension applies only to violations not related to criminal activity, intentional acts, labor laws, or federal program requirements. Agencies must provide written notice of the violation to trigger the cure period, and must report waived infractions annually on their public websites. The bill amends existing law (P.L.2023, c.28) to add this extension provision.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to collaborate with neighboring states to research alternatives to PJM Interconnection's current electricity capacity market. It directs the BPU to propose one of three specific actions by December 2025: (1) require utilities to secure 80% of their future capacity through direct contracts with energy providers, (2) withdraw from PJM's market and develop a regional compact for alternative capacity sourcing, or (3) exit PJM's transmission grid to build an independent grid or join another regional system. The bill responds to concerns that PJM's capacity auction system has caused record-high costs - $14.7 billion for consumers in 2025/2026, up from $2.2 billion previously - due to market flaws and lack of state input. The proposal aims to address these issues and improve affordability for electricity ratepayers.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Farm to School Local Food Procurement Reimbursement Grant Program to help school districts increase their sourcing of local foods for students. It appropriates $6,500,000 from the General Fund, with $5.5 million dedicated to grants and $1 million for administrative costs. Eligible school districts (those serving students eligible for subsidized meals) can apply for annual grants based on size: small districts (under 5,000 students) receive $10,000-$50,000, medium districts (5,000-10,000 students) get $20,000-$125,000, and large districts (10,000+ students) receive $44,000-$250,000. At least 80% of grant funds must reimburse costs for sourcing additional local foods, while up to 20% can cover equipment or staff training, with priority given to districts in food deserts or those sourcing from small/mid-sized farms.
Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 4293 requires data center owners or operators to submit annual reports to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) detailing their water and energy usage. The reports must include specific metrics like total energy consumption, water sources, energy efficiency calculations (such as power usage effectiveness), and waste heat reuse data. These reports will be published on the BPU's website within 30 days of receipt, promoting transparency about data center resource use. The bill directly affects all data centers operating in New Jersey, mandating standardized reporting to track environmental impact.
Maddy summaryThis bill extends the time teachers can be away from service while maintaining membership in New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF). It increases the standard discontinuance period from two to seven years, and extends the return-to-service window to 25 years for teachers who were laid off or voluntarily left with 10 or more years of service. Teachers returning within these extended timeframes will be re-enrolled in the TPAF at their previous tier with no additional contributions required. The changes apply to all current and future TPAF members who meet the specified conditions.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school districts to include instruction about the history and contributions of Latino and Hispanic Americans in Social Studies and English Language Arts curricula for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It mandates that school boards integrate this content as part of their existing implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. The Commissioner of Education must provide sample lesson resources and activities to support schools, developed with input from the Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage. The law takes effect immediately for the first full school year after enactment.
Maddy summaryThe "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act" (S 3309) requires used car dealers to check for open recalls on vehicles before sale using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website and provide prospective buyers with printed recall information if any are found. Dealers cannot sell vehicles subject to stop-sale or do-not-drive notices issued by NHTSA. The bill mandates dealers to report vehicles with unresolved recalls (for which repairs remain uncompleted six months after initial notice) to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission every 180 days, prompting the Commission to send notices directly to vehicle owners. For vehicles with unavailable parts for recalls, dealers receive monthly compensation equal to 1.75% of the vehicle's value until repairs are completed.