Asm. Heather Simmons

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Parole to create statewide rules preventing certain high-risk sex offenders from living within 500 feet of schools, child care centers, or playgrounds. It specifically targets offenders sentenced to life parole supervision for crimes involving victims under 18 who are deemed high-risk of reoffending. Exceptions allow residency near these locations if the offender already lived there before the law took effect, is in a treatment facility, or if the parole board grants a housing exception. Parole officers must enforce these rules when approving where these offenders can live.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates 5% of constitutionally dedicated Corporation Business Tax revenues to a new Urban Agriculture and Horticulture Fund starting in fiscal year 2026, with $25 million to be deposited immediately. It authorizes the Garden State Preservation Trust to acquire urban land for farming and gardening purposes, prioritizing small parcels, and lease this land for agricultural use through a competitive bidding process. The bill also establishes a grant program to support activities that improve soil health and climate resiliency on acquired urban farmland. Additionally, it expands existing county and municipal trust funds to specifically include urban agriculture and horticulture as a purpose for land acquisition.

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents certain regional school districts in New Jersey from facing state aid reductions during the 2019-2025 school years. It applies specifically to regional districts that are spending at least 10% below state adequacy standards and where every constituent school district is located in a municipality with an equalized tax rate at least 10% above the statewide average. The exemption applies regardless of the district's "State aid differential" (a calculation affecting aid adjustments), provided they meet these two criteria. This directly affects qualifying regional districts that might otherwise see their state funding reduced under standard calculations. The policy change ensures these districts maintain their prior year's aid level adjusted only by the minimum required reductions.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures that New Jersey residents who have already chosen to be organ donors on their driver's license or state ID card will automatically retain that status when renewing their license or card, without needing to re-select it. The state's driver's license agency must only offer the organ donor option to new applicants who haven't previously designated as donors. Existing donors can remove their status through a simple process, but otherwise, their donor choice remains active through all renewals. This change simplifies the process for organ donors and prevents accidental loss of their designation during routine license renewals.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "End Tesla Exception Act," repeals Section 6 of P.L.2015, c.24, which permitted Tesla and other zero-emission vehicle manufacturers to sell vehicles directly to consumers in New Jersey. It would require these manufacturers to sell through franchised dealerships rather than direct sales, aligning zero-emission vehicle sales with standard motor vehicle sales rules. The bill specifically targets the exception that currently allows direct sales by zero-emission vehicle manufacturers. This change would affect Tesla and other zero-emission vehicle manufacturers operating direct sales in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill, "Joseph's Law," requires that juveniles (under 18) accused of intentionally killing a law enforcement officer while the officer was on duty - such as while in uniform, showing authority, or due to their job status - be tried in adult court. It mandates automatic waiver of juvenile jurisdiction for these cases, unless a court finds the prosecutor abused discretion in seeking the waiver. The bill also directs the Attorney General to create statewide guidelines to ensure consistent application of this rule across New Jersey. This change specifically applies to homicides against officers acting in their official capacity, excluding accidental deaths like those from vehicle collisions.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3620 requires electric and gas utilities using smart meters to establish an "Energy Bill Watch" program for smart meter customers. The program mandates utilities to notify customers when their daily usage exceeds the previous billing cycle's average (on the 10th and 20th days of each cycle), offer customizable dollar-value alerts, and include average monthly usage costs and kilowatt/therm amounts in notifications. Utilities must automatically enroll smart meter customers, provide opt-out options, advertise the program through multiple channels, and include specific billing details in all customer bills (previous cycle amount, current cycle amount, and the difference between them). This bill directly affects smart meter customers of New Jersey's electric and gas utilities.

Maddy summaryS 3587 upgrades retail theft offenses in New Jersey, including elevating "leader of organized retail theft enterprise" to a first-degree crime punishable by 10-20 years in prison. The bill creates a new offense for "fostering the sale of stolen property" (including online sales), which is a disorderly persons offense punishable by up to six months in jail. It establishes a retail theft unit within the Department of Law and Public Safety to investigate and prosecute organized retail theft, appropriating $1 million for this purpose. The bill also includes new requirements for gift card sales to prevent fraud, such as mandatory notices for retailers and packaging restrictions for both open- and closed-loop gift cards.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5357) establishes a voluntary program for New Jersey commercial farms to safely collect, transport, and dispose of unused pesticides, fertilizers containing pesticides, and pesticide containers. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) must create collection sites across the state (with at least one in each major region), host at least two collection events yearly per site, and contract with qualified entities for safe disposal and recycling. The Department of Agriculture will run a public education campaign to inform farmers about collection locations, accepted materials, program benefits, and environmental advantages, with all information posted online. Participation is optional for farms, and the program requires compliance with existing pesticide disposal laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school meal providers to prioritize purchasing foods from local sources when using federal or state funds for school meal programs. It mandates that school food authorities and contracted vendors give geographic preference to foods produced within 100 miles of the school, with specific preference given to in-state farmers within that 100-mile radius. The policy applies to procurement under the Local Food for Schools program and similar initiatives, requiring contracts to include compliance provisions and documentation to verify adherence to these sourcing requirements. The bill aims to support local agriculture while ensuring school meal programs follow specific geographic sourcing guidelines.