Asm. Avi Schnall

Maddy summaryThis bill requires employers and contractors working on projects for New Jersey public bodies (such as state agencies, local governments, schools, or publicly funded projects) to register with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) and submit certified payroll records. It expands current requirements by applying to all work for public bodies - not just projects subject to prevailing wage laws - covering construction, maintenance, repairs, and other work paid for with public funds or financial assistance. Employers must provide these records within 10 days of a request; failure to comply allows DOLWD to direct public bodies to withhold up to 25% of payment (capped at $100,000) until records are submitted. The bill directly affects contractors and employers performing work for public entities, ensuring transparency in wage reporting.

Maddy summaryThe bill appropriates state and federal funds to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for environmental infrastructure projects in fiscal year 2026. It authorizes the DEP to provide zero-interest and principal-forgiveness loans to local governments and public water utilities for clean water and drinking water projects, including 151 clean water projects totaling $1.7 billion and 59 drinking water projects totaling $651.7 million. The bill specifies different funding mechanisms, including full principal forgiveness for qualifying projects and blended interest rates for larger projects, with all funding expiring on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution, not a policy bill. It honors the late Congressman William J. Pascrell, Jr. (who served in Congress from 1997 until his death in 2024), specifically recognizing his founding role in the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force. The resolution urges New Jersey's current and future U.S. Congress members to join and support this bipartisan task force, which focuses on advancing brain injury awareness, research, and policy. It has no effect on laws or funding - it is purely a commemorative statement.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires contractors bidding on New Jersey public works projects (funded by public funds) to certify that each employee meets one of three minimum qualifications: a high school or GED diploma, enrollment in an equivalent apprenticeship program, or four years of verifiable work experience as a tradesperson. Contractors must provide documentation to verify these qualifications during electronic registration with the state. The law directly affects construction and labor contractors working on public projects, ensuring workers meet basic education or experience standards. It amends existing registration requirements under P.L.1999, c.238, with enforcement tied to contractor registration status.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act" to improve transparency around vehicle recalls and provide fair compensation for dealers. It requires motor vehicle dealers to check for open recalls on used vehicles using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website before sale, inform prospective buyers about any recalls found, and not sell vehicles subject to stop-sale or do-not-drive notices. Dealers must also provide the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission with lists of vehicles with long-unfixed recalls (six months or more), triggering the Commission to send official notices to vehicle owners. The bill also establishes compensation requirements for dealers when parts are unavailable for recalled vehicles, requiring 1.75 percent of the vehicle's value per month for used vehicles or the manufacturer's suggested retail price for new vehicles.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public entities (including state agencies, counties, and municipalities) to publish required legal notices on their official websites starting March 1, 2026, instead of traditional newspapers. Public entities must maintain free, accessible websites with prominent links to legal notices and keep a one-year online archive of notices. Local governments may also publish notices in eligible online news publications that meet specific criteria, such as having minimum monthly visitor requirements (4,000 for municipal, 50,000 for county, and 350,000 for statewide circulation). The bill also establishes a centralized webpage by the Secretary of State linking to all public entities' legal notice pages and extends the period during which newspapers can be used for notices until March 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public entities (including counties, municipalities, and state agencies) to publish required legal notices on their official websites starting March 1, 2026, instead of relying solely on print newspapers. It establishes specific eligibility criteria for online news publications to be used for legal notices, including minimum monthly visit requirements (4,000 for municipal, 50,000 for county, and 350,000 for state-wide circulation) and requirements for accessibility and archiving. Public entities must maintain an online archive of legal notices for at least one year and display notices for at least one week before moving them to the archive. The Secretary of State must create a centralized webpage linking to all public entities' legal notice websites, with a direct link on the Secretary's homepage. The bill extends the transition period from print newspaper publication to digital publication until March 1, 2026, while allowing entities to continue using qualifying newspapers through that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) program to explicitly include property acquisition - such as purchasing, leasing, or acquiring land or property - as a qualified expense for the UEZ assistance fund. It updates the legal definition of "qualified assistance fund expense" to ensure property-related costs are directly eligible for funding, clarifying prior ambiguities. This change directly affects businesses and municipalities in designated UEZs, allowing them to use fund resources for property development without additional approvals. The amendment streamlines fund usage for economic development projects involving property acquisition within enterprise zones.

Maddy summaryThis bill excludes nonpublic school transportation costs from the calculation of a public school district's local share for state school aid. Currently, districts subtract these costs when determining their local share, but the bill removes this subtraction. As a result, districts that provide transportation for nonpublic school students will have a higher local share, directly affecting the amount of state aid they receive. The change applies immediately to the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill replaces New Jersey's Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Aid program with a new Municipal Property Tax Relief Fund. The fund will receive annual revenue from energy/utility sales and corporate taxes, with an initial allocation of $1.455 billion for fiscal year 2026 (adjusted for inflation). It guarantees each municipality receives at least the same amount they received in 2024/2025, with additional funds distributed using a formula based on population, income, property values, and other factors. Any excess funds beyond the minimum guarantee must be used to reduce local property tax levies, and the bill includes provisions to ensure the State makes required payments.