Asm. Sean Kean

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents arbitrators from later serving as mediators in the same case and then returning to arbitration without the parties' agreement. It specifically amends New Jersey's arbitration law to state that an arbitrator who assumes a mediation role cannot resume arbitration unless all parties consent in writing. The change clarifies a 2013 court ruling (Minkowitz v. Israeli) that found arbitrators who mediate first cannot later act as arbitrators without consent, as mediation disclosures compromise neutrality. The policy directly affects arbitrators, mediators, and parties in New Jersey arbitration proceedings. This ensures parties can prevent potential conflicts of interest when role transitions occur.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill increases tax credits for corporations conducting research. It raises the credit rate from 10% to 15% for businesses primarily operating in targeted industries like clean energy, life sciences, and advanced technology. It also increases the basic research payment credit rate to 15% and allows the total credit to be refundable (meaning businesses can receive cash payments even if they owe no tax). The law applies to corporations in industries identified by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, including innovation-focused sectors such as autonomous vehicles, hemp processing, and digital media.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a mandatory reporting system for vaccine adverse events in children under 19 in New Jersey. Health care providers - including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and emergency department staff - must report any adverse event occurring within eight weeks of vaccination, regardless of whether they believe the vaccine caused it. Reports must include the child’s details, vaccine information, and specific event descriptions, while protecting patient and provider identities. The system will collect data for public health analysis and automatically forward reports to the federal VAERS system, as required by federal law.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires physicians and medical investigators to include an infant's vaccination history from the past six months in sudden infant death reports using a federal CDC form. It mandates that completed reports be submitted to the Child Fatality Review Board within 10 days for study. The board will specifically analyze whether infant deaths or near-deaths may have resulted from vaccination, tracking patterns and rates of such cases. The goal is to identify vaccine-related risks while maintaining public health protections, with a final report due to the Governor and Legislature within one year of enactment.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A1621) prohibits non-subjects who obtained body-worn camera recordings through public records access from sharing them without the written consent of every person visibly involved in the recording (e.g., suspects, victims, or detainees). Exceptions allow disclosure for public health/safety emergencies or compelling public interest. Violations carry penalties including a minimum $1,000 fine per violation, civil lawsuits for damages, and potential punitive damages for intentional violations. The bill specifically aims to prevent exploitation of recordings shared online, such as instances where young women were targeted after being recorded during police encounters. It defines "subject" to exclude people who only appear incidentally in the footage.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's tax brackets for married couples filing jointly (and similar taxpayers like heads of household), raising the threshold for the lowest tax rate from $20,000 to $40,000 for 2020+ tax years. It directly affects married couples filing jointly by reducing their tax burden on income between $20,000-$40,000 annually, eliminating a previously higher tax rate that disproportionately impacted these filers. The key change updates Section 54A:2-1, subsection (a)(7), shifting the first tax bracket to apply to income under $40,000 (previously $20,000) and adjusting subsequent rates accordingly. This policy change specifically targets the "marriage penalty" where joint filers paid more tax than separate filers at certain income levels.

Maddy summaryThis bill adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism as an educational resource for New Jersey state agencies, schools, and law enforcement. It defines antisemitism as hatred toward Jews, including specific examples like Holocaust denial, harmful stereotypes (e.g., conspiracy theories about Jewish control), and double standards applied to Israel. The definition is explicitly non-binding and must be used while protecting constitutional rights like free speech. New Jersey lawmakers cite the state's high rate of antisemitic incidents - including ranking third nationally in 2023 - as the basis for this measure.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A1841, the "Small Modular Nuclear Energy Incentive Act," creates a competitive bidding program to incentivize the construction of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) by offering payments per megawatt-hour of electricity produced. The Board of Public Utilities will administer this program, prioritizing projects at sites of retired nuclear, coal, or natural gas plants and including retraining for former plant workers. Eligible projects must interconnect to New Jersey's grid, with bids evaluated on price and site preference, aiming to support reliable, low-emission power generation while replacing fossil fuel infrastructure. The bill directly affects nuclear developers, utilities, and workers transitioning from retiring power plants.

Maddy summaryACR 62 proposes a constitutional amendment to increase New Jersey's veterans' property tax deduction from $250 to $500 annually, phased over five years (reaching $500 by 2027). It directly affects honorably discharged veterans, their surviving spouses, and veterans living in continuing care retirement communities. The amendment would raise the deduction to $300 in 2023, $350 in 2024, $400 in 2025, $450 in 2026, and $500 starting in 2027, with the deduction canceling taxes if the bill is lower than the deduction amount. This change requires voter approval after legislative passage, as it modifies the state constitution.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides additional state aid to New Jersey school districts that meet three specific criteria related to nonpublic school student transportation costs. Districts qualify if they saw over a 100% increase in eligible students over five years, experienced a 20%+ cost jump in one year, and allocated at least 20% of their transportation budget to nonpublic students in 2023-2024. Qualifying districts receive 100% reimbursement for transportation costs for regular education nonpublic school pupils. The bill directly affects districts facing exceptional demographic shifts that strain their transportation budgets, aiming to support constitutionally required educational funding. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.