Asm. Sean Kean

Maddy summaryThis bill (A651) allows counties currently participating in New Jersey's Real Property Assessment Demonstration Program to end their participation early. A county's governing body can pass a resolution to terminate the program, effective for the next tax year, causing all municipalities in that county to return to standard property assessment rules instead of the demonstration program. The bill also ensures municipalities undergoing a revaluation cannot join the program during that revaluation year. It directly affects participating counties (like Monmouth or Ocean) and their municipalities by providing flexibility to exit the program before the final evaluation report is due.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases New Jersey's research tax credit for corporations. It raises the credit rate for qualified research expenses from 10% to 15% for companies primarily operating in targeted industries like clean energy, life sciences, advanced transportation, and information technology. It also increases the basic research payments credit from 10% to 15% for all corporations. Most significantly, it makes the research tax credit refundable - allowing corporations to receive cash refunds for unused credit amounts instead of only carrying them forward for future tax years. The bill applies to privilege periods beginning on or after its effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's unemployment compensation law to set new eligibility requirements for seasonal government workers. It states that individuals employed by the State, counties, municipalities, school districts, or other political subdivisions in seasonal roles will not qualify for benefits unless they worked at least 100 days in their base year within a seasonal occupation or earned wages in other covered employment equal to at least 10 times their average weekly wage. The bill defines "seasonal industry or occupation" as one that customarily operates for less than 26 weeks annually due to climactic conditions. This change specifically affects seasonal government employees who may have previously qualified for benefits under broader eligibility rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires most health insurance plans in New Jersey to cover diagnosis and treatment for autism and several related developmental disabilities, including central auditory processing disorder, childhood apraxia of speech, sensory processing disorder, and social communication disorder. It mandates coverage for occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and behavioral interventions based on applied behavioral analysis for children under 21 with autism or social communication disorder. Insurance plans must provide these benefits without denying coverage based on treatments not being "restorative" and must cover up to $36,000 per year (with annual inflation adjustments starting in 2012). The bill applies to a wide range of health insurance plans, including individual policies, group plans, health maintenance organizations, and state health benefit programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow New Jersey courts to modify alimony awards when the recipient spouse begins cohabiting with another person, rather than just suspending or terminating payments. Currently, courts can stop alimony payments upon cohabitation but cannot adjust the amount. The bill requires courts to consider factors like intertwined finances, shared living expenses, and whether the cohabitation has reduced the recipient's financial needs. It would not affect existing court orders or agreements about cohabitation that were already established in final judgments or written agreements.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2815) establishes a program where groups of nonpublic schools (consortia) take over transportation responsibilities for students who are legally required to receive school bus service from public school districts. Under the program, participating school districts would pay consortia the current aid-in-lieu transportation rate ($1,022 per student) for mandated transportation, and the consortia would assume all transportation duties for those students. Consortia may also offer optional transportation for other students at parental cost (capped at $1,022), and must refund unused funds to districts based on actual student usage. The program requires annual audits, an oversight committee, and takes effect immediately for the 2023-2024 school year.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A665) creates a rebuttable presumption that defendants charged with specific violent crimes must be detained before trial unless they prove otherwise. It directly affects individuals facing charges for offenses like murder, aggravated assault, robbery, kidnapping, or certain sexual assaults listed in the bill. The key mechanism requires courts to assume detention is necessary for these crimes unless the defendant provides evidence meeting a "preponderance of the evidence" standard to show conditions (like bail or supervision) would reasonably ensure court appearance and community safety. If the presumption is rebutted, courts must still find "clear and convincing evidence" to justify detention. The bill clarifies that judges may still consider monetary bail or other conditions when the presumption doesn't apply.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $10 million from the General Fund to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for dredging Black Creek and Wreck Pond in Spring Lake Heights, Spring Lake, and Sea Girt (Monmouth County). The funds will be used for capital construction under the Natural Resource Management line item to address sediment buildup. The project aims to mitigate pollution drainage during heavy rainstorms, which currently causes beach closures in Spring Lake by preventing contaminated water from flowing into the ocean.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Red Tape Review Commission to evaluate state regulations and executive orders for their economic impact on businesses, workers, and local governments. The commission, composed of eight members including the Lieutenant Governor (as chair), department heads, and legislative leaders, will review all proposed or adopted rules and executive orders to determine if their costs outweigh benefits. It must solicit public input, require state agencies to provide data, and issue annual recommendations to the Governor for repealing, rescinding, or amending burdensome rules. The commission’s findings are advisory only and cannot be used in legal challenges against state agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows licensed adult day care centers and group homes serving individuals with disabilities to restrict access for specific people who violate food policies. It permits facilities to temporarily or permanently deny entry to caretakers, guardians, or employees who break these food restrictions. The policy applies only to facilities providing care for functionally or cognitively impaired adults (adult day care) or developmental disabilities (group homes), as defined in the bill. The change takes effect immediately upon enactment.