Asm. Will Sampson

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits real estate appraisers in New Jersey from considering protected characteristics - including race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or national origin - when valuing properties. It directly affects licensed and certified real estate appraisers by banning these discriminatory factors from appraisal analysis. The key mechanism requires appraisers to complete a mandatory fair housing and appraisal bias training course (approved by the Appraisal Qualifications Board) as part of their continuing education for license renewal. The law codifies existing anti-discrimination protections and aligns with national standards for appraisal practice.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2470, now P.L.2024, c.56) makes three key changes to New Jersey's judicial and prosecutorial compensation and retirement systems. It allows county prosecutors to earn retirement credit for prior judicial clerkship service without extra cost, increases the Presiding Judge of the Appellate Division's salary to $218,545.82, and sets county prosecutors' base salary at $204,166.50 starting January 2024. It also permits retired judges to collect their pension while serving as county prosecutor. These changes directly affect current and future county prosecutors, judges, and retired judges returning to prosecutorial roles.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows members of New Jersey's Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) to purchase retirement credit for prior service as a class two special law enforcement officer with a public employer in the state. To qualify, the member must have worked in that role and then started a PFRS-covered position within 120 days of ending that service. Members can purchase up to 10 years of credit by paying the cost, calculated based on their salary and an actuarial factor, with current members having one year from the bill's effective date to apply. This change aligns the process for purchasing such credit with existing rules for federal or military service.

Maddy summaryThis bill imposes civil penalties on New Jersey employers who threaten or disclose an employee's immigration status to prevent them from reporting violations of state labor, wage, or tax laws. Employers face escalating fines: up to $1,000 for a first violation, $5,000 for a second, and $10,000 for subsequent violations, with each affected employee counted as a separate violation. It directly affects employers who use immigration status as coercion - such as threatening to report an undocumented worker to hide unpaid wages or benefits - to avoid accountability under laws like the State Wage and Hour Law or Gross Income Tax Act. The penalties apply in addition to any existing penalties for the underlying labor violation.

Maddy summaryS 3432 establishes the "Next New Jersey Program Act," creating tax credits for businesses investing in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers within New Jersey. The program directly affects eligible businesses (including corporations, LLCs, and cooperatives) that build or upgrade facilities specifically for AI workloads, such as machine learning and data processing. Key mechanisms include tax credits based on qualifying capital investments (like construction and equipment) and requirements for hiring full-time employees earning at least 120% of the county median salary with health benefits. Businesses must meet these criteria during a five-year eligibility period to claim credits, with the program administered by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. The bill passed both legislative chambers in June 2024 and was signed into law as P.L.2024, c.49.

Maddy summaryThe "Louisa Carman Medical Debt Relief Act" prevents credit reporting agencies from including paid medical debt or medical debt under $500 in credit reports, regardless of when the debt was incurred. It prohibits medical creditors and debt collectors from reporting medical debt to credit agencies for services provided after the law takes effect. The bill requires a 180-day waiting period before collection actions can begin and mandates a 30-day notice with a clear payment deadline before starting collections. Additionally, it protects patients by prohibiting debt collection during pending insurance appeals and requiring credit bureaus to remove debt information if an appeal is pending or the debt is paid.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill revises property tax lien foreclosure procedures to align with a recent Supreme Court ruling requiring property owners to retain equity beyond unpaid taxes. It allows property owners to protect remaining property equity by requesting a judicial sale (like mortgage foreclosures) or online auction through the county sheriff within 45 days of receiving foreclosure notice. If owners don't make this request, lien holders (municipalities or private investors) can take full property title without conducting a sale. Lien holders must clearly inform property owners about this option in bold text with foreclosure notices. The bill ensures any surplus funds from a sale would go to the property owner after lien holders are paid.

Maddy summaryThe "Real Estate Consumer Protection Enhancement Act" (S 3192) establishes clearer definitions and duties for different types of real estate agents and brokers in New Jersey. The bill requires written agency disclosure before services begin, mandates specific duties including loyalty, confidentiality, and disclosure of material information, and sets requirements for property condition disclosures in residential transactions. It also establishes specific signage requirements at open houses and updates continuing education requirements to include specific hours on agency topics for real estate licensees. This legislation directly affects real estate brokerage firms, agents, and consumers involved in real estate transactions across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to provide up to $7,198,045 in low-interest loans for six specific hazard mitigation and resilience projects across six local governments (including Jersey City, Hoboken, and Bergen County). The loans, part of the Community Hazard Assistance Mitigation Program (CHAMP), will finance projects like flood mitigation at pump stations and park resilience improvements to reduce climate-related risks. The bank may use interest from repayments and loan origination fees to fund these projects and cover operational costs, with all loans requiring repayment within 30 years. The authorization is specific to fiscal year 2025 and expires on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies New Jersey's requirement for automatic fire sprinkler systems in new townhouses. It extends the deadline for installation from 7 months to 13 months after the original law's enactment (P.L.2023, c.265) and exempts townhouse projects that submitted construction permit applications before this bill passed. The bill also delays the deadline for the Commissioner of Community Affairs to adopt related building code rules from 5 months to 12 months after enactment. These changes primarily affect developers and builders constructing new townhouses under specific building codes.