Asm. Jessica Ramirez

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to provide up to $6.8 million in low-interest loans to local governments for specific hazard mitigation and resilience projects in fiscal year 2026. It directly affects three municipalities - Jersey City (McGovern Park Resilience), Highlands Borough (flood mitigation), and Brick Township (reservoir improvements) - by financing portions of their eligible projects. The loans, repayable within 30 years, are funded through the Community Hazard Assistance Mitigation Program (CHAMP) Revolving Loan Fund, with repayment proceeds reinvested to support future projects. The bill ensures projects align with state hazard mitigation requirements and the federal STORM Act framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's electric public utilities (and their affiliates) to submit an annual report by February 1st to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU). The report must list every recorded vote cast by the utility or its affiliates at PJM Interconnection meetings (including votes not publicly disclosed by PJM), describe the meeting context, and explain how each vote supports New Jersey's energy goals of affordability, reliability, and sustainability. The BPU must then summarize these reports for the Governor and Legislature. This aims to increase transparency about how utilities influence regional electricity decisions using ratepayer funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to provide up to $53.45 million in low-interest loans for transportation infrastructure projects in fiscal year 2026. It specifically funds 17 local government projects across New Jersey, including bridge replacements, road improvements, and street redesigns in cities like Bayonne, Hoboken, and Princeton. The bill also allows for up to $1 million in principal-forgiveness loans for project planning and design costs, with up to $100,000 of that amount forgiven upon project completion. All loans must be repaid within 31 years and are subject to specific eligibility requirements. The funding expires on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A3974 prohibits substance use disorder treatment providers from using deceptive marketing practices. The bill requires all advertising to include accurate, plain-language details about services, locations, and contact information (including phone numbers and addresses), and bans false claims about network status, geographic location, or affiliations with other providers without written consent. Violations carry civil penalties up to $20,000 per incident, and affected individuals may sue for triple damages plus attorney fees. This directly affects licensed treatment facilities, certified providers, and recovery residences offering substance use disorder services within the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds a new sentencing mitigating factor for defendants who were victims of domestic violence (physical, sexual, or psychological abuse by a family or household member) and where the abuse contributed to their criminal behavior. It establishes new sentencing ranges (from up to six months for fourth-degree crimes to up to ten years for first-degree crimes) and allows for resentencing of individuals currently incarcerated serving eight or more years for prior offenses. The bill also creates a grant program to fund trauma-informed reentry support services including mental health counseling, peer recovery support, vocational training, and housing assistance for eligible individuals. These services are designed to support people who were victims of domestic violence and whose abuse contributed to their criminal behavior, with priority given to culturally responsive care provided by trauma-impacted individuals.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (AJR 230) symbolically recognizes Sanskrit as one of the world languages. Introduced by Assemblywoman Margie Donlon (District 11), it has no binding effect on policy or funding. The resolution cites Sanskrit's historical significance, including its influence on 97% of world languages and its role in Hindu traditions, but does not create new laws or affect any specific group. As a procedural resolution, it serves only to acknowledge Sanskrit's cultural importance.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A3558 bill establishes the state's official definition of antisemitism using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) standard, including specific examples of antisemitic conduct. State agencies and institutions must use this definition when reviewing, investigating, or deciding on cases involving discriminatory acts motivated by antisemitism. The bill appropriates $100,000 for a public awareness campaign by the Attorney General's office to educate residents on identifying and reporting bias crimes through community outreach and the existing bias crimes hotline. This campaign aims to improve reporting of antisemitic incidents without affecting First Amendment rights or conflicting with existing anti-discrimination laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill reorganizes New Jersey's State Health Benefits Program governance by expanding the State Health Benefits Commission to 11 members and eliminating the previous Plan Design Committee. It requires the program to offer exactly five health plans for employees and non-Medicare-eligible retirees, including a new "NJ Gold" plan that doesn't require salary-based employee contributions. The bill establishes an escalator system to adjust employee contribution rates based on premium cost trends, increasing rates if premiums rise significantly above inflation and decreasing them if premiums fall. Additionally, it mandates that local government employers must decide within one year whether to join the SHBP, with a two-year commitment if they choose to participate.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the filing deadline for members and retirees of New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS), and State Police Retirement System (SPRS) to qualify for accidental disability retirement benefits related to 9/11 World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations. It allows for a two-year filing period after the bill's effective date (with potential two-year extensions) and replaces the requirement for a pre-employment physical examination with evidence of medical examinations that failed to disclose qualifying health conditions. The bill also permits retirees previously denied due to late filing to petition for reconsideration or resubmit their eligibility forms. Retirement systems must notify all affected members within 60 days of enactment about these provisions using clear language explaining filing requirements and time limits.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes a permanent annual $500,000 allocation from New Jersey's Clean Communities Program Fund to fund public outreach for the state's single-use plastics reduction program. The funding supports the Department of Environmental Protection's outreach efforts, including educational campaigns and a bag redistribution program that repurposes reusable bags for food banks and pantries. The bill changes current law, which limited this funding to the first three years after the 2020 single-use plastics ban law, making it permanent. This directly affects the DEP's outreach activities and the public receiving information about reducing plastic use.