Asm. Katie Brennan

Maddy summaryThis bill sets minimum staffing requirements for school library media specialists in New Jersey public schools based on student enrollment. Schools with under 300 students must employ at least a half-time specialist, those with 300-1,499 students must have one full-time specialist, and schools with 1,500+ students must have two full-time specialists. It also requires schools with 500+ students to employ library clerks (one full-time clerk plus one additional clerk per 500 students). The bill includes limited waivers for schools unable to hire certified staff, allowing up to two waivers within five years. These requirements apply starting the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires property owners of new apartment buildings to clearly disclose rent control exemption status to tenants and maintain public records. It limits rent control exemptions to 30 years after construction completion (or the mortgage amortization period, whichever is shorter), and mandates owners to provide written statements with expiration dates before leasing. Owners must submit documentation - including mortgage records and certificate of occupancy - to municipalities and the state's public registry, which will be searchable online. Tenants in exempt properties will receive clear lease notices about the exemption's end date, and owners face penalties for failing to comply. The law applies specifically to newly built multiple-dwelling properties claiming exemption under existing rent control ordinances.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits tourist helicopter operations providing sightseeing tours in specific New Jersey areas (including the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island) at all state-licensed aviation facilities like airports, heliports, and helistops. It directly affects commercial helicopter tour operators offering these sightseeing services. The prohibition excludes flights by federal/military aircraft, state government helicopters, and emergency medical transport. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill redirects 50% of existing revenue from two specific taxes on high-value real estate transactions to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. It applies to sellers of residential, commercial, farm, or cooperative properties sold for over $1 million, as well as certain commercial property transfers involving controlling interests exceeding $1 million. Currently, these revenues go to the General Fund; this bill mandates that half be instead deposited annually into the housing trust fund to support affordable housing programs. The change would take effect July 1 following enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 2125) expands New Jersey's wrongful imprisonment statute to include individuals mistakenly convicted of a crime and later civilly committed as a "sexually violent predator" under P.L.1998, c.71. It allows these claimants to sue the state for damages if they prove, by clear and convincing evidence, they did not commit the crime and did not cause their conviction through misconduct. Damages would be calculated as either twice their pre-incarceration income or $50,000 per year of imprisonment (plus $25,000 per year of post-release supervision), with possible non-monetary relief like vocational training. Claimants must file within two years of release, conviction vacating, or pardon. The bill is pending before the Assembly Judiciary Committee and has not yet become law.

Maddy summaryThis bill imposes a $0.40 monthly fee per mobile line on New Jersey residents using commercial mobile or IP-enabled voice services (excluding federal Lifeline program users) to fund the state's 9-8-8 crisis system. Telecom companies collect the fee from customers' bills and send it quarterly to a new "9-8-8 Suicide Prevention and Behavioral Health Crisis Hotline Trust Fund." The fund will pay for 9-8-8 call routing, mobile crisis response teams, crisis stabilization centers, and public awareness campaigns. This directly affects all NJ mobile subscribers (except Lifeline users) and creates a dedicated revenue stream for expanding behavioral health crisis services.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies New Jersey's Municipal Land Use Law to streamline preliminary site plan reviews for development projects. It requires that preliminary reviews focus only on the layout of buildings, streets, parking, and basic zoning compliance (such as density and height), excluding detailed engineering elements like stormwater plans, grading, landscaping, or architectural designs. Developers will now submit only tentative site plans and supporting documents for this initial stage, reducing upfront documentation requirements. The change applies to all New Jersey municipalities using the Municipal Land Use Law and aims to speed up early-stage approvals.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2418) requires New Jersey hospitals to establish nurse staffing committees composed of at least 55% registered nurses providing direct patient care. The committees must develop annual staffing plans based on patient needs, unit types, and evidence-based factors like patient acuity and facility layout, setting minimum nurse-to-patient ratios for each shift. Hospitals must submit these plans to the state health department annually and implement them, with exemptions only during declared emergencies. The law directly affects all licensed New Jersey hospitals and aims to improve patient safety and nurse retention through collaborative staffing decisions.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's bill A 3535 would allow developers to convert vacant office parks (50,000+ sq ft) and retail centers (15,000+ sq ft) with at least 40% vacancy into mixed-use developments (combining homes, shops, and offices) by temporarily overriding local zoning rules that prohibit such projects. It applies only to properties near transit, within designated planning areas, and not adjacent to hazardous sites or industrial zones. Developers must submit applications within 25 months of the bill's effective date to qualify for this zoning exemption. The bill aims to repurpose underused "stranded assets" without requiring special variances, focusing on properties meeting specific eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3996) requires landlords in New Jersey municipalities with rent control ordinances to submit annual compliance forms to their local clerk, detailing unit information, rent registrations, exemptions, complaints, and enforcement actions. Municipalities must maintain and publicly share these records online through a new Department of Community Affairs internet system, with $2 million appropriated to fund municipal digitization efforts. Landlords face a $150 civil penalty for knowingly submitting false information, and missing or incomplete records create a legal presumption that rent control applies to the unit. The bill directly affects landlords in rent-controlled areas and municipal clerks responsible for record-keeping.