Asm. Katie Brennan

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to lend up to $3.85 billion to local governments and public water utilities for environmental infrastructure projects in fiscal year 2027. The funds are intended to help pay for the construction of facilities that manage water supply, wastewater treatment, and other environmental systems. Additionally, the legislation allows the bank to increase its lending capacity by including interest earned, administrative fees, and money transferred from specific state trust funds. These loans will be jointly managed by the Infrastructure Bank and the Department of Environmental Protection to ensure projects meet federal and state standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to use specific state funds to finance environmental infrastructure projects in fiscal year 2027. The legislation authorizes the department to provide zero-interest or principal forgiveness loans to sponsors for clean water and drinking water initiatives, utilizing money from various revolving funds and federal grants. Additionally, it permits the transfer of funds between different state revolving accounts to address urgent public health threats and meet future financing needs. Ultimately, the act ensures that available capital is allocated to support essential water and wastewater infrastructure improvements through the state's lending programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to lend $13.093 million to local governments for specific hazard mitigation and resilience projects in fiscal year 2027. The funds are designated for four approved initiatives in Jersey City, Brigantine, Highlands, and Manasquan, which include park resilience, living shorelines, flood mitigation, and coastal protection. To receive these loans, project sponsors must certify that their plans comply with existing emergency management laws and regulations, and the loans must be repaid within 30 years of completion. Additionally, the bill allows the bank to grow its lending capacity by using interest earned on loans and other program fees.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey law enforcement to notify the State Parole Board when a parolee violates a domestic violence restraining order. It directly affects parolees under supervision who breach such orders, as well as law enforcement officers and the Parole Board. The key mechanism mandates officers to check the domestic violence central registry (which now includes parole status) and immediately alert the Parole Board if a parolee is charged with violating a domestic violence order. This ensures the Parole Board is informed to address potential violations of parole conditions. The bill amends existing statutes to streamline this notification process for safety and accountability.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 794) allows distressed New Jersey municipalities (those with a revitalization index score of 50 or higher) to acquire vacant, abandoned, or tax-delinquent properties by either paying the owner the fair market value or using eminent domain. It replaces older, more cumbersome processes like tax foreclosure with simpler methods, while permitting municipalities to deduct unpaid taxes and liens from the payment amount. Properties are defined as "abandoned" if at least four specific conditions exist (e.g., overgrown vegetation, disconnected utilities, or boarded windows), but exclude properties under active renovation or seasonal use. The law directly affects distressed municipalities seeking to revitalize blighted properties and property owners of abandoned real estate.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4103) requires a construction permit for certain asbestos-related work on single-family homes, duplexes, or townhouses. It applies to activities like repairing, removing, or encapsulating asbestos-containing material (defined as materials with over 1% asbestos by weight) on the interior or exterior of these properties. The permit is required in addition to other existing permits, but work involving less than 1,000 square feet of asbestos material is exempt. The bill directs the Commissioner of Community Affairs to adopt rules to implement these requirements, effective three months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThe "Immigrant Tenant Protection Act" (A4492) prohibits landlords in New Jersey from threatening to disclose or disclosing a tenant’s immigration or citizenship status to force them out of housing, or from using that status as a basis for eviction. It bans evictions solely or partially tied to immigration status and allows tenants to sue for up to $2,000 per violation, plus damages and legal fees. The bill also blocks courts from inquiring into a tenant’s immigration status during housing rights cases, except in limited circumstances like federal program compliance. It directly affects residential tenants (particularly immigrant communities) and landlords, while clarifying that landlords may still request standard financial or identity verification for legitimate rental purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Bureau of Housing Inspection to create a 24/7 toll-free hotline and a statewide database for public housing residents to report health, safety, or living condition issues. The hotline must offer English and Spanish support, protect caller anonymity, and provide referrals. The database will track verified complaints by facility, complaint types, corrective actions taken, and response times, then publish this data online for public access. It directly affects residents in public housing covered under the federal Housing Act of 1937, aiming to improve transparency and accountability in addressing housing conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey residents who receive money from the Anti-Weaponization Fund to pay a 100 percent state income tax on those funds. It directly affects individuals approved to claim relief from this fund, which was created by a federal settlement related to a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. Under the legislation, recipients cannot use any standard tax deductions, exemptions, or credits to reduce the tax owed on these payments. The law takes effect immediately for any taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and is administered by the state's Division of Taxation.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill prohibits courts from ordering victims of sexual offenses to undergo specific physical exams, such as gynecological checks or examinations of the breasts, buttocks, anus, or sexual organs. It applies to cases involving aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, and human trafficking. The law also ensures that if a victim refuses these specific exams, their refusal cannot be used to dismiss other relevant evidence collected during the case. This change aims to limit invasive procedures while maintaining the ability of courts to use other available evidence.