Asm. Mike Venezia

Maddy summaryThis bill requires water suppliers to immediately notify specific entities when drinking water quality standards are violated. Affected groups include municipalities, school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools within the affected area. Suppliers must provide detailed information via phone and email, including contaminant names, test dates, locations, exceedance levels, and suggested remedies. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the sale, distribution, import, export, or propagation of specific invasive plant species in New Jersey without a permit from the Department of Agriculture. It establishes a New Jersey Invasive Species Council to help identify and manage invasive species, and requires the Department to develop a list of regulated species based on ecological harm rather than just non-nativeness. Businesses selling plants will need permits for regulated species and must provide labeling and educational materials to consumers about preventing spread. The bill sets up a penalty system for violations, with fines up to $5,000 for repeat offenses. Certain plant cultivars of Chinese Silvergrass (NCMS1 and Tift M77) are exempt from the requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates tiered retirement benefits in New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), moving all current non-retired members to the "Tier 1" benefit level previously available to members who joined before July 1, 2007. It requires public employers to enroll eligible employees (earning above minimum salary but not meeting hour requirements) into PERS within 60 days, and automatically transfers service credit from the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) to PERS for DCRP participants - without transferring their contributions - unless they opt out within six months. Disability recipients under long-term insurance become eligible for disability retirement benefits if they apply within two years. Changes apply only to retirement applications processed after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a process for certain long-incarcerated individuals to seek rehabilitative release. It requires the Department of Corrections to issue a Certificate of Eligibility to people who have served at least 20 years (and are age 60+) or 30 years for murder (and are age 62+). Eligible individuals may then petition a court for sentence modification, which the court may grant if it finds they are not a danger, demonstrate reentry readiness (e.g., through education/vocational programs), and the interests of justice warrant release. If granted, the person receives a five-year parole term and must have victim input considered during the court hearing.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey cosmetology, barbering, and hair braiding schools to include training on textured hair (defined as coiled, curly, or wavy hair) in their existing curricula. The training must cover working with various coil, curl, and wave patterns, hair strand thickness, and hair volume. It also mandates that textured hair be included in both written and practical portions of licensure examinations for these professions. The requirement is to be integrated into current training without adding additional hours of instruction.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds $4 million in supplemental funding to the 2026 state budget for Hinchliffe Stadium Partners, a private entity. The funds are designated to support the development and maintenance of sports, entertainment, and tourism infrastructure at Paterson Great Falls National Park. This supplement builds on a prior $900,000 appropriation for the same project in the same budget year. The funding requires approval from the Division of Budget and Accounting before use.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes rules for on-demand micro transit services in New Jersey - technology-enabled shared rides booked via app or phone. It requires drivers to be employees of public transit agencies (like NJ Transit) or directly hired contractors with equal wages/benefits, prohibits replacing existing transit routes, and mandates services for "transit deserts" (areas with limited public transit access). The bill also requires accessibility features for people with disabilities, ensures service for those without smartphones/credit cards, and mandates monthly data reporting on costs and ridership to NJ Transit. A new oversight committee must certify all programs meet these standards before operation.

Maddy summaryThe "John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey" requires all voting policies to be interpreted in ways that maximize voting access for all eligible voters, particularly members of racial, color, and language-minority groups. It prohibits voting practices that burden protected class members and mandates language assistance for limited English proficient voters. The bill creates a preclearance process for voting changes in jurisdictions with a history of voting rights violations and establishes the New Jersey Voting and Elections Institute to maintain public voting data. These provisions aim to ensure equitable access to voting and protect against voter suppression and vote dilution.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes where certain firearm permit application fees are deposited. It requires fees for handgun permits and firearms purchaser identification cards to be paid into the state's General Fund instead of the Violent Crime Control and Enforcement (VCCO) account. The bill directly affects individuals applying for firearm permits and retail dealers processing these transactions. The key provision is a simple accounting change to redirect fee revenue, without altering permit requirements or background check procedures. This is a procedural adjustment to fund allocation, not a policy change to firearm regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires restaurants in New Jersey to clearly disclose any mandatory gratuity charge to customers through multiple prominent methods: on menus, at the restaurant entrance, on the customer's bill, and on the restaurant's website (if applicable). It directly affects restaurants that impose mandatory service charges, making failure to disclose a violation of the Consumer Fraud Act. Violations carry penalties of up to $10,000 for a first offense and $20,000 for repeat offenses, plus potential cease-and-desist orders, punitive damages, and triple damages for affected patrons. The law takes effect three months after enactment.