Asm. Mike Venezia

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to revise community solar program targets to add 3,000 megawatts of solar capacity, to be registered by December 31, 2029. The BPU must open registration for this capacity by August 1, 2025, and accept applications until the target is met or the deadline passes. The bill also removes the previous annual goal of 150 megawatts for the program. It maintains existing requirements for low and moderate income customer participation and project standards, including access to solar energy and monthly reporting.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public schools to follow the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2012 nutrition standards for school meals, which limit calories, fat, and sodium while increasing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nonfat milk. It directly affects public schools serving federally subsidized breakfasts and lunches to roughly 32 million students nationwide. The standards aim to combat childhood obesity - New Jersey's child obesity rate is 14.8%, the 28th highest nationally - by maintaining stricter dietary requirements than USDA's recent proposed relaxations. The bill mandates compliance with these 2012 standards or any stricter future standards, effective immediately.

Maddy summaryAJR 216 is a joint resolution directing New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to investigate whether PJM Interconnection's Reliability Pricing Model (capacity market) effectively provides reliable electricity at the lowest cost. The bill requires the BPU to report its findings within 12 months and directs the state to collaborate with neighboring PJM states to promote affordable energy practices, prioritize carbon-free sources, and urge PJM to implement market reforms. It specifically addresses rising capacity costs in PJM's auctions - contributing to higher electricity bills - and delays in approving new generation projects that prevent lower-cost resources from entering the market. The resolution aims to protect ratepayers, particularly low-income households, from price increases while supporting grid reliability.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution, not a policy bill. It honors the late Congressman William J. Pascrell, Jr. (who served in Congress from 1997 until his death in 2024), specifically recognizing his founding role in the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force. The resolution urges New Jersey's current and future U.S. Congress members to join and support this bipartisan task force, which focuses on advancing brain injury awareness, research, and policy. It has no effect on laws or funding - it is purely a commemorative statement.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires data center owners or operators in New Jersey to annually submit detailed water and energy usage reports to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) starting one year after the law takes effect. The reports must include specific metrics like total energy consumption (in kilowatt hours), water usage (in cubic meters), and efficiency calculations such as "power usage effectiveness" and "renewable energy factor." Data centers must also disclose operational details (e.g., location, purpose, water sources) and notify the BPU 60 days in advance of major operational changes. The BPU will publish all submitted data online within 30 days, making it publicly accessible for transparency.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases tax rates on cigarettes, liquid nicotine, and container e-liquid in New Jersey. It raises the cigarette tax from $0.135 to $0.15 per cigarette (or $2.70 to $3.00 per pack), increases the liquid nicotine tax from $0.10 to $0.30 per milliliter, and raises the container e-liquid tax from 10% to 30% of retail price. The bill requires businesses to file inventory reports and pay the higher tax rates on existing inventories when the changes take effect on August 1, 2025. It also dedicates $2 million annually from these new tax revenues to the Health Care Subsidy Fund, which supports healthcare programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey election officials to notify voters within five business days if their request to change political party affiliation isn't processed due to missing the statutory deadline for primary elections. It prohibits updating party affiliation after the deadline (55 days before a primary), ensuring voters remain affiliated with their previous party until the primary election concludes. Voters denied voting in their preferred primary due to outdated registration can cast a provisional ballot and seek judicial review; if confirmed they met the deadline, the ballot is counted. The bill directly affects voters attempting to switch parties late and election officials processing registration forms.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5373) allows New Jersey municipalities to acquire real property that is abandoned, vacant, or subject to unpaid taxes through two new methods: purchasing it at fair market value or using eminent domain (instead of relying solely on existing laws like the Abandoned Properties Rehabilitation Act). It defines "abandoned" or "vacant" as property meeting at least four specific conditions (e.g., overgrown vegetation, disconnected utilities, accumulated debris, or neighbor reports), while excluding properties under active renovation, seasonal occupancy, or in legal ownership disputes. Municipalities may deduct unpaid taxes and liens from the purchase price, and if they cannot locate an owner, they must hold funds for one year before turning them over under unclaimed property laws. The bill directly affects municipalities seeking to clear blighted properties and owners of properties deemed abandoned under the new criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5376) creates two new state entities: the Health Care Cost Containment and Price Transparency Commission (18 members) and the Office of Healthcare Affordability and Transparency within the Department of Health. It requires hospitals to publicly disclose pricing data for inpatient, outpatient, emergency, and physician services (using standard billing codes) and sets annual benchmarks for health care cost growth and hospital prices. Health care entities exceeding these benchmarks must submit improvement plans, and hospitals failing to comply with transparency rules face civil penalties of $10 per bed per day. The bill directly affects all hospitals, health care providers, and payers in New Jersey, with $5 million appropriated for implementation.

Maddy summaryAJR 221 designates August 10 of each year as "Ecuador Day" in New Jersey to honor Ecuador's independence and recognize the state's strong partnership with Ecuador. It directly affects New Jersey residents, particularly the state's second-largest Ecuadorian immigrant community (237,532 people, or nearly 3% of the state's population). The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public observance of the day through community events and programs. This is a symbolic, commemorative resolution with no new policy requirements or funding.