Asm. Clinton Calabrese

Maddy summaryThe Protecting Against Forever Chemicals Act prohibits the sale of certain products containing intentionally added PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances), including cosmetics, carpets, fabric treatments, and food packaging, beginning two years after the act's effective date. Manufacturers must notify the Department of Environmental Protection about PFAS in their products within one year of the act's effective date and pay a $1,000 fee per notification. The act requires cookware containing PFAS in contact with food to display a clear label stating "This product contains PFAS" in both English and Spanish. The Department of Environmental Protection must establish a source reduction program and conduct PFAS research, funded by a $5 million appropriation from the General Fund. The bill allows products with trace amounts of PFAS from unavoidable impurities to continue being sold, focusing on prohibiting the intentional addition of PFAS rather than trace amounts.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the State Treasurer to sell the Lodi Armory (4.01 acres of land and improvements) in Bergen County to Bergen County as surplus property. The State will receive $4.1 million for the sale, and Bergen County must lease back approximately 6,000 square feet of the building (designated as the "Motor Vehicle Storage Building") to the State for continued use. The sale and leaseback terms must be approved by the State House Commission. This directly affects the State (as seller), Bergen County (as buyer), and the Lodi Armory property.

Maddy summaryS 4551 appropriates $3,750,990 from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues to the State Agriculture Development Committee for farmland preservation grants. The bill provides grants covering up to 50% of the cost for nonprofits like The Land Conservancy of New Jersey to acquire development easements (limiting non-farm development) or purchase farmland to maintain agricultural use. These funds will support eight specific farms across Warren and Sussex counties, preserving them through permanent restrictions on development. The money comes from the Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund, established by state law to protect agricultural land.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires municipal construction agencies to conduct building inspections within a 2.5-hour time window and provide 24-hour advance notice to property owners. If agencies fail to meet these requirements, owners can file complaints online with the Department of Community Affairs, which would investigate and potentially impose penalties. The bill aims to improve inspection timeliness for construction projects, directly affecting property owners, contractors, and local building departments. Agencies must establish processes to meet these requirements or face potential penalties for repeated failures in meeting inspection deadlines.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to create an automated online platform (the "State Smart Solar Permitting Platform") to speed up approval of residential solar energy system installations. It directly affects homeowners, solar installers, and local governments by replacing slow manual permitting with instant digital reviews. The platform must automatically check code compliance, issue permits within minutes, allow 24/7 applications, and support electronic signatures - handling 75% of standard residential systems. Local agencies must adopt the platform or an equivalent alternative within 18 months, with penalties for non-compliance to fund low-income energy assistance.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5898) requires New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to study advanced transmission technologies (ATT) that could improve grid capacity and reduce congestion. The study will evaluate specific technologies like dynamic line rating, advanced conductors, and power flow controllers to determine how they might speed up deployment (3 months to 3 years vs. 10 years for traditional infrastructure), lower costs, and support growing energy demand from data centers and manufacturing. The BPU must issue a public report within one year, including stakeholder input from two meetings, to assess ATT’s potential benefits for utilities and customers.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases filing fees for property tax assessment appeals in New Jersey. It raises fees based on property value: from $5 to $25 for properties under $150,000; $25 to $75 for $150,000-$500,000; $100 to $150 for $500,000-$1 million; and $150 to $200 for properties over $1 million. Fees for classification-only appeals also rise from $25 to $75 per parcel. The bill affects any taxpayer filing an appeal with a county board of taxation, while maintaining fee exemptions for veteran, senior citizen, and homestead exemption appeals.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey Transit's North and South Jersey Passenger Advisory Committees to hold four public meetings each year. Each committee must provide public notice of meeting times and locations at least seven days in advance and post this information on NJ Transit's website. These committees, composed of transit riders and appointed members, advise NJ Transit on service issues like fare changes and route adjustments. The bill does not alter committee membership or duties but adds mandatory public engagement requirements. (3 sentences)

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program within New Jersey's Department of Transportation (DOT) to address hazards from abandoned mines. It requires the DOT to create a statewide plan mapping all abandoned mines, identifying the most dangerous sites (like those threatening infrastructure or water quality), and ranking reclamation projects by priority and cost. The program will fund reclamation work through a dedicated "Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program Fund" (using federal grants, state funds, or donations), allowing the DOT to carry out projects directly, contract with firms, or provide grants to local governments or property owners. Property owners must be notified before DOT access, but the program prohibits requiring owners to pay for reclamation work. The bill directly affects citizens at risk from mine subsidence or water contamination and property owners near abandoned mines.

Maddy summaryThis bill, A6068, revises penalties for repeated violations of New Jersey's limousine safety and licensing laws. For the most serious offenses - including operating without a municipal license, permitting an unlicensed driver, failing to maintain $1.5 million insurance, or exceeding passenger capacity - third and subsequent violations now require a $7,500 fine, a six-month driver's license suspension, and vehicle impoundment. The bill also increases penalties for operating without proper registration plates or a required vehicle inspection, imposing the same $7,500 fine and impoundment for third and subsequent offenses. These changes directly affect limousine operators and drivers who repeatedly violate safety and licensing requirements.