Asm. Clinton Calabrese

Maddy summaryThis bill changes signature requirements for candidates seeking nomination in municipal primary elections in New Jersey. It specifies that in municipalities with fewer than 7,000 residents (based on the latest federal census), candidates must collect signatures equal to at least 5% of the total votes cast in the previous primary election for that party's General Assembly candidates. This applies only to full-municipality petitions, not to wards or election districts - which retain the existing 5% rule. The change affects candidates running for local office in smaller towns, requiring them to gather fewer signatures than under previous thresholds for those specific municipalities.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A937) expands what certain New Jersey alcohol manufacturers can sell on their premises. It allows limited breweries, wineries producing under 250,000 gallons annually, farm wineries, cideries, meaderies, and craft distilleries to sell each other's products for off-premises consumption. The bill also permits these manufacturers to coordinate with third-party restaurants for food service (without operating restaurants themselves), increases the annual brewing limit for restricted breweries from 10,000 to 50,000 barrels, and removes the requirement for tours to sell products on-site. Additionally, it allows limited breweries to host up to 52 annual on-premises special events and private parties without needing permits or notifying authorities.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the threshold for public contracts requiring competitive bidding in New Jersey. It raises the default limit from $17,500 to $50,000 for most local governments and school districts, allowing contracts under this amount to be awarded without public bidding. For entities with a State-certified purchasing agent, the threshold increases from $25,000 to $100,000. The bill also establishes automatic inflation-based adjustments every five years, rounding to the nearest $1,000, to keep thresholds current. These changes directly affect school boards, counties, and municipalities managing public contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to update safety and power quality standards for connecting Class I renewable energy projects (like residential solar panels and small wind systems) to the electric grid, and to establish a fixed fee structure for interconnection costs. The BPU must adopt new standards within 18 months that align with national models, while creating "grid modernization fees" based on project size - capping residential fees at $50 per kilowatt for systems under 10 kW for the first three years. Utilities may recover costs exceeding these fees through approved rate adjustments if infrastructure upgrades are deemed necessary for public benefit. The BPU must also set maximum interconnection cost thresholds and report on economic impacts and progress toward clean energy goals within one year of implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey employers from refusing to hire or firing employees based on their legal use of cannabis outside of work hours. It allows drug testing only under specific circumstances like reasonable suspicion of impairment during work, observable intoxication, or after work-related accidents. Employers may not conduct pre-employment cannabis testing except for certain safety-sensitive positions involving critical infrastructure, public utilities, transportation safety, or law enforcement where firearms are required. The bill also establishes a certification program for workplace impairment recognition experts to help determine if an employee is impaired by cannabis while on the job. These protections do not apply to employees in jobs where impairment could pose a high risk to safety or public health.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A1133 bill standardizes rules for deploying small wireless facilities (like cell towers on street poles) across the state. It requires local authorities to allow wireless providers to install these facilities on existing poles without special zoning approval, with specific height limits (50 feet or 10% taller than surrounding structures), and sets maximum fees for deployment. The bill prevents local governments from creating exclusive contracts with wireless companies for pole space and establishes clear timelines for permit approvals (60 days for existing structures, 90 days for new poles). It also requires wireless providers to repair any damage to public rights-of-way and to notify authorities before removing facilities.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A3028) requires Internet service providers (ISPs) to follow net neutrality principles before installing broadband infrastructure on poles or underground facilities owned by public utilities or cable companies. Specifically, ISPs must publicly disclose network management practices, stop charging companies for prioritized content delivery ("paid prioritization"), and ensure customers can access all lawful internet content and apps at full speed without discrimination or slowdowns. The law applies to any ISP installing equipment on public utility-owned poles along roads or underground facilities within the state. It directly affects ISPs seeking to expand broadband infrastructure on existing public utility infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill would align the threshold amounts for New Jersey's "pay to play" and prevailing wage laws with the bid thresholds established under the Local Public Contracts Law. Currently, contracts above $17,500 trigger "pay to play" restrictions for counties and $2,000 for municipalities, while the Local Public Contracts Law sets a $17,500 threshold (up to $36,000 for units with qualified purchasing agents). The bill would increase the municipal "pay to play" threshold to $17,500 and adjust prevailing wage requirements to match the Local Public Contracts Law thresholds. This change would reduce the number of contracts subject to these regulations, particularly affecting small local businesses that contract with county and municipal governments. The bill aims to reduce regulatory burdens on small businesses by making the thresholds consistent across these laws.

Maddy summaryAJR 64 designates November 22 of each year as "Kimchi Day" in New Jersey. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and residents to observe the day with cultural activities. It directly recognizes New Jersey's Korean-American community, which includes approximately 105,000 residents - especially in Bergen County - and celebrates kimchi's cultural significance. The bill has no regulatory effect; it is purely a symbolic observance honoring kimchi's heritage and health benefits as recognized by South Korea and the UN.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to establish an Electric School Bus Financing Program that provides loans and financial assistance to school districts for purchasing electric school buses and related charging infrastructure. It allocates $20 million annually from societal benefits charge revenues to fund the program, with priority given to school districts located in overburdened communities. School districts seeking funding must perform an energy assessment comparing the costs, environmental benefits, and long-term savings of electric versus diesel buses before applying. The program requires annual reports tracking environmental benefits and effectiveness, with funds available to help schools transition from diesel to electric buses.