Asm. Clinton Calabrese

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3955) requires New Jersey's Business Action Center to study vacant commercial real estate and its impact on small businesses. The study must examine how local governments track vacancies, assess existing programs aiding vacant space, survey business owners' experiences finding space, and recommend improvements. The report must be submitted to the Governor and Legislature within one year of the bill's effective date. This bill does not create new programs but mandates a review to inform future policy decisions. It directly affects small businesses seeking commercial space and local governments managing vacant properties.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to create a public online registry listing out-of-state contractors awarded public construction contracts that require prevailing wages. It directly affects contractors whose main business is outside New Jersey, excluding satellite offices or temporary locations. The registry, maintained by the State Treasurer, will include project details, contractor trade names, and business addresses, and must be accessible on the Treasury Department’s website. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a four-year pilot program allowing New Jersey gas utilities to build thermal energy networks using geothermal or other renewable thermal sources (like waste heat) as an alternative to natural gas infrastructure. It directly affects gas utilities, their ratepayers (who may see cost recovery through bills), and communities - particularly those with aging pipelines or no gas service. Utilities must submit detailed "thermal infrastructure plans" to the Board of Public Utilities for approval, which will evaluate project costs, benefits like emissions reductions and job creation, and how well projects serve low-income or overburdened communities. The program limits approval to one project per geographic region (northern, central, southern, coastal) and permits cost recovery via utility rates. The goal is to test the feasibility of thermal networks for heating and cooling across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow New Jersey vehicle owners to purchase special "Peace Out, Cancer" license plates supporting the Student Movement Against Cancer Inc. (SMAC). Owners would pay a one-time $50 application fee and a $10 annual fee, with all fees deposited into a dedicated fund. The fund would provide annual funding to SMAC for its mission and programs after covering the Motor Vehicle Commission's administrative costs. The program could be discontinued if plate production costs exceed the $50 fee over two consecutive years.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4464) requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to add a discreet designation to a vehicle registration for owners who are deaf or hard of hearing. To qualify, applicants must provide medical verification of hearing loss (a pure tone average of 41 dB or greater at specific frequencies) from an ENT or certified audiologist. The designation - using an international symbol or numerical code - will only appear when law enforcement accesses license plate data through the MVC’s secure law enforcement system, alerting officers to the driver’s hearing status during interactions. It directly affects New Jersey residents with significant hearing loss who register vehicles, aiming to improve communication during police stops.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the "New Jersey Council on Access and Mobility" within the Department of Transportation. The council, consisting of 17 members including state agency commissioners and six public representatives with expertise in disability/senior transportation, will study transportation services for people with disabilities and seniors. Its key duties include analyzing federal funding opportunities for mobility services and assessing the state's ability to access those funds, all to be done at least annually. The council will operate without member compensation but with staff support from the Department of Transportation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey financial institutions to take specific actions to protect vulnerable adults (18+ with physical/mental limitations affecting financial decisions) and senior customers (60+ years). Financial institutions must release customer account records to law enforcement or adult protective services if they suspect exploitation involving these customers, and they may delay transactions they reasonably believe could lead to financial exploitation. Institutions must notify affected parties within two business days of delaying a transaction, unless the party is suspected of exploitation. The law directly affects banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions operating in New Jersey, aiming to prevent financial abuse of vulnerable populations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4143, "Long-Term Budget Outlook Act") requires New Jersey's State Treasurer to prepare and submit two annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. The reports must project the state's budget outlook for the next three fiscal years (current year plus two subsequent years), including distinct forecasts of potential long-term budget gaps under optimistic, pessimistic, and baseline economic scenarios. Key provisions include detailed projections of all state revenues, appropriations, and fund balances using a "current services basis" (projecting costs to maintain existing programs), along with clear explanations of the assumptions used. These reports aim to provide transparency about future fiscal challenges to inform budget decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state agencies, counties, municipalities, school districts, and other local government entities to purchase at least 5% of their goods and services from the Central Nonprofit Agency (CNA), which supports rehabilitation facilities. It grants the CNA a "right of first refusal" for any goods/services typically bought through cooperative purchasing catalogs, provided they can match prices within 15% of fair market value. The bill also mandates that the Division of Purchase and Property create training protocols for all purchasing agents to ensure awareness of the CNA program, with annual reporting on compliance by all affected entities. These requirements apply to all state and local government bodies authorized to make purchases.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires drivers to stop at least 25 feet from school buses loading/unloading children or individuals with developmental disabilities on undivided highways, and to slow to 10 mph on divided highways. It establishes that violations captured by school bus monitoring systems (like cameras) will result in a $300 civil penalty instead of criminal charges or license points. The law directly affects drivers near school buses, school bus operators, and enforcement agencies. Key provisions include standardized stopping distances, speed limits for divided highways, and shifting penalties for monitored violations to a civil fine system. This changes enforcement by prioritizing evidence from monitoring systems to reduce penalties for documented violations.