Asm. Bill Moen

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 requires businesses receiving New Jersey economic development subsidies (over $25,000) to forfeit part of their subsidy or pay the full cost of environmental remediation if they violate state environmental laws. Specifically, businesses found responsible for an environmental incident must either forfeit 20% of their subsidy value for that tax year or pay the total costs to address the incident - including remediation, relocation, air filtration, and mental health services for affected residents. Proceeds from these payments fund the new Environmental Incident Recovery Fund, which reimburses impacted residents for related costs. The fund applies only to incidents where businesses received subsidies after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to display a person's full legal name - including Roman numerals - on specific driver's licenses, identification cards, and permits. It directly affects residents whose legal names (as recorded on birth certificates) include Roman numerals (e.g., "John Smith III"), ensuring their name appears exactly as documented without omitting the numeral. The MVC must display the full legal name if applicants provide standard verification documents proving identity, age, and residence. This change applies to all standard licenses, permits, and REAL ID documents without altering existing name-change procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a five-year pilot program to inventory, assess, and improve safety for all bridges under New Jersey state, county, or municipal jurisdiction. It requires the Department of Transportation to create a digital bridge inventory, develop risk scoring models (including climate vulnerability assessments), and build a public dashboard. The $9.5 million appropriation allocates $4.5 million for the core pilot program and $5 million specifically for testing AI-powered sensor monitoring on high-risk bridges through a new "Bridge Infrastructure Innovation Module." The program mandates annual reports to the legislature on progress and a final report recommending statewide expansion of the model after five years.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's SREC-II program to establish specific annual targets for solar projects on roadside right-of-way areas, requiring the Board of Public Utilities to award incentives for at least 50 megawatts of these projects per year for five years. The bill directs the Board to consider traffic volume and emissions burden of adjacent road systems when evaluating these projects, while ensuring they meet siting criteria that avoid protected lands like agricultural areas and wetlands. Roadside solar facilities meeting these requirements would receive solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs) as part of the state's clean energy incentive program. This policy supports New Jersey's 2019 Energy Master Plan goal of achieving 17,000 megawatts of solar energy by 2035.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5741) requires the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) to include solar energy components - such as solar panels - in new school facility projects for the 31 SDA districts. The requirement applies only to projects advanced from the Statewide strategic plan after bond issuance and financed with proceeds from bonds issued under P.L.2000, c.72, following the bill’s effective date. The SDA may update its model school design program to implement this provision. It does not affect existing school facilities or projects not funded through these specific bond programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill dedicates a portion of wine sales tax revenue to the "Jersey Fresh Program Fund." Specifically, it requires the State Treasurer to deposit $0.21875 per gallon from wine, vermouth, and sparkling wine sales by licensed wineries into the fund, equaling 25% of that tax. The money will fund the Jersey Fresh branding program, which promotes locally grown New Jersey agricultural products like fruits, vegetables, seafood, and processed foods through advertising and marketing. This expands the fund's current sources, which previously relied on voluntary contributions via income tax returns.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and Environmental Department to conduct a study of wave and tidal energy potential after completing a pilot project. Within 15 months of the pilot's completion, they must submit a report with specific generation targets (in megawatts) for wave and tidal energy by 2030, 2040, and 2050. The report will guide updates to the state's Energy Master Plan to incorporate these goals, alongside exploring incentives like renewable energy credits. The legislation aims to position New Jersey as a national leader in ocean energy development while advancing the state's clean energy targets.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens regulation of cooperative sober living residences (facilities for individuals recovering from addiction) by increasing civil penalties for violations from $5,000 to $25,000, requiring two annual unannounced inspections, and mandating public posting of licensed facility locations. It establishes new reporting requirements for serious incidents like injuries, deaths, or outbreaks, and requires facilities to employ on-site staff qualified in addiction recovery, prohibit alcohol/drug use with random testing, and provide counseling services. The bill appropriates $100,000 for implementation and amends the 1979 Rooming and Boarding House Act to create specific regulatory standards for these facilities. These changes directly affect operators of cooperative sober living residences and their residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill imposes a $30,000 annual fee on institutional investors owning residential properties that are unproductive (abandoned or vacant for 12+ months without continuous or seasonal occupancy). Exemptions apply to nonprofits providing affordable housing, small institutional investors (owning 20 or fewer properties), and properties acquired through foreclosure. Institutional investors must submit annual reports detailing their properties to the Commissioner of Community Affairs, with penalties of $500 for first offenses and $1,000 for subsequent failures. The fee revenue will fund housing initiatives as New Jersey faces a housing shortage with 10% fewer single-family homes available compared to the previous year. The bill aims to incentivize productive use of residential properties and increase housing availability.