Asm. Bill Spearman

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a proportional property tax exemption for New Jersey veterans who are honorably discharged and have a service-connected permanent disability rated at 10% or higher. It directly affects qualifying veterans (and their surviving spouses) by reducing their property taxes in line with their disability rating, with a $10,000 cap for exemptions below 100% disability. Veterans deemed unemployable due to service-connected disability receive a full 100% exemption, matching current benefits for those with 100% disability ratings. The bill also requires the state to reimburse municipalities 102% of the tax costs for these exemptions, including administrative expenses, through annual reporting by local tax authorities.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $3,750,990 from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues to the State Agriculture Development Committee for farmland preservation grants. The funds will cover up to 50% of the cost for nonprofit organizations to acquire development easements or fee simple ownership of farmland, ensuring the land remains available for agricultural use under approved restrictions. The grants specifically support eight farmland preservation projects managed by the Land Conservancy of New Jersey in Warren and Sussex counties, using funds from the Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund established by state law.

Maddy summaryAJR 150 designates July of each year as "Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month" in New Jersey. This symbolic resolution encourages community organizations, medical institutions, and advocacy groups to raise public awareness about cleft lip and palate birth defects - conditions affecting about 1 in 1,700 babies in the U.S. - and promote collaboration on outreach and research. It does not create new laws or funding but requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation to support this awareness effort. The resolution directly affects New Jersey residents and families impacted by these birth defects by fostering community engagement and education.

Maddy summaryThis bill transfers responsibility for inspecting on-farm dairy processing operations from New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to the Department of Agriculture. It requires the Department of Agriculture to take over all related records, equipment, and employees currently handling these inspections. The Department of Agriculture must collaborate with the Department of Health and local health boards when conducting these inspections. The change takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to create a virtual power plant (VPP) program aimed at reducing peak electricity demand. The program will coordinate customer-owned energy resources - like home batteries, solar panels, and electric vehicles - to provide grid services, avoiding the need for costly new infrastructure. The BPU must establish a 500-megawatt peak demand reduction target by 2030, requiring electric utilities to meet specific participation goals. This directly affects utilities, customers with eligible energy resources, and aims to lower costs while improving grid reliability, especially in overburdened communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance carriers in New Jersey to cover prostate cancer screening without cost sharing (no deductibles, copays, or coinsurance). It expands the definition of "prostate cancer screening" to include more diagnostic methods beyond digital rectal exams and PSA tests, such as urinary analysis, serum biomarkers, and medical imaging. The coverage applies to men age 50+ who are asymptomatic, and men age 40+ with family history of prostate cancer or other risk factors. The bill extends these requirements to additional insurance types, including individual health insurance policies, that weren't previously required to cover prostate cancer screening under current law.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Farm to School Local Food Procurement Reimbursement Grant Program to help school districts increase their sourcing of local foods for students. It appropriates $6,500,000 from the General Fund, with $5.5 million dedicated to grants and $1 million for administrative costs. Eligible school districts (those serving students eligible for subsidized meals) can apply for annual grants based on size: small districts (under 5,000 students) receive $10,000-$50,000, medium districts (5,000-10,000 students) get $20,000-$125,000, and large districts (10,000+ students) receive $44,000-$250,000. At least 80% of grant funds must reimburse costs for sourcing additional local foods, while up to 20% can cover equipment or staff training, with priority given to districts in food deserts or those sourcing from small/mid-sized farms.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires courts to inform victims and abusers about counseling services for children who were physically present during or witnessed domestic violence. It establishes a legal presumption that custody should be awarded to the domestic violence victim (the non-abusive parent) in appropriate cases. Courts can now order counseling for affected children as part of domestic violence protection orders. The bill also expands court authority to require psychological evaluations and other protective measures. These changes aim to better protect children and victims in domestic violence cases by addressing their specific needs.

Maddy summaryThe "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act" (S 3309) requires used car dealers to check for open recalls on vehicles before sale using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website and provide prospective buyers with printed recall information if any are found. Dealers cannot sell vehicles subject to stop-sale or do-not-drive notices issued by NHTSA. The bill mandates dealers to report vehicles with unresolved recalls (for which repairs remain uncompleted six months after initial notice) to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission every 180 days, prompting the Commission to send notices directly to vehicle owners. For vehicles with unavailable parts for recalls, dealers receive monthly compensation equal to 1.75% of the vehicle's value until repairs are completed.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and Economic Development Authority (EDA) to give priority consideration to municipalities that meet their state-mandated affordable housing requirements when awarding competitive grants through programs like Main Street New Jersey and Neighborhood Preservation. It specifies that compliance is determined by factors such as past housing obligation fulfillment, settlement agreements, or builder's remedy use in the prior housing obligation round (for the first five years), shifting to current-round fulfillment after that. The priority does not apply to grants specifically intended to help municipalities meet their housing obligations. Exempt municipalities (those not subject to housing requirements) automatically qualify for priority consideration.