Asm. Lou Greenwald

Maddy summaryThis bill changes requirements for public works contractors in New Jersey regarding registered apprenticeship programs. Contractors can now opt out of participating in these programs by paying an annual $1,000 fee per craft classification, instead of having to enroll in a registered apprenticeship program. Contractors who choose to opt out must still pay employees at least the prevailing journeyman wage rate for the craft work being performed. The fees collected will be split equally: 50% will fund apprenticeship programs for underserved communities, and 50% will provide micro-grants to female, minority, and veteran-owned construction firms.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a pilot program to expand access to intensive outpatient mental health services for children aged 5 to 14 by allowing reimbursement under New Jersey's Medicaid program (NJ FamilyCare) for services provided at non-hospital locations. The state will select one provider meeting specific criteria, including exclusively serving children in this age group within qualifying rural areas (county population under 100,000 and municipality over 5,500 residents). The program requires a 36-month evaluation report to the Governor and Legislature, with the pilot expiring 12 months after that report is submitted.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts sales of refined precious metal bullion (like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bars) and high-value numismatic coins ($1,000 or more) from New Jersey's sales and use tax. It directly affects buyers purchasing these specific investment-grade items, not jewelry or art made from them. The law defines "investment bullion" as unprocessed metals where value depends on metal content, excluding fabricated items like jewelry. It also excludes commemorative medallions and coins used in artistic works from the exemption.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow New Jersey school districts without a board of school estimate to request additional funding for the next school year through a special election, rather than only at the annual school election. Currently, districts can only request additional funds for the current budget year at the annual election. Under this bill, districts could propose raising taxes for the following year at special elections held in January, March, September, or December, with proposals needing to specify how funds would be used and whether approval would create a permanent tax increase. Districts could only submit one such proposal per school year, and this would not prevent them from also voting on capital projects at the same election.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's "Design Professional Self-Certification Act" (A4360, now law as P.L.2024, c.58) creates a program allowing licensed architects and professional engineers to self-certify that certain construction projects comply with building codes. It directly affects qualified design professionals who can now submit construction permit applications with self-certification forms for eligible projects (like renovations under specific size limits for residential or commercial buildings), bypassing full code reviews by local agencies. Local building departments must then conduct a simple "supervisory check" to confirm all required documents are present and issue permits - same as before - within 1-5 days. This applies only to projects not excluded (e.g., structural alterations requiring special inspections, new kitchens, or electrical upgrades over 400 amps), with the Department of Community Affairs setting qualification rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies New Jersey's down payment assistance program to provide additional support for first-generation homebuyers. It increases the maximum down payment assistance to $20,000 for first-time homebuyers, with an extra $7,000-$10,000 specifically for first-generation homebuyers (defined as individuals whose parents never owned residential property and who may have been in foster care). The program requires recipients to use the home as their primary residence for five years, complete homebuyer counseling, and repay the loan if they move before the five-year term. The assistance is structured as a zero-interest, forgivable loan if all conditions are met.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies New Jersey's down payment assistance program to better support first-generation and first-time homebuyers. It increases the maximum zero-interest, forgivable loan amount from $15,000 to $20,000, adds an extra $7,000-$10,000 for first-generation homebuyers (defined as those without parental home ownership history or who were in foster care), and requires recipients to use the home as their primary residence for five years. The program must allocate at least 50% of annual funding to first-generation homebuyers, with detailed reporting on recipient demographics and program effectiveness. This directly affects low-to-moderate income homebuyers seeking to purchase single-family homes through the state’s housing agency.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2812) exempts the sale of defined investment metal bullion (like refined gold, silver, platinum, or palladium) and investment coins (numismatic coins valued at $1,000 or more) from New Jersey's sales and use tax. It directly affects buyers purchasing these specific items for investment purposes, excluding jewelry, art made from coins, and commemorative medallions. The exemption applies to retail sales made after the bill's effective date, which is the first day of the fourth month following enactment. This policy change aligns the tax treatment of these items with other investment instruments like stocks, which are not subject to sales tax.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow New Jersey school districts without a board of school estimate to submit proposals for additional funding at special school elections, rather than only at annual elections. Special elections for this purpose could occur in January, March, September, or December, with districts limited to one such proposal per school year. The proposal must specifically identify program purposes for the funds and indicate whether approval would create a permanent tax increase. Districts could still submit capital project requests on the same election date. This change provides more flexibility for school districts to seek voter approval for additional funding when needed.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates a provision that would have required the state to stop collecting hotel and motel occupancy fees if annual funding for cultural projects fell below minimums. It ensures fees continue being collected regardless of whether the specified minimums for cultural funding are met in the state budget. The change directly affects hotels, motels, and short-term rental platforms that collect these fees, as they will no longer face suspension of collections due to budget shortfalls. This maintains consistent funding streams for cultural programs under the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and other designated entities.