Asm. Brian Rumpf

Maddy summaryACR 65 is a New Jersey Assembly resolution urging Congress to enact legislation that would provide annual payments of $15 per kilogram of spent nuclear fuel stored at decommissioned nuclear power plants. The resolution states that local governments with these sites cannot redevelop properties due to the presence of nuclear waste, causing lost property tax revenue, as a federal repository was never built under the 1982 Nuclear Waste Policy Act. It specifically references 17 decommissioned plants across the US, including New Jersey's Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. This resolution does not create new law but calls on Congress to address the financial burden on municipalities that have become de facto storage sites for nuclear waste.

Maddy summaryACR 64 proposes a constitutional amendment that would allow New Jersey homeowners to receive property tax reductions when they add living space for qualifying senior relatives. The tax reduction would apply to construction or reconstruction costs that increase a home's assessed value, provided the space is used by a parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle aged 62 or older. The reduction cannot exceed either the actual cost increase from the construction or 20% of the home's total assessed value. This amendment requires voter approval before taking effect and would expire upon the death or relocation of the last qualifying senior relative.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey municipalities to use up to 30% of their existing development fee trust funds - collected from residential construction projects - to provide down payment assistance grants for first-time homebuying veterans. Each veteran can receive a grant of up to $15,000, and these grants are excluded from income calculations for other state benefits or taxes. The program is part of a municipality's broader affordable housing initiatives, which already support low- and moderate-income households through similar assistance programs. Municipalities must follow state-administered rules when allocating these funds for veteran-specific down payment help.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1730) increases penalties for sexual assault involving minors and modifies murder sentencing. It mandates 30-35 years to life imprisonment for certain sexual assaults against children under 16, including cases where the victim is under 13, the perpetrator is a family member or authority figure, or the assault occurs during other crimes like robbery. The bill also changes the murder statute (N.J.S.2C:11-3) to require life without parole for murders of children under 16 committed during sexual assaults (previously age 14), and raises the minimum mandatory prison term before parole eligibility from 30 to 35 years for most murder convictions. These changes directly affect individuals convicted of sexual offenses against minors and those who murder children during such crimes.

Maddy summaryThis bill would double the income eligibility limit for New Jersey's homestead property tax reimbursement program from $80,000 to $160,000 for both single and married applicants, effective for tax year 2017. The program provides property tax reimbursement to seniors (65+) and disabled residents who own or rent a primary home and have paid property taxes for 10+ consecutive years. By raising the income threshold, the bill allows more qualifying low-to-moderate income residents to receive reimbursement for property tax increases above their "base year" amount. It directly affects eligible seniors and disabled homeowners and renters statewide who currently exceed the $80,000 income limit.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts federally chartered veterans' organizations from paying motor vehicle registration fees for vehicles not used for personal or commercial purposes. It adds these organizations to an existing list of exempt entities, including fire departments, schools, hospitals, and other nonprofit groups. The key mechanism is amending New Jersey's vehicle registration law (R.S.39:3-27) to explicitly include veterans' organizations under the exemption. This change directly affects qualifying veterans' groups by removing a registration cost for their operational vehicles. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires developers of affordable housing in New Jersey to reserve at least 50% of low- and moderate-income units for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserve Components, regardless of war service. It establishes a special waiting list for veterans and mandates outreach by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to connect eligible veterans with housing opportunities. Municipalities that provide such housing receive one standard housing credit plus a half-credit for each veteran-occupied unit toward their affordable housing obligations. The policy directly affects veterans seeking housing, developers building affordable units, and municipalities meeting state housing requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax credit for New Jersey disabled veteran renters, allowing them to claim up to $1,000 annually for the portion of their rent that covers property taxes. The credit is nonrefundable (meaning it only reduces tax owed, not to less than zero) and applies to rent paid by the veteran personally. If married and filing separately, each spouse receives half the credit; if sharing housing with others (not a spouse), the credit is limited to the rent the veteran actually paid. This credit is in addition to an existing $50 credit for certain elderly, blind, or disabled renters who pay rent covering property taxes.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A885) requires New Jersey's State Chief Diversity Officer to study whether disabled veteran-owned businesses are being adequately utilized in state procurement contracts. The study must determine if disparities exist between the availability of these businesses and their actual use by state agencies. Within 12 months of enactment, the officer must submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature, with potential follow-up reports tracking implementation of prior recommendations. The bill directly affects disabled veteran-owned businesses and state agencies managing procurement contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands NJ Transit's Access Link paratransit service to include all U.S. Veterans Health Administration facilities in New Jersey. It requires NJ Transit to provide door-to-door service within a 1.5-mile radius around each facility and along the most direct route connecting it to the nearest NJ Transit bus or rail stop. The bill appropriates $1 million from the state General Fund to cover implementation costs. This directly affects veterans who use these health care facilities by improving their access to transportation services.