Asm. Greg Myhre

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits common interest communities (such as homeowners' associations, condominiums, and cooperatives) from charging transfer fees when a member places their unit or cooperative shares into a living, revocable trust. Currently, some communities could treat trust placements as ownership transfers and impose fees like transfer taxes or membership charges. The bill explicitly states that trust placement does not constitute a title transfer under governing documents, eliminating the basis for these fees. Communities may still charge a reasonable fee for actual administrative costs related to processing the transfer, but not fees tied to ownership change.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows veterinarians in New Jersey to transfer healthy animals with behavioral issues to shelters or new homes instead of euthanizing them, under specific conditions. It applies only when the animal is physically healthy (euthanasia requested for behavior, not medical reasons), the vet confirms the behavior isn’t a public safety threat and can be rehabilitated, and the owner is informed beforehand. Once transferred, ownership permanently passes to the shelter or new owner, and the original owner forfeits all rights. The bill also protects veterinarians from liability for animals placed this way, as long as they follow the outlined conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill converts a $1.25 million loan and $250,000 grant originally allocated to the Barnegat Bay Decoy and Baymen's Museum in Ocean County into a single $1.5 million grant. The change eliminates the museum's obligation to repay the $1.25 million portion, making it a non-repayable grant. This amendment modifies Section 1 of a 1999 appropriations law (P.L.1999, c.99) that distributed $20 million in economic development funds. The museum, which received the funds under the "1996 Economic Development Site Fund," will now retain the full $1.5 million without repayment requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey correctional facilities (including prisons, jails, and youth detention centers) to verify the immigration status of every inmate. If an inmate is not a U.S. citizen or is not lawfully present in the United States, the facility must transfer them to federal immigration officials instead of releasing them to the general public. Facilities must document status details, and if they cannot determine it after due diligence, they must assume the inmate is unlawfully present. Violating these rules subjects the facility to civil penalties.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the state to reimburse New Jersey municipalities 102% of the property tax revenue they lose when granting total property tax exemptions to disabled veterans. It directly affects local governments that provide these exemptions under existing law (P.L.1948, c.259). The reimbursement covers both the lost tax revenue and administrative costs incurred by municipalities. The state must pay this annually based on certified exemption amounts provided by tax assessors and county boards. This policy change ensures municipalities aren't financially burdened by the exemption program.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3589) changes who pays for a State monitor appointed under New Jersey's School District Fiscal Accountability Act. Currently, school districts cover the costs of the monitor and staff when the Commissioner of Education appoints them due to fiscal issues like audit failures, deficits, or unaddressed financial weaknesses. The bill requires the State to pay all salaries and expenses for these monitors and staff, removing this financial burden from struggling school districts. This directly affects school districts receiving a State monitor under the existing accountability law, shifting the cost responsibility from local budgets to the State.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires companies, corporations, manufacturers, and contract testing facilities in New Jersey that use cats, dogs, or ferrets for product testing or research to assess these animals for adoption suitability after testing ends. If suitable, the animals must be offered to animal rescue organizations or private individuals for adoption. The bill establishes procedures for documenting assessments and dispositions, requiring facilities to register with the Department of Health and report details about animal use, suitability, and adoption outcomes. Noncompliance could result in civil penalties of $10,000 for a first offense, $50,000 for a second, and potential injunctions against conducting further animal testing for a third offense.

Maddy summaryACR 110 proposes a constitutional amendment allowing New Jersey municipalities to offer up to a 15% property tax exemption on the assessed value of a volunteer first responder’s primary residence. The exemption would apply to active members of volunteer fire departments, first aid, or rescue squads serving that municipality, provided their home is located within the municipality and serves as their primary residence. If approved by voters, the amendment would require the state legislature to pass enabling legislation, but municipalities would decide whether to implement the exemption and the exact percentage (up to 15%) via local ordinance. This change directly affects volunteer first responders and local governments, not the state government or all homeowners.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1772) allows New Jersey municipalities to create a "dredging control reserve fund" using unspent annual dredging budget funds. The fund can later finance dredging projects like maintaining navigation channels, managing dredged material (e.g., sand, silt), or supporting maritime/tourism industries. Unspent funds are automatically added to the reserve, and any money spent from it must be reimbursed back into the fund. The Local Finance Board may establish rules for administering the reserve.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey law to expand the definition of "veteran" to include service in the global war on terror, specifically adding operations like Noble Eagle that were previously excluded. It changes the requirement from a 14-day in-country service standard to a 90-day active service requirement regardless of location. This change would make more individuals eligible for benefits including civil service hiring preferences, retirement system benefits, and property tax deductions. The bill affects multiple statutes that define veteran status for various benefits programs.