Asm. Greg Myhre

Maddy summaryThis bill allows individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder by a licensed healthcare professional to voluntarily add their diagnosis to their New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) record. They can submit this information online, by mail, or when applying for a license/ID, and include details about their regularly driven vehicle. The MVC will add this to their record, but it remains private - only accessible to law enforcement during traffic stops or emergencies to help officers communicate effectively. This mirrors an existing program for insulin-dependent diabetics but specifically applies to autism diagnoses.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates New Jersey's Transfer Inheritance Tax, which was imposed on beneficiaries receiving assets from a decedent's estate (based on asset value and relationship to the decedent). It repeals specific sections of state law governing the tax, including provisions that taxed "lateral" transfers (such as to siblings or nonrelatives) at rates up to 16%, while exempting transfers to spouses, ancestors, and descendants. The repeal applies to estates of decedents dying on or after July 1, 2015, meaning the tax will no longer apply to those estates. However, it does not affect taxes accrued or obligations for deaths occurring before that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a special "Community and Navigational Waterways Restorative and Maintenance Dredging Account" that will receive $5 million annually from state sales tax revenues. It directs the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to use these funds exclusively for dredging waterways outside the New York-New Jersey port region, including waterways providing boat access to coastal residential areas (even if not officially designated as navigational waters). At least 25% of the funds must be allocated to maintaining these residential access waterways. The DEP must annually update a prioritized list of eligible projects based on community input and report funding details to the Governor and Legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the payment start date for annual compensation to surviving spouses of certain blind or disabled veterans. Currently, payments begin from the date the spouse applies, which can be years after the veteran's death. The bill amends state law to make payments begin automatically from the veteran's death date instead, regardless of when the spouse files their application. This applies to spouses of veterans who were blinded or severely disabled due to wartime service (including WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam conflicts), ensuring they receive back payments for the time between the veteran's death and their application.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a New Jersey gross income tax deduction for state fuel taxes paid on motor fuel used for personal vehicle operation. It directly affects individual taxpayers (including single filers and married couples) who pay New Jersey motor fuel taxes for non-business vehicle use. The deduction is capped at $1,000 for 2020 and $2,000 annually thereafter, and excludes amounts reimbursed by employers or already deductible elsewhere. Taxpayers can claim this deduction when filing their NJ income tax return, reducing their taxable income by the eligible fuel tax amount paid.

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 clarifies that BB guns commonly used for recreation (which fire small pellets using air or compressed air at low speed) are not classified as firearms under New Jersey law. As a result, these devices will no longer require firearm permits, background checks, or other licensing under state law. The amendment specifically excludes such BB guns from the legal definition of "firearm" in New Jersey statutes. This change directly affects BB gun owners, retailers, and law enforcement by removing firearm regulatory requirements for these devices. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A772) requires that at least one member of New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) must reside in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, or Ocean County. It amends the state law governing BPU appointments by adding this residency requirement for all new appointees. The change applies to all future appointments to the BPU, ensuring representation from these four coastal counties. This is a procedural change affecting BPU membership rules, not the board's policy responsibilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a working group to help New Jersey coastal communities identify and safely remove abandoned vessels, and establishes a $25 million fund to reimburse municipalities for these removal costs. The working group, consisting of 21 members including federal and state agency representatives, must report to the Governor and Legislature within one year of formation and annually thereafter. Municipalities must adopt vessel registration ordinances for vessels in municipal waterways to qualify for reimbursement, and the fund will be supported by $25 million in state appropriations plus civil penalties collected from vessel abandonment violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey state funds from being used to provide legal assistance or services to immigrants facing immigration detention or deportation. It bans direct state funding, contracts, or grants to public agencies or nonprofits offering such legal help, targeting support for individuals based on immigration status. The bill references past budget language that allocated up to $2.1 million for legal services to immigrants in detention/deportation cases. It takes immediate effect and applies to all state funding mechanisms.