Sen. Mike Testa

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a permanent "Civil Air Patrol Fund" within New Jersey's Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, requiring an annual $100,000 appropriation from the state General Fund. The fund supports New Jersey's Civil Air Patrol Wing by financing specific programs like cadet STEM/aviation training, search and rescue readiness, disaster relief equipment (including a Redbird Simulator), and volunteer training. Unspent funds carry forward annually, and the fund may also accept federal grants and public donations. The bill directly affects the Civil Air Patrol's operations in New Jersey, providing dedicated state funding for its community and emergency services programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates tax incentives for historic diners and restaurants in New Jersey. To qualify, an establishment must operate continuously for at least 25 years (including pandemic closures), meet small business standards, comply with health/safety rules, and (for restaurants) be family-owned. Qualified businesses on an annual state registry receive a 12-month sales tax exemption on prepared food/beverages for on-site consumption and corporation business/gross income tax credits. The Division of Travel and Tourism manages the registry, requiring annual applications to verify eligibility. The policy directly supports small, long-standing dining businesses preserving cultural heritage.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3016 bill prohibits four specific chemicals - brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye 3 - from being used in commercial foods sold within the state. It amends existing food safety law to add these substances to the list of prohibited ingredients, making it illegal for manufacturers, distributors, or retailers to sell or distribute food containing them. The law aligns with European Union bans on these chemicals, which studies link to health risks, particularly for children. Violations would result in fines of $50-$1,000 per offense, enforced by the New Jersey Department of Health under the State Sanitary Code.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands eligibility for New Jersey's Consolidated Municipal Property Tax Relief Aid (CMPTRA) by modifying qualification criteria for certain municipalities. It allows cities of the third or fourth class in sixth-class counties to qualify if they have either the highest property tax rate in their county or rank in the top 3% most distressed municipalities (per the Department of Community Affairs' Municipal Revitalization Index). This change specifically enables the City of Wildwood and Borough of Woodbine (both in Cape May County) to access CMPTRA funding they previously might not have qualified for under existing rules. The bill removes prior barriers to aid for these financially strained communities by adding these two specific qualification pathways.

Maddy summaryThis bill codifies New Jersey's existing "Bringing Veterans Home" initiative into law, directly affecting unhoused or homeless veterans statewide. It requires the Department of Community Affairs to establish six regional housing hubs, use state data to target needs, create a standardized referral system, and classify veterans for assistance. The law mandates coordination with the Department of Veterans Affairs and existing programs like the Homeless Prevention Act to connect veterans with housing benefits and placements. The initiative, launched in 2024, becomes permanent under this bill, taking effect six months after enactment.

Maddy summaryS 4923 designates "New Jersey and You - Perfect Together Again" as the permanent official slogan for New Jersey's Division of Travel and Tourism. The bill does not create new policies, regulations, or funding; it solely establishes a marketing phrase for tourism promotion. The division has previously used slogans like "New Jersey: Come See For Yourself" and "Little State, Lotta Wow," but this bill replaces them with the new phrase. This procedural change affects only the division's branding efforts, not public law or specific groups.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey courts to automatically transfer juveniles aged 15 or older to adult criminal court for certain homicide charges involving stalking. Specifically, if a juvenile allegedly committed a homicide (excluding vehicular homicide) and engaged in stalking behavior against the victim, the court must waive juvenile jurisdiction without the juvenile's consent. The court must hold a hearing to verify probable cause for both the homicide and stalking elements before transferring the case. If convicted, the juvenile would typically serve custodial sentences in a youth facility until age 21, though transfer to adult prison may occur under specific safety conditions.

Maddy summaryS 4766 clarifies that crime victims in New Jersey can make an in-person statement directly to the defendant about the crime's impact during any trial, hearing, or proceeding where victim impact statements are permitted, unless the court determines the defendant is physically unable to attend. This right supplements existing protections, such as the ability to submit written impact statements to prosecutors and to speak to the sentencing court. The bill does not change current processes for presentence reports but explicitly ensures victims can address the defendant directly when the defendant is present.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires food manufacturers selling products in New Jersey to submit annual reports to the state Department of Health about new food additives they've deemed "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) without FDA approval. Manufacturers must include detailed safety data, usage details, dietary exposure estimates, and other specific information about each additive. The Department of Health will publish these reports on its website within six months (excluding trade secrets related to safety data), making the information publicly accessible. The law applies to most food manufacturers but excludes cottage food operators and additives already approved by the FDA or federal regulators. Violations carry civil penalties up to $5,000 per offense.

Maddy summaryS 4719 requires New Jersey's Governor to include a detailed annual report in the state budget message about revenues and expenditures from the "societal benefits charge" - a fee added to electricity and gas bills. The report must show, for each of the last five fiscal years and the current year, how much revenue was collected, how it was allocated (including specific programs like energy efficiency, universal energy assistance, and electric vehicle incentives), and how much was actually spent. This bill aims to increase transparency about how utility customer fees fund state programs without changing the charge itself or the programs it supports.