Sen. Jim Holzapfel

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey electric utilities to reimburse residential customers for spoiled food and compromised prescription medicine caused by sustained power outages lasting over 48 hours after major events (like storms). Customers can receive up to $500 for spoiled food (with proof like receipts) or up to $1,000 for compromised medicine (with pharmacy proof). Utilities must create an online application system within 90 days and process reimbursements within 30 days of receiving a valid request. The law applies only to outages directly caused by major events beyond the utility's control, not routine service interruptions.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey Transit (NJT) from making major rail yard changes - like adding tracks or building fuel facilities - near environmentally sensitive areas without special approval. It specifically restricts projects in coastal zones, areas draining into Barnegat Bay Estuary, or within 1,000 feet of wetlands, tidal waters, or freshwater wetlands. NJT must first obtain all required environmental permits and get written authorization from the Governor after consulting the Environmental Protection Department and EPA. The rule applies to rail yard projects submitted for permits after March 31, 2022.

Maddy summaryS 73 eliminates a rule that previously required surviving spouses of police and firefighters to remain unmarried to receive death benefits under New Jersey's Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS). The bill ensures eligible survivors, including remarried spouses, can continue receiving a retirement allowance (combining pension and annuity payments) after a member's death. This directly affects families of PFRS members who died while serving or after retirement, updating eligibility rules to remove the remarriage barrier. The legislation amends existing PFRS statutes to align with current family dynamics and survivor needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's voter registration commissioner to place voters with mail-in ballots returned as undeliverable into an "inactive" file. If such a voter fails to vote in two consecutive federal general elections, they are removed from the statewide voter registry and moved to a "deleted" file. Voters receive written notices after being placed in the inactive file, when removal is planned, and after removal. The law applies specifically to voters whose mail-in ballots could not be delivered, with the commissioner retaining undeliverable ballots for two years. This changes how voter records are managed for those with undeliverable mail-in ballots, not affecting all voters.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that residents of private communities and their authorized guests do not need a fishing license to fish in their community's private lake. It specifically defines a "private community lake" as a manmade, self-contained body of water owned by the community, under exclusive member control, and maintained at the community's sole expense. The law explicitly adds this exemption to New Jersey's fishing licensure rules, addressing a gap where the Division of Fish and Wildlife was reportedly issuing citations despite existing law treating such lakes as private waters. This change directly affects community residents and guests who fish in designated community lakes without requiring state-issued licenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a state loan program to help New Jersey school districts facing significant operating budget shortfalls. School districts with shortfalls that would force cuts to nonmandatory programs - such as advanced placement courses, sports teams, music programs, and kindergarten - may apply for state loans through a new "School District Budget Relief Loan Account." To qualify, districts must demonstrate they spent below state adequacy levels in the prior year, increased property taxes by at least 2% annually for five years, and cannot resolve the shortfall through program cuts or tax hikes. The bill also allows districts to delay budget submission deadlines and public hearings until a loan decision is made.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 342) creates a fast-track court process for property owners to remove unauthorized occupants who lack legal rights to the property. It requires owners to certify in court filings that the occupant never had a lease, paid rent, or received written permission to stay. If verified, courts must schedule a hearing within 5 business days and issue a writ of possession, leading to swift removal by court officers. Property owners who win such cases can also claim triple damages for the unlawful occupancy, and forging documents to exploit this process is a criminal offense.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a $5 million loan program to help first-time homebuyers repair homes in areas with high numbers of abandoned properties. It provides interest-free, deferred loans (up to $10,000) for basic repairs like plumbing, electrical work, or roofing, which borrowers repay only when selling the home. To qualify, applicants must be first-time homebuyers moving to one of New Jersey's 10 municipalities with the most abandoned properties (or within five miles of those areas) and meet at least four specific criteria, such as having a degree, being a veteran, or committing to community service. The program is funded through a state appropriation and requires the Housing Agency to define eligible areas within nine months of the bill's passage.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's SCR 32 is a procedural resolution requesting Congress to call an Article V Convention of States. It asks for a convention limited to proposing constitutional amendments that would impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, reduce federal power and jurisdiction, and establish term limits for federal officials and members of Congress. This resolution serves as a continuing application, remaining active until at least two-thirds of state legislatures support the same request. The bill does not create new laws but formally requests Congress to convene a convention to address these specific constitutional limitations.

Maddy summaryS 1011 establishes "gang shoplifting" as a third-degree crime in New Jersey, targeting coordinated group actions at retail stores. It applies when two or more people enter a store openly and either steal items without paying full retail value or tamper with property to endanger people or damage the store. The law mandates a minimum one-year prison term with no parole eligibility for offenders, in addition to potential fines up to $15,000. This bill specifically addresses incidents involving organized groups, such as flash mobs, engaging in visible theft or property damage.