Sen. Jim Holzapfel

Maddy summaryThis bill adds $10 million from the Universal Service Fund (an off-budget source) to the NJSHARES-S.M.A.R.T. Program for utility payment assistance in New Jersey. It directly helps homeowners and tenants facing financial hardship with past-due utility bills, including arrearages. The program requires the Commissioner of Community Affairs to quickly establish eligibility guidelines, ensuring applicants aren’t receiving duplicate benefits from private insurance or other programs. This supplement builds on an existing $5 million appropriation for the same program in the FY2026 budget.

Maddy summarySCR 107 is a non-binding resolution urging New Jersey's Governor to protect religious liberty during declared states of emergency. It references constitutional protections for religious exercise (both U.S. and New Jersey Constitutions) and notes that during the 2020 pandemic, churches faced stricter restrictions than "essential" secular businesses like grocery stores. The resolution highlights that courts in other states have ruled similar restrictions violated religious freedom, and it calls on the Governor to prioritize this right in future emergencies. As a concurrent resolution, it has no legal effect but formally requests the Governor's action.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (SCR 106) declares that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) "Protecting Against Climate Threats" rules - adopted January 20, 2026, and known as NJPACT-REAL - are inconsistent with legislative intent. The resolution argues the DEP overstepped its authority by adopting these rules without explicit legislative approval, as the DEP claimed authority under outdated laws that never intended to cover climate regulations. The rules significantly expand flood hazard areas, restrict development rights for property owners, and impact housing costs and property values. This resolution does not change the rules but formally states the Legislature’s position that the DEP must await future legislative action on climate policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to issue special windshield stickers for qualifying electric vehicles (EVs). Owners of EVs meeting the bill's definition - vehicles powered solely by electricity without hydrocarbon fuel (excluding plug-in hybrids) - would display these stickers to be exempt from annual emission inspections. The sticker system would replace the current emission inspection requirement for these vehicles, as specified in the amended statute. The bill directly affects EV owners in New Jersey by simplifying inspection compliance for their vehicles.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 3638 ("Justice for Vulnerable Residents Act"), creates a new independent Justice Center to investigate reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation against individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) in New Jersey’s state-licensed or state-operated residential and day habilitation facilities. It directly affects people with IDD living in these settings and their caregivers, centralizing investigations currently handled by the Department of Human Services and Department of Children and Families. The Justice Center will operate under a model inspired by New York’s system, streamlining complaints and investigations to improve safety and accountability. The bill defines key terms like "abuse" and "caregiver" and mandates a Medical Review Board to address disability-related mortality and abuse prevention.

Maddy summaryS 3689 (Sponsored by Senator Bucco) expands New Jersey's pension and retirement income exclusion to include taxpayers earning over $150,000 annually, while increasing the maximum exclusion amount. Currently, taxpayers with incomes above $125,000 but under $150,000 receive reduced exclusions (e.g., 25% for married couples filing jointly), but this bill removes the $150,000 cap. Qualifying taxpayers - those receiving pension/retirement income and filing New Jersey taxes - would see higher tax savings under the revised rules. The bill amends existing tax code provisions (N.J.S.54A:6-10) to implement these changes.

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural resolution (SJR 87), not a bill with new laws. It urges the U.S. Senate to pass the federal "Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act," which would require states to verify U.S. citizenship with documents (like passports, birth records, or REAL ID-compliant IDs) when registering voters for federal elections. The resolution cites cases where noncitizens were mistakenly registered due to system errors in states like Pennsylvania, California, and Illinois. New Jersey's legislature supports this federal action to strengthen election security and public confidence in voter eligibility.

Maddy summarySCR 99 proposes a constitutional amendment to increase New Jersey's annual property tax deduction for veterans from $250 to $1,250. This change would directly affect honorably discharged veterans and their surviving spouses who are New Jersey residents, applying to property tax bills starting in 2024. The amendment specifies that if a veteran's tax bill is less than $1,250, the tax would be fully canceled. It maintains existing provisions for service-connected disabilities and surviving spouses, and clarifies how deductions apply to veterans living in continuing care retirement communities. The bill must be approved by the legislature and ratified by voters to become law.

Maddy summaryS 3415 requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create a priority registration period before selling certain motor-vehicle access permits at Island Beach State Park. This period would allow only New Jersey residents (verified with a NJ driver's license or state ID) to apply for annual, seasonal, or short-term beach-driving or mobile sport fishing permits. During this priority window, non-resident applications would be denied or voided. After the priority period ends, any remaining permits would be sold to non-residents through standard procedures. The bill directly affects park permit seekers, prioritizing state residents for access to these specific permits.

Maddy summaryThe "Flood Zone Clarification Act" (S 3416) requires New Jersey to update its flood hazard area maps at least every 15 years, with an immediate update due within three months of the bill's effective date. It mandates that state flood hazard boundaries must be set at no more than one foot above the FEMA-defined 100-year flood elevation for each watercourse, aligning state standards with federal floodplain delineations under the National Flood Insurance Program. This affects property owners and developers needing permits for construction in flood-prone areas, as they must now base applications on these updated state boundaries. The bill also requires the Department of Environmental Protection to prioritize updates based on flood risk and use FEMA's floodplain data as the minimum protective standard.