Sen. Linda Greenstein

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to display a person's legal name, including any Roman numerals, on various driver's licenses and identification cards. It directly affects individuals whose official names contain Roman numerals, ensuring these characters are not omitted from their documents. The law mandates that applicants provide standard proof of identity, age, and residence to receive licenses with their full names intact. By overriding previous rules that might have excluded such characters, the bill ensures accurate representation of legal names on state-issued IDs.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the use of glyphosate herbicide on property owned by New Jersey state and county governments. It allows for exceptions in specific situations, such as when there is no risk of human exposure and no other practical alternatives exist, or when the herbicide is needed to maintain critical infrastructure, ensure public safety, manage habitats, control invasive species, or conduct research. To enforce these rules, the law requires licensed pesticide applicators to keep detailed records of any permitted glyphosate use, which must be made available to the Department of Environmental Protection and posted on the department's website by February 15th each year.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new trust fund to provide health benefits, including medical, pharmacy, dental, and vision coverage, to public school employees and their dependents in New Jersey. It establishes a board of trustees to manage the fund and defines eligibility to include full-time employees working at least 25 hours a week and their spouses, domestic partners, and unmarried children up to age 31. The legislation also clarifies that dependents who enlist in the military are not covered during their service and gives the board final authority on determining employee and dependent status.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires construction contractors in New Jersey to use containment devices like vacuums, tarps, and enclosures to prevent dust, debris, and microplastics from escaping worksites and entering the environment. It mandates daily cleanup, proper waste disposal, and the installation of stormwater filters, while also requiring contractors to educate their employees on these requirements. The Department of Community Affairs or local officials will inspect worksites for compliance, and violators face escalating fines starting with a warning for the first offense.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey's Green Acres program from using state funds to purchase, install, or replace artificial turf fields. It directly affects municipalities, school districts, and state agencies that rely on Green Acres funding for recreational facilities. The bill cites health and environmental concerns, including harmful chemicals, microplastics, and PFAS "forever chemicals" in artificial turf, as reasons to redirect funding toward natural grass fields maintained with organic practices. The policy change requires entities using Green Acres funds to prioritize safer, natural grass alternatives instead. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.

Maddy summaryS 631 creates a pilot program offering financial incentives to New Jersey residents and businesses for installing energy storage systems, like batteries or solar-plus-storage setups. It provides two types of support: a one-time upfront payment to cover installation costs based on storage capacity (kWh), and recurring performance payments to compensate owners for grid benefits like stabilizing electricity supply. The program prioritizes low-income households and communities designated as "overburdened" by reserving at least one-third of upfront incentives for them. Eligible systems must be new (operational after the program starts) and either customer-owned (behind the meter) or utility-owned (in front of the meter). The Board of Public Utilities will design the program within 90 days of the bill’s effective date.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 1650 creates a program to reimburse school districts for costs incurred when expanding local food sourcing beyond current levels for students. It directly affects eligible school districts participating in state meal programs (like National School Lunch) that submit plans to increase local food procurement - such as adding more locally grown fruits, vegetables, or meats - above their baseline levels. The bill appropriates $4.5 million annually to cover "eligible costs" like new sourcing efforts, excluding fluid dairy milk and routine procurement at existing levels. Reimbursements are distributed via the Farm to School Local Food Procurement Reimbursement Fund, administered by the Department of Agriculture. This policy change aims to strengthen local food systems in schools while clarifying what costs qualify for funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes that the Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police will hold the uniformed rank of Colonel and is authorized to wear the corresponding uniform. It also allows the Governor to appoint a retired State Police officer as Superintendent without requiring them to rejoin the State Police Retirement System, provided they retired in good standing and the appointment does not affect their existing retirement benefits. To maintain this rank, the Superintendent must complete or renew basic police officer certification and obtain a current law enforcement license. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that the Superintendent will serve as the State Director of Emergency Management and receive a salary of $210,000.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the Monday of Manufacturing Week as Women in Manufacturing Day in New Jersey to honor the contributions of women in the state's manufacturing sector. The legislation amends existing state law to officially recognize this specific day and requests that the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public observance of the event. By adding this designation, the bill aims to highlight the historical and ongoing roles women play as workers, leaders, and innovators within New Jersey's manufacturing industry.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the New Jersey Commission on Stalking Prevention and Response to address gaps in how the state handles stalking cases. The commission will consist of 25 members, including elected officials, law enforcement leaders, advocates, and survivors, who will meet to evaluate current systems and suggest improvements. To support this work, the bill allocates $93,500 in funding for the commission's operations.