Sen. Linda Greenstein

Maddy summaryThe John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey establishes new protections for voters in racial, color, and language-minority groups. It requires that all voting policies be interpreted in favor of protecting voting rights and prohibits policies that burden these voters. The law creates a preclearance process for certain political subdivisions needing Attorney General approval before implementing voting changes. It also mandates language assistance for limited English proficient voters and establishes a New Jersey Voting and Elections Institute to maintain public voting data.

Maddy summaryS 2986 expands New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) by including directors, assistant directors, deputy directors, assistant attorneys general, and deputy attorneys general from the Divisions of Law and Alcoholic Beverage Control within the Department of Law and Public Safety (DLPS) as members of the Prosecutors Part of PERS. Currently, only employees of the Division of Criminal Justice in the DLPS were covered under this retirement system. These DLPS employees will now receive the same retirement benefits as county prosecutors, with existing service credit transferred without additional cost. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryS 2963 creates the "New Jersey Private Contractor Registration Act," requiring contractors performing private construction work (excluding public work and home improvement) to register with the Department of Labor. Registrants must provide business details, proof of licenses, and disclose labor law violations, paying an initial $750 fee and $500 biennially (with possible reduced fees for nonprofits or based on revenue). Non-compliance can result in fines, suspension of registration, or other penalties. The bill appropriates $2 million from the state general fund to implement this registration system.

Maddy summaryThis bill waives tuition for the classroom portion of state-recognized apprenticeship programs at New Jersey public colleges and vocational schools for students with household income below the state median. To qualify, students must not have employer-covered tuition, exhaust federal financial aid options, and maintain active apprenticeship employment with satisfactory academic progress. The state will reimburse institutions for waived tuition costs, effective immediately for the next academic year. It directly affects low-income apprentices in eligible vocational training programs across New Jersey.

Maddy summarySCR 43 proposes adding a constitutional amendment to New Jersey's Constitution that grants every resident a fundamental right to a clean and healthy environment, including pure water, clean air, a safe climate, and ecologically healthy habitats. It requires the state to act as trustee of public natural resources - such as air, water, public lands, and wildlife - and mandates that these resources be conserved and maintained for all people, both present and future. The amendment specifies that these rights are self-executing, meaning they can be directly enforced in court without requiring new legislation. If approved by voters, this would become a permanent part of New Jersey's Constitution.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 237, the "Clean Energy Act of 2024," requires all retail electricity sales in the state to come from clean sources by 2035. This affects electric utilities and power suppliers, who must meet the standard through a new certificate program tracking clean energy generation. The bill establishes "clean electricity certificate" (CEAC) credits for zero-emission sources like nuclear, solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. It replaces some existing renewable energy certificate systems and directs the Board of Public Utilities to implement the program, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while supporting existing nuclear and offshore wind projects.

Maddy summaryS 1207 requires members of New Jersey's county Sexual Assault Response Teams to receive specific training on interacting with victims who have developmental disabilities. This amendment to existing law adds "interacting with victims who have developmental disabilities" as a mandatory training topic for team members. The bill does not create new services but updates training protocols for existing teams. It directly affects county Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program coordinators and their designated team members who provide care and support to sexual assault victims.

Maddy summaryS 1649 creates a new crime called "fiscal victimization" targeting financial exploitation of senior citizens (60+) or people with disabilities. It makes it illegal to commit theft or specific financial crimes against these groups, with strict liability - perpetrators cannot claim they didn’t know the victim was vulnerable. Penalties are increased: the offense is graded one level higher than the underlying theft (e.g., a disorderly persons offense becomes a fourth-degree crime), and courts must impose separate sentences for both the theft and fiscal victimization. The bill directly affects vulnerable adults and those who exploit them financially, with definitions including people disabled under Social Security criteria or age 60+.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits homeowners associations in New Jersey from banning solar panel installations on roofs of single-family homes (where the roof is not common property) and townhouses (where roof maintenance is the owner's responsibility). Associations may establish reasonable rules for placement, size, color, and contractor requirements, but cannot impose rules that increase installation costs by more than 10% or reduce panel efficiency. It directly affects homeowners in common interest communities who wish to install solar energy systems. The law amends existing statutes to clarify these protections and empowers the Community Affairs Commissioner to enforce compliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a civil cause of action for minors and adults with disabilities who experience abuse, neglect, exploitation, or bullying. It extends the statute of limitations for filing such lawsuits: for minors, up to 37 years after reaching adulthood or seven years from discovery of the injury, whichever is later; for adults, seven years from discovery of the injury. The bill requires health care professionals, first responders, and others to report bullying of vulnerable adults to adult protective services, which can then investigate and refer cases to law enforcement. A "vulnerable adult" is defined as someone 18 or older who lives in a community setting and lacks capacity to make decisions due to disability or illness.