Maddy summaryThe "Emission Reduction Innovation Act" (S 2827) authorizes New Jersey's gas public utilities to develop and implement "utility innovation plans" aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas use. These plans must detail innovative technologies like biogas, renewable natural gas, carbon capture, and hybrid energy systems, along with projected emissions reductions, cost-effectiveness analyses, and job impact descriptions. The Board of Public Utilities must approve these plans based on criteria including net benefits to ratepayers, lower lifecycle greenhouse gas intensity than conventional natural gas, and reasonable costs compared to alternatives. Approved plans are effective for five years, with utilities required to submit annual progress reports and recover implementation costs through rate increases. The bill also establishes requirements for tracking emissions reductions and verifying environmental benefits to ensure consistency with state climate goals.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 2767 exempts New Jersey veterans who are permanently 100% disabled (as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) from paying motor vehicle registration fees for one passenger vehicle. This applies to veterans honorably discharged from military service who hold a current New Jersey driver's license. The bill requires the state's Adjutant General to notify eligible veterans about this exemption. The exemption will take effect 13 months after the bill is enacted.
Maddy summaryS 2772 requires long-term care facilities (including nursing homes and assisted living centers) to provide paid sick leave to their employees. Employees will earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours per year. Existing employees will be credited for sick leave accrued since March 9, 2020 (the start of the pandemic emergency), and can use it after 60 days of employment; new employees will begin accruing after 120 days. This bill expands paid sick leave coverage to workers in long-term care settings who were previously excluded under state law.
Maddy summaryThis bill provides a tax credit to New Jersey public utilities (electricity, natural gas, and telephone companies) that create native pollinator habitats in their rights-of-way - such as along power lines. Utilities can claim a credit equal to 50% of their costs for planting native plants beneficial to pollinators like bees, up to $50,000 per project. To qualify, utilities must apply for certification from the Department of Agriculture, documenting the habitat location, costs, and agreements with landowners. The credit reduces corporation business tax liability, and the Department must report annually on the program’s effectiveness. The goal is to support pollinator conservation by utilizing existing utility corridors for habitat restoration.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2752) requires public water systems serving more than 500 customers in New Jersey to publish specific financial and operational information online. It mandates posting service area maps, current and prior year budgets, financial reports, annual audits, management contact details, relevant policies, and a list of consultants paid $17,500+ annually. The requirement applies to water purveyors (excluding publicly regulated utilities) and must be fulfilled via a dedicated website or municipal webpage. The goal is to increase public transparency about water system operations and spending. The bill supplements New Jersey’s existing Water Quality Accountability Act.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires telecommunications service providers (cable, landline phone, or internet) to protect subscribers who experience frequent service outages. If a subscriber reports more than three outages in 30 days, the provider must not charge early termination fees for ending the contract, refund setup/activation fees, and refund any termination fees paid to a previous provider (with proof required). Providers must track outage dates and notify affected subscribers. Violations could result in penalties under existing consumer protection laws.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires elected and appointed officials with budgetary authority over public water and wastewater systems to complete a training course on system management. The Commissioner of Community Affairs must develop the course, which covers financial management including annual budgeting and infrastructure operations. New officials in these positions must complete the course within 18 months of taking office, and current officials must complete it within 18 months of the course's first offering. The course would be limited to five hours of instruction, structured to be completed in one day. The bill defines "public water and wastewater system" to include various municipal and county authorities established under specific New Jersey laws.
Maddy summaryThis bill provides an accidental death benefit for New Jersey Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) members who die from COVID-19, if they contracted the virus during the state's 2020 public health emergency (declared in Executive Order No. 103), died as a result, and their job duties required direct public interaction within 14 days before symptoms appeared. Beneficiaries receive the death benefit without needing an accident report and also get five years of free health coverage through the School Employees' Health Benefits Program for themselves and dependents. The benefit applies retroactively to March 9, 2020, and allows existing beneficiaries to switch to this benefit retroactively if approved. It does not cover retired members who returned to work without re-enrollment under specific provisions.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey municipalities providing water services to property owners to give each owner written terms outlining their financial responsibilities for water service. Specifically, the documents must detail who is responsible for maintaining, repairing, or installing service lines connecting properties to the water system, and the property owner's payment obligations. Municipalities must post these terms on their website and mail them annually with the first billing statement of the year, and also mail them to new owners within 45 days of a property sale. The goal is to increase transparency about costs and responsibilities that property owners often face unexpectedly, such as bills for repairs to pipes connecting their property to the municipal system.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to update existing voluntary school food waste guidelines to include specific recommendations for reducing waste by better utilizing food nearing its best-by or expiration dates. The updated guidelines will provide schools with practical steps, such as improving food label handling, purchasing, storage, and usage to prioritize older food items before newer ones. The change applies to all K-12 schools and institutions of higher education, which currently follow the voluntary guidelines for reducing food waste. The DEP must post the updated guidelines on its website within 90 days of the bill's effective date.