Sen. Andrew Zwicker

Maddy summaryS 2862 requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to create a program promoting women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, and LGBTQ-owned energy businesses. The program must establish specific procurement targets: 5% in the first year, rising to 25% by the fourth year, for energy purchased by businesses and public entities using retail energy choice. To qualify, businesses must be certified by state or national organizations, registered in New Jersey, and file annual reports. The BPU must track progress, publish participation lists online, and update the public on program success. This directly affects energy businesses seeking certification and entities purchasing energy through competitive markets.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides New Jersey businesses with tax credits for hiring and retaining neurodiverse individuals in qualifying STEM or AI roles. Businesses receive credits of up to $7,000 (full-time) or $4,500 (part-time) in the first year, increasing to $8,000 or $4,500 in the second year, and $9,000 or $4,500 for each subsequent year of employment. To claim credits, businesses must get certification from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services confirming an employee meets the definition of a "qualified neurodiverse employee" (working in STEM/AI fields at minimum wage, with neurodiversity verified via director guidelines). The credits apply against corporate business tax and individual gross income tax, with unused credits potentially carried forward for up to seven years.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Fusion Energy and Technology Incentive Program within New Jersey's Economic Development Authority to encourage the use of power plants for fusion energy and technology development. The program provides tax credits to two groups: property owners who lease space on power plants to fusion companies (15% of rent plus 35% of qualifying capital investments) and fusion companies operating facilities on power plant sites (35% of qualifying capital investments). Eligible property owners include any individual or business that owns a power plant, while eligible fusion companies must be based in New Jersey with proprietary intellectual property and specialized workforce. The program limits tax credits to $5 million annually for property owners and $10 million for companies, with funds drawn from the Global Warming Solutions Fund. This legislation aims to support fusion energy technology development through targeted financial incentives.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's Division of Disability Services helpline to help people with disabilities plan visits to state and county public facilities. The helpline will provide information on accessibility features like ramps, sign language interpreters, and hearing loop technology, assist with arranging accommodations, and address accessibility concerns. It requires all state and county facilities to designate an office to coordinate accommodations and make contact information publicly available. The bill appropriates $100,000 to fund the helpline's implementation and outreach efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases annual funding for New Jersey's Commission on Cancer Research (NJCCR) from $1 million to $10 million by redirecting cigarette and tobacco tax revenues into a dedicated, permanent Cancer Research Fund. The fund, established within the Department of the Treasury, must use at least $5 million annually for general cancer research and at least $5 million for pediatric cancer research, with all funds exclusively supporting approved research projects. Unlike the previous system, this fund is non-lapsing (permanent), preventing annual budget transfers that previously reduced available resources. The bill also repeals outdated provisions and designates the State Treasurer to manage fund disbursements.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's Community Wealth Preservation Program to help homeowners and tenants retain housing during foreclosure. It requires nonprofit community development corporations that purchase foreclosed properties to follow a 30-year deed restriction, mandating they sell or rent to households earning no more than 120% of area median income and spending no more than 35% of income on housing costs, with an exception for nonprofits that have written agreements with homeowners to sell properties back to them. The bill also creates a new list of approved nonprofits that must be vetted by the Department of Community Affairs before bidding, extends the homeowner's right of redemption from 10 to 90 days after a sale, and sets new requirements for lease agreements between nonprofits and tenants.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey public bodies to publish required meeting notices and official advertisements in online newspapers and news publications, not just print newspapers. It establishes specific requirements for online publications to qualify, including maintaining a designated publication address, providing 35% original news content, and displaying a free public link to njpublicnotices.com. The bill sets standardized rates for publishing official notices based on subscriber count, ranging from $0.03 per character for publications with up to 10,000 subscribers to $0.05 per character for those with over 100,000 subscribers. All official notices published online must be available to the public for free on njpublicnotices.com. This bill directly affects government entities required to publish notices and online news publications seeking to qualify for official advertising.

Maddy summaryThis non-binding Senate resolution (SR 127) urges all New Jersey residents to stay up-to-date on vaccinations, particularly in response to rising measles cases. It cites declining vaccination rates - especially among school-age children - and notes that 94% of 2025 measles cases involved unvaccinated or unknown-status individuals. The resolution asks the state Department of Health to create and distribute vaccination awareness materials but does not impose new requirements or penalties. It serves as a symbolic call to action, not a law, to promote community immunity and prevent disease outbreaks.

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic annual cost-ofiving adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits of certain retired police and firefighters in New Jersey's Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS). It applies to members who have received retirement benefits for at least 10 years, excluding those who retired with 20-24 years of service, are in deferred retirement, or were hired more than 30 days after the bill's effective date. COLAs will be calculated based on the Consumer Price Index, with a $75,000 annual benefit threshold for the first year (adjusted annually thereafter), and capped at a 1% increase for benefits exceeding this amount. The bill requires the Legislature to appropriate funds from the General Fund to cover these adjustments, with the State Treasurer taking over implementation if the Board of Trustees fails to comply within six months. The adjustments apply only to future benefit payments, not retroactively.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits installing, planting, or placing nonfunctional turf or invasive plant species on commercial, institutional, industrial, or public properties (such as streets, parking lots, schools, and government-owned land) during new construction or major redevelopment projects requiring permits. It defines "nonfunctional turf" as excluding recreational areas (like sports fields and playgrounds) and allows native plant use, while listing 31 specific invasive species (e.g., English ivy, Japanese barberry) and requiring state agencies to maintain an updated invasive species list. The ban takes effect January 1, 2026, with exceptions for maintaining pre-2026 installations and using native plants. Local governments may adopt stricter rules than this state requirement.