Sen. Andrew Zwicker

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1431) provides temporary mortgage payment relief to New Jersey homeowners significantly impacted by Hurricane Ida's 2021 remnants. It requires mortgage servicers to grant a minimum one-year forbearance (with possible extensions totaling 545 days) to qualifying homeowners who received federal disaster assistance for primary residences damaged by the storm, have income below 150% of area median income, and hold limited bank reserves. During forbearance, servicers cannot charge fees/penalties, report missed payments to credit agencies, or initiate foreclosure. The bill was introduced in January 2024 but withdrawn from consideration in February 2024.

Maddy summaryS 1602 amends New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on height or weight in employment, housing, and public accommodations. It adds "height or weight" to the list of protected characteristics alongside race, gender, disability, and other existing categories. The bill updates enforcement mechanisms by directing the Division on Civil Rights to handle complaints related to height or weight discrimination. This change directly affects individuals who face bias due to their physical stature in workplaces, housing, and public services.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state, county, and private adult and juvenile correctional facilities to provide free voice calls, video calls, and email services to incarcerated individuals. It eliminates all fees for both the incarcerated person and their family members receiving calls or messages, prohibiting facilities from charging commissions, surcharges, or additional fees. The bill amends existing law to mandate that these communication services be provided at no cost to any party, while allowing facilities to maintain security measures. It also includes an appropriation for implementation, as certified by correctional authorities. The policy directly affects incarcerated individuals and their families across all correctional facilities in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryS 1579 establishes a tax credit program for New Jersey employers hiring eligible military spouses. It provides credits equal to 15% of wages for spouses working 120-400 hours annually or 25% for 400+ hours, capped at $2,400 per employee per year. The credit applies to employers who hire nonresident military spouses legally domiciled in New Jersey or relocated due to a permanent military move. Administered by the Labor Department, the credit reduces corporate business tax or gross income tax. This policy directly incentivizes employers to hire military spouses whose careers are disrupted by frequent relocations.

Maddy summarySJR 73 designates November of each year as "Transgender Awareness Month" in New Jersey. The resolution asks the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging state officials and citizens to observe the month with activities that recognize transgender individuals' challenges and contributions. It directly affects New Jersey residents and state officials by formally acknowledging the transgender community's experiences through an annual observance. The resolution does not create new laws or programs but serves as a symbolic recognition of transgender issues, building on existing New Jersey observances like Transgender Awareness Week.

Maddy summaryS 1392 creates an Office of Clean Energy Equity within New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to ensure clean energy programs benefit overburdened communities - areas facing environmental and economic challenges. The bill requires the BPU to establish solar programs reaching 250,000 low-income households by 2030 (reducing their energy costs to under 6% of income) and deploy 1,600 megawatt-hours of energy storage in these communities by 2030. It mandates at least $50 million annually for the office to fund workforce training, community outreach, and program evaluation, with strict requirements for community input and resiliency-focused energy storage. The law directly affects low-income households and overburdened communities through targeted energy cost reductions, job opportunities, and improved disaster resilience.

Maddy summaryS 2471 establishes a program for electronic monitoring of defendants charged with or convicted of certain serious crimes, including sexual assault, human trafficking, kidnapping, domestic violence, and contempt of domestic violence orders. The program requires court hearings to assess defendant dangerousness using a standardized risk assessment, mandates victim informed consent, and requires defendants to pay monitoring fees ($250 initial + $50 daily), with potential waivers for financial hardship. Electronic monitoring devices must comply with National Institute of Justice standards and provide real-time notifications to victims when defendants come within specific distances (three miles, one mile, and half a mile), with law enforcement notified at the one-mile threshold. The bill appropriates $50 million to establish the "Electronic Monitoring and Crime Victim Notification Fund" to cover program costs, and requires defendants placed on monitoring to receive counseling.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 1645, would have provided a one-time tax credit to New Jersey organic farmers who paid certification fees to both an accredited certifying agent and the state Department of Agriculture during May 30-December 31, 2022. The credit amount would equal the difference between fees paid to the accredited agent and fees paid to the state department for that period. To qualify, farmers must have been certified by the state on January 11, 2022, and paid fees for both certification paths during the specified timeframe. The bill was introduced in January 2024 and withdrawn from consideration on January 29, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill would have prohibited New Jersey public libraries and school libraries from banning or restricting access to books based on political or religious views. It required library boards and school districts to adopt policies supporting open access (such as the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights) or face potential withholding of state funding. The law specifically exempted libraries from being required to purchase or acquire new books. The bill was introduced in January 2024 but withdrawn before consideration.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new process for elderly incarcerated individuals to seek early release based on long sentences served. It applies to people who have served at least 20 years (or 30 years for murder convictions) and are age 60 (or 62 for murder), requiring them to receive a "Certificate of Eligibility" from the Corrections Commissioner. The process involves a court petition where judges must consider factors like safety, rehabilitation efforts, victim input, and reentry plans before potentially reducing or modifying sentences. If approved, individuals face a mandatory 5-year parole term. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee.