Sen. Andrew Zwicker

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2180 requires private lenders offering non-federal postsecondary education loans (like private student loans) to register annually with the state Banking Commissioner and report detailed data about their borrowers. It mandates that these lenders disclose information such as outstanding debt amounts, default rates, interest rates, and borrower demographics for loans issued to New Jersey residents. The law excludes banks, credit unions, and federal student loans from these requirements. This bill creates transparency for borrowers and regulators by making lender practices more visible, though it does not directly change loan terms or provide new borrower protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2980) requires nursing home owners to submit detailed financial and ownership information before transferring ownership or delegating management to third parties. It mandates disclosure of 100% ownership structures, organizational charts, and third-party service providers paying over $200,000 annually, along with resolution of outstanding Medicaid debts. The Department of Health must publicly post applications (with privacy redactions) and allow a 30-day public comment period. These changes aim to increase transparency for prospective buyers and the public while ensuring new owners meet financial and operational standards.

Maddy summaryS 1796 requires New Jersey health insurance plans to cover prostate cancer screening without cost-sharing (like deductibles or copays) for men aged 40-75 with specific risk factors, including family history of prostate cancer. The bill mandates that group health insurance policies (for groups over 49 people) cover annual screenings - such as digital rectal exams and PSA tests - as well as follow-up tests like imaging or lab work. This applies to all health service, hospital service, and medical service corporation contracts in New Jersey. The law affects insurance carriers by expanding existing coverage requirements and directly benefits men in the specified age group with risk factors.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a grant program to help New Jersey emerging businesses cover advertising and marketing costs. It defines eligible businesses as those with fewer than 225 employees, at least 75% of whom work in New Jersey, and that operate within the state. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority will manage the program, review applications on a rolling basis, and determine grant amounts based on available funds. Recipients must submit annual audited financial statements to ensure proper use of funds, and grants may be converted to loans if misused.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a two-year pilot program in New Jersey to detect and monitor antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes in various water systems, including wastewater plants, hospitals, surface waters, and agricultural areas. The Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Health, and New Jersey Infrastructure Bank will collaborate to implement the program using advanced testing methods like biosensors and metagenomic sampling. The state will appropriate $3 million for the initiative, which includes establishing a centralized database for results, issuing public health alerts when threats are detected, and requiring quarterly reporting from tested sites. Testing frequency will increase to weekly for locations with recent detections of antibiotic-resistant organisms, while the program will also fund annual training for personnel conducting these specialized tests.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution formally recognizes the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide and the Dayton Accords, which ended the Bosnian War. The bill directs the New Jersey Legislature to acknowledge the 1995 mass killings of over 8,000 Bosniak civilians in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to transmit copies of the resolution to Bosnia and Herzegovina's ambassadors to the United States and the United Nations. This commemorative measure serves to honor the victims and survivors while acknowledging the historical significance of the Dayton peace agreement signed in November 1995.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities to create a program promoting women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, and LGBTQ-owned energy businesses. The program would use public information campaigns, marketing, advertising, and incentives to encourage businesses and public entities to purchase energy from these certified companies. The bill sets specific targets for the percentage of energy sourced from these businesses, starting at five percent in the first year and increasing to 25 percent by the fourth year. To qualify, energy businesses must be certified by appropriate state or national organizations and meet registration requirements. The Board of Public Utilities and public utilities must track progress and post lists of approved businesses on their websites.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities to collect and review electricity load forecasting data from public utilities and load-serving entities to improve grid planning accuracy. The legislation mandates that the board analyze submitted information, coordinate with PJM Interconnection and neighboring regulators to prevent duplicate project counting, and submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. By increasing transparency in how future electricity demand is predicted, the bill aims to help ensure reliable power supply and prevent unnecessary costs from overbuilding or underbuilding energy resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the sale, distribution, and manufacture of specific substances in commercial foods for human consumption and bans certain artificial dyes in school food. It directly affects food manufacturers, retailers, and school districts in New Jersey by restricting the use of ingredients like brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and Red dye 3 in general food products, while also banning Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, and Green 3 in school food. The legislation amends state food safety laws to classify foods containing these substances as adulterated and requires schools to exclude these dyes from all food and beverages served on school property.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the annual cap on tax credits available for neighborhood revitalization projects in New Jersey from $15 million to $65 million. It directly affects businesses that fund qualified neighborhood preservation projects, allowing them to claim larger tax credits against certain business taxes. The key change is raising the total credit limit per fiscal year and adding a carryover provision: if credits aren't fully used in one year, the unused amount rolls over to the next year. This expands funding flexibility for projects under the Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit Program, which supports community development through private investment.