Sen. Bob Smith

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create a leasing program allowing qualified entities - such as nonprofits, local governments, or individuals - to lease state-owned land for developing pollinator habitats. It requires the DEP, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to establish rules for identifying suitable land and selecting applicants based on specific criteria. The program aims to create areas beneficial for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds through managed habitat development. The DEP must adopt these rules under state administrative procedures, and the bill takes immediate effect.

Maddy summaryS 646 (the "Electric Vehicle Battery Management Act") requires electric vehicle manufacturers selling vehicles in New Jersey to create and implement plans for managing used EV batteries. It directly affects EV manufacturers, who must cover all costs for collecting, transporting, reusing, and recycling batteries using environmentally safe methods - prioritizing reuse over disposal. Key provisions include submitting detailed plans within 180 days (including consumer education, reuse strategies, and recycling infrastructure), updating plans every two years, and ensuring manufacturers finance the entire process. The bill aims to address environmental risks from toxic batteries (like lithium-ion) by shifting responsibility from consumers to manufacturers.

Maddy summaryS 621 requires New Jersey school districts to include environmental sustainability goals in their long-range facilities plans, which must be updated at least every five years. This amendment to existing law (P.L.2000, c.72) mandates that districts submit these plans to the commissioner for approval, ensuring sustainability is integrated into school infrastructure planning. The bill directly affects all public school districts in New Jersey, requiring them to address environmental goals alongside enrollment, safety, and facility needs. It does not specify particular sustainability measures but establishes a recurring planning requirement for district facilities management.

Maddy summaryS 690 would require New Jersey's four-year public colleges to mandate that all new full-time undergraduate students complete a climate change course before graduating. The course must dedicate at least 30% of its content to climate change and be offered across multiple academic disciplines, such as engineering or business. This requirement applies only to students enrolling at these institutions on or after the law's effective date. The bill does not specify which courses must be offered but directs colleges to identify existing courses meeting the 30% content threshold.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 683) authorizes New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to approve sites for small modular reactors (SMRs), which are compact nuclear reactors under 300 megawatts. It requires SMR sites to be in municipalities with existing nuclear facilities and gives BPU authority to override local opposition. The bill also allows SMR operators to store used nuclear fuel on-site until a national waste repository is established, while requiring the BPU to create a financial incentive program for SMR construction within one year. It directly affects nuclear energy developers, local governments, and state agencies managing nuclear safety and infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill sets statewide targets to reduce organic waste sent to landfills: a 50% reduction from 2016 levels by 2027 and a 75% reduction by 2032. It requires the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create regulations within 18 months to achieve these goals, which may mandate local governments to set waste-reduction rules for businesses and impose reasonable penalties for noncompliance. The regulations must also ensure at least 20% of recoverable edible food is redirected from disposal by 2035. Local governments may charge fees to cover costs of implementing these rules, and the DEP must report progress by July 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Rate Counsel to evaluate environmental impacts when representing the public interest in utility rate or service decisions. It mandates consideration of climate effects, including the social cost of carbon, how proposals affect the state's de-carbonization goals, and whether they worsen environmental health burdens in overburdened communities. The Division must prioritize cases with the greatest potential impact on climate, carbon goals, or environmental stressors. This change applies to all utility rate proceedings where the Division advocates for the public interest. The bill directly affects how utility rate decisions are reviewed by the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $7.5 million annually from constitutionally dedicated tax revenue specifically for preserving land in New Jersey's Highlands Region. It creates a new "Preserve New Jersey Highlands Preservation Fund" managed by the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council. Funds will be used to acquire land for recreation/conservation, farmland preservation, and matching federal grants under the Highlands Conservation Act. The council must report annually on fund usage, including land preserved and federal matches secured.

Maddy summaryS 614, the "Packaging Product Stewardship Act," requires manufacturers and sellers of packaging products sold in New Jersey to create and implement plans for managing packaging waste. These plans must cover the full lifecycle of discarded packaging - ensuring collection, reuse, recycling, and proper disposal through environmentally sound methods, while reducing waste and increasing recycled content in packaging. Producers must submit these plans to the Environmental Protection Department within 180 days of the law taking effect, prioritizing existing recycling infrastructure and consumer convenience. The bill is currently pending review by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee after its January 2026 introduction.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides a tax credit against New Jersey's corporation business tax for businesses that retrofit existing warehouses (100,000+ square feet used for storage) with a designated solar-ready zone and install solar panels. The credit covers up to 50% of retrofit costs or $250,000 per warehouse, with a maximum $25 million total for all taxpayers. To qualify, businesses must prove solar panels are installed after retrofitting and meet specific roof-area requirements for the solar-ready zone. The credit applies to up to eight warehouses owned by the same business in one tax period.