Sen. Joe Cryan

Maddy summaryThis bill provides tax incentives for historic diners and restaurants in New Jersey that meet specific criteria. To qualify, an establishment must have operated continuously for at least 25 years (including pandemic-related closures), qualify as a small business, comply with health/safety rules, and (for restaurants) be family-owned. The bill creates an annual registry managed by the Division of Travel and Tourism, granting approved operators a 12-month sales tax exemption on prepared food/beverages sold for on-site consumption and corporation business/gross income tax credits. These benefits directly support qualifying historic eateries by reducing their tax burden.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1461) modifies New Jersey's statewide academic credit transfer agreements for public colleges and establishes a New Jersey Transfer Ombudsman within the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. It requires public institutions to create a unified transfer agreement ensuring seamless credit transfers for general education courses, associate degrees (including those earned through NJ PLACE apprenticeship programs), and dual/concurrent enrollment credits between all public colleges. The agreement must include standardized policies for credit application, an appeals process for disputes, and data collection to monitor compliance. The new Ombudsman will oversee implementation, resolve transfer issues, and ensure the agreement supports student academic success. This directly affects students transferring between New Jersey's public community colleges and four-year institutions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's tuition aid grants to be equal for students at public and private four-year colleges based on financial need. Currently, students at private institutions receive higher grant amounts than those at public universities for similar need. The bill mandates equal award values but caps grants at the actual tuition cost of public institutions. It affects approximately 65,000-70,000 annual recipients of the state's largest need-based aid program.

Maddy summaryS 3418 creates a new "Emergency Services Part" within New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to provide enhanced retirement and death benefits for specific emergency personnel. It directly affects full-time, certified emergency services employees - including EMTs, paramedics, fire inspectors, dispatchers, and other certified responders - as defined in the bill. The bill requires current emergency services employees in the general PERS system to transition to this new part within 120 days (with an opt-out waiver option), and mandates that all new hires in these roles enroll in the Emergency Services Part as a condition of employment. This change ensures these workers receive benefits tailored to their service roles, separate from the standard PERS structure.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new requirements for New Jersey's annual appropriations process. It mandates that the appropriations bill must be introduced by June 1 of the prior fiscal year, provide 14 days of public notice with at least one hearing, and include a written explanation of significant budget changes compared to the Governor's recommendations. The bill also requires spending agencies to submit multi-year revenue and expenditure projections (for the next two fiscal years) as informational data, not binding targets. These changes apply to the Legislature's budget drafting and approval process, aiming to increase transparency and accountability in state spending decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires limited liability companies (LLCs) and foreign LLCs to disclose specific ownership details when recording deeds for residential rental properties (including single-family homes, duplexes, or multi-unit buildings). The disclosure must include the registered agent's name and address, plus the beneficial owner's full name, date of birth, current address, and a unique ID number - all submitted as an affidavit with the property deed. This applies only to transfers of rental properties with one to two dwelling units or multiple dwellings to LLCs. The requirement amends New Jersey law to increase transparency in real estate transactions involving LLC ownership.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state and local agencies to follow strict procedures before outsourcing public services to private contractors. It mandates competitive bidding with public documentation, ensures contractor services meet or exceed current quality and quantity standards, and requires comparable wages/benefits for contractor workers. The law applies to contracts worth $500,000+ for local agencies or $1 million+ for state agencies, excluding certain service types like legal work or disability rehabilitation contracts. Agencies must also publish quarterly reports on service quality, fees, and contractor compliance to maintain public transparency.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 1228) requires public schools to create emergency policies for students with seizure disorders. It mandates schools to train at least two non-nurse staff members (in addition to the school nurse) to administer nasal seizure rescue medication and use a manual vagus nerve stimulator during emergencies, with parental consent and written documentation. Schools must also develop individualized emergency plans in collaboration with parents and healthcare providers, and ensure students receive hospital evaluation after treatment. The bill protects school staff from liability for good-faith actions under these protocols, provided they follow training and consent requirements. The bill was introduced to the Senate Education Committee in January 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the requirement for certain individuals and entities to list their home addresses on specific election filings submitted to New Jersey's Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC). It directly affects campaign committees, recall groups, and other filers who previously had to provide residential addresses. The bill also grants ELEC authority to set document submission rules for gubernatorial candidates seeking public funding. This simplifies disclosure requirements for some filings while giving ELEC flexibility to establish new rules for public funding applications. The change focuses on streamlining reporting without altering contribution limits or other core campaign finance rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a "Bear Smart Fund" within New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to finance the distribution of bear-proof garbage cans. The fund will be supported by civil penalties from existing bear-feeding violations, state/federal appropriations, and investment earnings. The DEP will prioritize distributing these cans in counties with high bear populations - Sussex, Warren, Morris, and Passaic - to reduce human-bear conflicts, potentially charging residents a small fee or partnering with local governments for cost efficiency. The bill also updates the state's bear-feeding law to clarify prohibited actions (like leaving food accessible to bears) and directs penalty collections into the new fund.