Sen. Jon Bramnick

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 550) amends New Jersey's bias intimidation statute (N.J.S.2C:16-1) by removing a specific provision that relied on a victim's perception of the defendant's purpose. The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled this provision unconstitutional in *State v. Pomianek* (2015) for being unconstitutionally vague. The bill replaces it with language requiring that the victim's belief be "reasonable" under the circumstances, mirroring a standard upheld in the stalking statute (*State v. Gandhi*, 2008). This change directly affects how bias intimidation cases are prosecuted in New Jersey courts, ensuring the law complies with due process requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 556) exempts transfers of residential real property between certain family members who co-own the property from New Jersey's inheritance tax. It specifically adds to existing exemptions for transfers to spouses, children, and other close relatives, now including siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, and other extended family members who already co-own the home. The exemption applies to single-family homes or condominiums (defined as "residential real property") where family members share ownership. The change takes effect immediately for taxable years beginning January 1 after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1966) requires health insurance plans in New Jersey to cover specific medically necessary infertility treatments, directly affecting insurers and patients seeking fertility care. It mandates coverage for services like IVF, genetic testing, medications, and diagnostic procedures as defined by medical guidelines, while limiting IVF coverage to cases where less expensive treatments have failed, capping egg retrievals at four per person, and requiring coverage for those who've reversed sterilization. Religious employers may opt out of covering certain procedures (like IVF) if it conflicts with their beliefs, but must disclose this in writing. The bill was introduced in January 2024 but was withdrawn on January 9, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 577) allows U.S. military members and their dependents living in New Jersey to qualify for the lower county resident tuition rate at county colleges where they reside or are stationed. Currently, many military families pay higher non-resident tuition because they maintain out-of-county addresses. The bill changes residency determination for tuition purposes at county colleges, ensuring eligible military members and dependents pay the same lower rate as local residents. This directly affects military personnel and their families attending county colleges across New Jersey. The change applies immediately to the next academic year following the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Senate, and General Assembly to submit copies of their federal income tax returns for the five most recent taxable years to the Election Law Enforcement Commission. Candidates must also provide written consent for public disclosure and file these returns at the same time as their existing financial disclosure statement. The commission must post the returns online within seven days (after redacting privileged or unlawful information), making them publicly accessible. This directly affects all candidates running for these state offices by adding tax return transparency to their disclosure requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates the minimum tax requirement for New Jersey S corporations. Currently, these businesses face a minimum tax under New Jersey's corporate tax code, but S 524 removes this obligation entirely. The key change modifies tax code language to state that S corporations (and certain similar entities) "shall be no alternative minimum assessment." This directly affects New Jersey S corporations by reducing their tax burden, as they will no longer owe the minimum tax regardless of their income level or business size. The bill does not change other tax calculations for these businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits health insurers, pharmacy benefits managers, and state health benefit programs from requiring pre-approval or precertification for cancer treatments, tests, procedures, or prescription drugs that are already covered under a patient's plan and prescribed by a licensed doctor. It directly affects cancer patients and their healthcare providers by removing bureaucratic delays caused by insurance approval processes. Key provisions ban these requirements for all covered cancer-related care under health benefits plans, including state programs like the State Health Benefits Program. The bill aims to ensure patients receive timely treatment without insurance-related administrative hurdles. (Note: Bill introduced January 9, 2024, referred to Senate Commerce Committee.)

Maddy summaryS 537 requires the Governor to hold at least one public hearing per month in different parts of New Jersey during any public health emergency declared under the Emergency Health Powers Act. These hearings must allow residents to discuss the emergency's impacts and voice concerns directly to the Governor or their designee. The bill applies to all initial declarations and any extensions or modifications of those declarations made before the law takes effect. This change aims to increase public input during prolonged emergencies, such as the pandemic, where residents had limited opportunities to express concerns.

Maddy summaryS 527 requires New Jersey's Environmental Protection Department to create a program certifying private properties as wildlife habitats. Property owners must obtain certification from an approved entity (like a conservation group or landscaping company) and file it with their municipality before altering land to create the habitat. This certification provides a legal defense if a local government later claims the habitat violates nuisance ordinances. The program mandates the use of native plants and requires certifications to be renewed every two years. It directly affects property owners seeking to establish wildlife habitats without facing municipal penalties.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1491) reinstates automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits paid to members of New Jersey's state-administered retirement systems. It directly affects current and future retirees in these systems by ensuring their benefits automatically increase each year to match inflation, without requiring new legislative action each time. The key mechanism is restoring a provision that had been removed, so benefits rise automatically based on the Consumer Price Index rather than relying on annual budget decisions. This change provides predictable income stability for retirees as living costs change. The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 9, 2024.