Sen. Parker Space

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $4.32 billion from New Jersey's Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund to all municipalities and counties for two key purposes: retiring existing local debt or funding capital projects (like infrastructure) without issuing new debt. It directs $3 billion to municipalities on an equal per capita basis (same amount per resident) and $1.32 billion to counties similarly. The funds, partially drawn from $1.97 billion in unallocated balances already in the fund, must be distributed within 30 days of enactment. The bill aims to provide immediate, efficient financial relief to local governments facing debt burdens.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 76 provides limited legal protection for farmers hosting agritourism activities, such as pick-your-own farms, animal exhibits, or nature watching events. It shields agritourism hosts from liability for injuries caused by "inherent risks" (like animal behavior, weather, or land conditions) if they display a required warning notice at entrances and in written agreements. The bill explicitly excludes liability for gross negligence, intentional harm, or failure to disclose known dangers. This applies only to activities defined as agritourism - excluding roadside stands - and requires clear warnings to participants about assuming these risks.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 855) amends election law to clarify police presence near polling places. It specifically allows police officers to travel to, remain at, or work from a police station located within 100 feet of a polling place during election-related duties. The bill also permits Class Three special law enforcement officers (defined under existing law) to be assigned to polling places at public schools for security. These changes update prior restrictions that generally prohibited police from being within 100 feet of polling places, except for emergencies or specific election tasks. The bill directly affects election operations, police assignments, and polling place security protocols.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2128) exempts local utilities from specific reporting requirements related to pandemic impacts. It removes the obligation for entities like municipal sewer, water, or utility authorities (defined as "local utilities") to submit detailed quarterly reports on customer disconnections, arrears, assistance programs, and financial data. The exemption applies to the reporting rules established in P.L.2022, c.107, which previously required these reports during the pandemic response period. This change directly affects local utilities that provide essential services but are not regulated by the Board of Public Utilities. The bill does not alter utility rates or customer service requirements, only the administrative reporting burden.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey law to limit partisan representation on the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council. Specifically, it requires that no more than four of the seven state-appointed public members on the council may belong to the same political party. The change applies only to the seven state-appointed members (not the county-appointed members) and aims to ensure broader political representation on the council. This is a technical amendment to existing law without altering the council's duties or environmental protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows property owners in New Jersey's Highlands preservation area to request removal from the protected zone under specific conditions. If the state rejects a sale offer due to insufficient funds to purchase the property at its 2004 fair market value (based on land use zoning and environmental regulations), the owner can submit a written request with state documentation confirming the funding shortfall. Upon approval, the property is excluded from preservation rules, treated like regular planning area land, and the exclusion is recorded on the deed and official maps. It only applies to owners (or their immediate family) who have held the land continuously since the 2004 Highlands Act was enacted.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide public boat access to State-owned lakes where boats are permitted, within two years of enactment. It mandates the DEP to build access points, contract with private marinas (via public bidding), or take other actions to enable public boating. The bill appropriates $1 million from the General Fund specifically for this purpose. If access cannot be provided due to funding shortages, the DEP must report the affected lakes and required funding to the Governor and Legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Secretary of State and county voter registration officials to conduct a comprehensive audit of the Statewide Voter Registration System within 90 days of the law taking effect. The audit must specifically check for: (1) eligible voters who successfully registered despite being ineligible, (2) attempts by ineligible individuals to register (even if unsuccessful), and (3) whether current procedures effectively remove ineligible registrants as required by law. Officials must jointly develop uniform audit methods and submit a detailed report to the Governor and Legislature within 30 days of completing the audit, including findings and recommendations. The bill focuses solely on establishing this audit process and reporting requirement, with no additional policy changes.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 1331, the "Fairness in Women's Sport Act," requires public and private schools to designate athletic teams based solely on biological sex, mandating that female sports teams be restricted to students assigned female at birth. The bill specifies that eligibility for female teams must be verified through a physician's statement confirming internal/external anatomy, natural testosterone levels, and genetic makeup - excluding transgender athletes who transitioned after puberty. It prohibits schools from allowing male-identified students on female teams and protects institutions from complaints for maintaining sex-segregated teams. The law also creates legal remedies for violations, including lawsuits for lost opportunities or retaliation, with claims needing to be filed within two years. The bill takes immediate effect and directly affects student-athletes in New Jersey high schools and colleges participating in NJSIAA, NCAA, NAIA, or NJCAA sports.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Treasurer to develop a zero-based budget process for the Governor's annual budget. It directly affects all state spending agencies (like departments and commissions) that submit budget requests, mandating they justify each dollar of funding annually from scratch - without assuming prior spending levels. Key provisions include requiring agencies to detail goals, costs at different service levels, stakeholder impacts, legal authority, and priority rankings for every program. The process aims to ensure every tax dollar is justified based on current needs and effectiveness, rather than incremental increases from previous budgets. The bill was introduced in 2024 but references a 2011-2012 implementation timeline in its original text.