Sen. Parker Space

Maddy summaryS 723 prohibits foreign governments and foreign persons from acquiring or purchasing agricultural land in New Jersey after the bill's effective date. Current foreign owners must sell their land within five years to a non-foreign entity (such as a U.S. citizen or business), with a deed ensuring the land remains devoted to agricultural use. The bill requires annual reports to the governor and legislature detailing foreign ownership acreage, top nationalities, and land use trends. Limited exceptions apply for land acquired through debt collection (requiring sale within two years) or inheritance, and the law does not override U.S. treaties with foreign nations.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's legislature passed SCR 15 to request Congress call a state-led convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. The convention would propose constitutional amendments to limit federal spending, reduce federal government power over states, and impose term limits on federal officials and members of Congress. This is a continuing application, meaning New Jersey's request remains active until at least two-thirds of states join the same effort. The bill itself does not change laws but seeks to initiate a process for potential constitutional amendments.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 58) provides property tax exemptions for New Jersey veterans with service-connected disabilities. It allows veterans with a 30% or higher disability rating (including specific conditions like blindness, amputations, or paralysis) to receive a tax exemption proportional to their disability percentage, up to 100%. Surviving spouses of eligible veterans or those who died in service also qualify for similar exemptions under defined conditions. Crucially, the bill requires the state to reimburse municipalities 102% of the lost tax revenue from these exemptions, ensuring local governments aren’t financially burdened. The policy directly affects honorably discharged veterans with qualifying disabilities and their surviving spouses.

Maddy summarySCR 69 proposes a constitutional amendment to restrict New Jersey's government from using eminent domain (taking private property) except for specific "essential public purposes." It would define these purposes as utility/transportation corridors, schools, airports, prisons, waste facilities, sewage treatment, health facilities, and recreation areas - while explicitly removing the current allowance for taking property to eliminate "blighted areas." This change would prevent government from seizing private land for urban redevelopment projects under the "blight" exception, though it would still permit tax exemptions for private developers involved in such projects. The amendment requires voter approval after passing both legislative chambers.

Maddy summaryS 1326 requires New Jersey correctional facilities (prisons, jails, youth detention centers) to verify the citizenship status and lawful presence in the U.S. of every inmate. If an inmate is not a U.S. citizen or not lawfully present, the facility must not release them to the general public but must transfer them solely to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials. Facilities that violate this rule face civil penalties set by the Commissioner of Corrections. The bill directly affects non-citizen inmates in state correctional facilities who are not lawfully present in the U.S.

Maddy summaryS 1335 provides a 20% tax credit against New Jersey's corporation business tax for businesses investing in new manufacturing equipment or facility improvements (renovation, modernization, or expansion) at their manufacturing facilities within the state. The credit covers 20% of qualifying costs and can be carried forward for up to seven tax years if not fully used in the current year. It prevents double-dipping by disallowing the same expenses from being claimed under other credits like the New Jobs Investment Tax Credit. The credit applies only to facilities where over half of the equipment is used for manufacturing, as defined by the bill.

Maddy summaryS 1983 would eliminate the requirement for advanced practice nurses (APNs) in New Jersey to practice under physician collaboration or supervision, allowing them to provide care independently. This directly affects APNs - over 75% of whom specialize in primary care - and aims to improve healthcare access in underserved communities, including areas with physician shortages and among racial/ethnic minorities, low-income populations, and those facing transportation barriers. The bill cites that 24 states and the District of Columbia already permit full practice authority for APNs, and during pandemic waivers (Executive Order 112), no adverse incidents occurred while APNs practiced without restrictions. It states removing these barriers could reduce healthcare access disparities by over 38 percent, aligning New Jersey with other states to address chronic shortages in primary care services.

Maddy summarySCR 50 is a constitutional amendment proposal that would permanently dedicate funds from New Jersey's "9-1-1 System and Emergency Response Trust Fund Account" exclusively to 9-1-1 and emergency response operations. Currently, 90 cents from phone bills funds this account, but the state has historically diverted these funds to balance the general budget. The amendment would legally prohibit using any money from this specific account for purposes other than: maintaining 9-1-1 systems, funding emergency response equipment/facilities, covering emergency training, operating related state offices (like the Office of Emergency Telecommunications Services), and implementing federal 9-1-1 requirements. This change would require a statewide vote after legislative approval.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey professional licensing boards (e.g., for nursing, engineering, or cosmetology) to track how long other states take to approve initial license applications. Boards must calculate a national average approval time based on data from other states and adopt it as their official timeline for processing new licenses. If a board misses this average, it must use licensing fees to hire experts who identify efficiency improvements to meet the standard. The Division of Consumer Affairs reviews compliance annually, with boards retaining fee revenue until they meet the national average timeline.