Sen. John McKeon

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2511 prohibits pet shops from selling cats, dogs, or rabbits, repealing the previous "Pet Purchase Protection Act." Pet shops may still sell other animals, pet supplies, or collaborate with shelters to showcase adoptable animals without exchanging payment. Violating this prohibition would result in a $500 fine per violation. The bill also prohibits shelters, rescues, and pet shops from obtaining animals from breeders or brokers in exchange for payment, and defines "unfit for purchase" for animals sold by breeders or brokers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires commercial vehicles with large loads extending above the vehicle body (such as trailers, semitrailers, or flatbed trucks) to use the right lane on highways. It applies specifically to motor-drawn vehicles and towed vehicles as defined by existing law, with exceptions only when entering or exiting the roadway from the left lane. Violations would result in a $500 fine per occurrence.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts small portable solar devices (under 1,200 watts) from utility approval requirements and billing rules. It removes the need for interconnection agreements or net metering program participation for devices that connect via standard 120V outlets and meet safety standards (like UL certification). Homeowners and small businesses using these devices cannot be charged fees, required to get utility permission, or forced to install extra equipment. Utilities also cannot be held liable for damage caused by customer use of these exempt devices.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 13-member Joint Blue Ribbon Task Force to study how climate change impacts property insurance availability and affordability in New Jersey. The task force includes government agency commissioners, bipartisan legislators, private sector insurance representatives, and nonprofit advocates. It will examine specific issues like where insurance prices don't match flood or storm risks, which communities face uninsurable properties at reasonable costs, and how insurance changes might affect affordable housing. The task force must submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year of its formation. This directly affects homeowners, businesses, and municipalities in climate-vulnerable areas, particularly coastal and flood-prone communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows dental service corporations in New Jersey to create nonprofit parent corporations while maintaining their core mission of providing dental care to subscribers. It requires these corporations to seek approval from the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance before forming a parent corporation, ensuring the change aligns with existing statutory purposes. The parent corporation must remain nonprofit and cannot operate as an insurance provider, preserving the dental service corporation's focus on oral health services. This structural change aims to modernize operations, support technology adoption, and improve healthcare infrastructure without altering the entities' fundamental nonprofit status or subscriber obligations.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require New Jersey Medicaid and the Plan First program to cover fertility preservation services when medically necessary treatments (such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy) could cause iatrogenic infertility. It defines "iatrogenic infertility" as fertility impairment from medical treatments affecting reproductive organs, and specifies coverage for standard procedures like sperm, egg, embryo, and ovarian tissue storage. The bill prohibits denying coverage based on age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status. It would provide low-income individuals with access to fertility preservation services that are often cost-prohibitive. The bill applies to Medicaid beneficiaries and Plan First participants facing potential iatrogenic infertility from medically necessary treatments.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates two new state entities: the Health Care Cost Containment and Price Transparency Commission (an 18-member body) and the Office of Healthcare Affordability and Transparency (within the Department of Health). It requires all New Jersey hospitals to publicly report detailed pricing data for services like inpatient care and emergency visits, and sets annual cost growth targets for healthcare entities. Hospitals failing to comply with transparency rules face civil penalties of $10 per day per bed, and are prohibited from collecting medical debt from patients until they comply. The bill appropriates up to $5 million to fund these new offices and their operations, aiming to increase price transparency and reduce healthcare cost growth.

Maddy summaryS 3503 provides a 35% tax credit against New Jersey corporation business and gross income tax for production companies that incur eligible costs for pre-Broadway and post-Broadway theater productions performed at qualified facilities in the state. The credit covers 35% of production and performance expenditures including sets, costumes, payroll (up to $250,000 per week), advertising, and transportation costs. Production companies must apply to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for approval, with final approval by the Division of Taxation, and the total annual tax credits are capped at $10 million. This bill directly affects theater production companies seeking to offset costs for shows intended for or following Broadway performances.

Maddy summaryS 4342 expands eligibility for compensation from New Jersey's Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO) to include victims of motor vehicle crashes resulting in death or requiring ambulance removal from the scene. It establishes a "Traffic Crash Victim's Bill of Rights," granting victims the right to access police reports and crash evidence (including photos and recordings), receive notifications about court proceedings, take reasonable time off work for related hearings, and be free from intimidation by the other driver. Victims will also be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, counseling, and other costs under the existing Criminal Injuries Compensation Act. The bill requires law enforcement and the VCCO to provide victims with clear information about their rights and the compensation process.

Maddy summaryThe Liberty State Park Protection Act establishes a Liberty State Park Advisory Committee to advise the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on park management. It prohibits the DEP from considering proposals to commercialize, develop, or privatize Liberty State Park, except for small-scale commercial activities that enhance visitor experience, such as bike rentals or food concessions. The bill specifically protects the 235-acre natural restoration area and the 21.5-acre Caven Point Peninsula from property transfers. It requires the DEP to develop a management plan within five years, consult the committee before approving agreements, and implement public input processes including two public hearings and a 30-day comment period for any proposed changes. The bill aims to preserve Liberty State Park as a public green space while allowing limited, visitor-enhancing commercial activities.