Sen. Renee Burgess

Maddy summaryS 3048 requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services to collect data on Haitian migrants in the state, regardless of immigration status. This data will be gathered from federal, state, local governments, and nonprofits to better understand the needs of this population. The bill directly affects Haitian migrants in New Jersey, including undocumented individuals, by enabling the state to identify those requiring assistance. It does not create new services but aims to improve the efficiency of existing support programs through better data collection. The legislation follows New Jersey's status as home to the fourth-largest Haitian-American population in the U.S. (approximately 69,000 people).

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 91, introduced by Senator Renee Burgess, urges Congress to provide aid to Haitian migrants fleeing Haiti's political instability and humanitarian crises. The resolution highlights factors like gang violence, the 2021 earthquake, and food insecurity as drivers of migration, citing U.S. Coast Guard data on intercepted migrant vessels. It specifically calls for Congress to fund shelter, legal services, food aid, and medical assistance for Haitian migrants through frontline organizations. Copies of the resolution will be sent to Haitian officials, U.S. ambassadors, New Jersey's congressional delegation, and the governor.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3059) allows New Jersey owners of motorcycles and passenger automobiles to display only one license plate (on the rear) instead of the current requirement for two plates (front and rear). It permits owners who already have two plates to return one to the Motor Vehicle Commission for free, and new owners can request a single plate at issuance. The law specifies that displaying a single rear plate will not violate existing vehicle registration rules (R.S.39:3-33). The bill takes effect 30 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to provide customers with specific documents in-person on the same day as their appointment at any MVC office, provided they complete the application and pay fees. It directly affects residents seeking standard or REAL ID driver's licenses, permits, non-driver ID cards, commercial licenses, or vehicle registration certificates. The MVC must ensure each office has cameras and printers to enable same-day issuance of the 12 listed documents, including standard and REAL ID licenses, probationary licenses, and vehicle registrations. The policy change eliminates the need for customers to return for these documents after their initial visit.

Maddy summaryS 3060 requires all health insurance carriers in New Jersey to cover annual prostate cancer screening without out-of-pocket costs for men aged 40 to 75. This expands current law, which previously only mandated coverage for men 50+ or 40+ with risk factors, by broadening the age range and defining "prostate cancer screening" to include digital rectal exams, PSA tests, and follow-up diagnostics like imaging and biomarker tests. The bill applies to all health plans, including group policies, HMOs, individual plans, and state health benefit programs. It takes effect 90 days after enactment for all new or renewed contracts.

Maddy summaryThe John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey establishes new protections for voters in racial, color, and language-minority groups. It requires that all voting policies be interpreted in favor of protecting voting rights and prohibits policies that burden these voters. The law creates a preclearance process for certain political subdivisions needing Attorney General approval before implementing voting changes. It also mandates language assistance for limited English proficient voters and establishes a New Jersey Voting and Elections Institute to maintain public voting data.

Maddy summaryThis bill abolishes New Jersey's Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and replaces its system with a new municipal framework for meeting affordable housing obligations. Municipalities must now determine their own "fair share" of low- and moderate-income housing through binding resolutions, using state-published calculations, while allowing advocates to contest these determinations. The law appropriates $16 million for housing programs to support new construction and rehabilitation of substandard housing, particularly in urban areas. It directly affects all New Jersey municipalities and low-to-moderate-income residents seeking housing, ending regional contribution agreements and establishing clearer deadlines to prevent previous compliance gaps.

Maddy summaryThis bill abolishes New Jersey's Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and replaces its system with a new municipal process for meeting the state's constitutional obligation to provide affordable housing. Municipalities must now adopt binding resolutions setting their own affordable housing goals using state-calculated standards, with public opportunities to contest these determinations. The legislation appropriates $16 million for housing programs and aims to streamline compliance with the Mount Laurel housing mandates, which require communities to provide a "realistic opportunity" for low- and moderate-income housing. It directly affects all New Jersey municipalities and low/moderate-income residents seeking housing access.

Maddy summarySCR 43 proposes adding a constitutional amendment to New Jersey's Constitution that grants every resident a fundamental right to a clean and healthy environment, including pure water, clean air, a safe climate, and ecologically healthy habitats. It requires the state to act as trustee of public natural resources - such as air, water, public lands, and wildlife - and mandates that these resources be conserved and maintained for all people, both present and future. The amendment specifies that these rights are self-executing, meaning they can be directly enforced in court without requiring new legislation. If approved by voters, this would become a permanent part of New Jersey's Constitution.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 237, the "Clean Energy Act of 2024," requires all retail electricity sales in the state to come from clean sources by 2035. This affects electric utilities and power suppliers, who must meet the standard through a new certificate program tracking clean energy generation. The bill establishes "clean electricity certificate" (CEAC) credits for zero-emission sources like nuclear, solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. It replaces some existing renewable energy certificate systems and directs the Board of Public Utilities to implement the program, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while supporting existing nuclear and offshore wind projects.