Sen. Teresa Ruiz

Maddy summaryThis bill limits how consumer service contracts can be written. It prohibits companies from including clauses that let a contract for one service (like streaming or gym access) control unrelated purchases from the same company or its affiliates (such as groceries or insurance). The rule applies to written agreements for personal, family, or household services, excluding financial transactions like stocks or commodities. It takes effect 180 days after enactment for new or renewed contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2223) requires New Jersey's Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO) to issue an annual report to the Governor and Legislature. The report must summarize compensation awards from the previous fiscal year, including the number of applications granted or denied (with reasons), award amounts, victim demographics, services covered, and office funding. It must be completed within six months after the fiscal year ends and published online by the Department of Law and Public Safety. The bill directly affects the VCCO by mandating regular transparency about its operations and outcomes for crime victims.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's 2026 state budget to change how preschool education funding is distributed. It adjusts the formula for allocating Preschool Education Aid based on projected student enrollment and unspent carryover funds, while creating a new $10 million grant program to expand free full-day preschool access for 3- and 4-year-olds. School districts receiving grants must demonstrate readiness to operate preschool programs and prioritize partnerships with licensed child care providers and Head Start programs in their communities. The bill also requires state departments to maintain public online lists of eligible preschool programs and providers. These changes directly affect school districts, child care providers, and Head Start programs receiving state preschool funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a "Summer Termination Program" that prevents utility disconnections for eligible residential customers during extreme heat. It prohibits local authorities, municipal utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and public utilities from cutting off electric, water, or sewer service if a 72-hour heat forecast shows temperatures reaching or exceeding 85°F for 24+ hours. Eligibility includes customers receiving assistance under the existing Winter Termination Program or those facing financial hardship due to unemployment, illness, medical expenses, or family emergencies. The program requires departments to establish a self-certification process for customers claiming hardship, ensuring service continuity during dangerous heat events.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey Senate resolution (SR 133) requests the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to reject the results of PJM Interconnection's 2025/2026 electricity capacity auction and require a new auction. It cites an unprecedented price spike - nearly 10 times higher than prior years - that would raise average New Jersey residential electricity bills by 17-20% starting June 2025. The resolution argues flaws in PJM’s market rules, identified by New Jersey’s energy regulators and an independent monitor, may have caused artificial supply shortages and inaccurate pricing. As a symbolic measure (not a binding law), it directly affects New Jersey ratepayers who rely on the Basic Generation Service auction to secure electricity.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires landlords in New Jersey to disclose lead water hazards to tenants before lease agreements. It mandates written disclosure statements for properties built before 1986 or served by lead service lines (or unknown pipe composition), including health risks and testing information. Landlords must provide educational materials about lead exposure risks, such as flushing water before use or certified filters, and cannot block replacement of lead pipes. The law excludes newer buildings (constructed after 1986) and seasonal rentals from disclosure requirements. It aims to protect tenants in residential units by increasing transparency about lead in drinking water systems.

Maddy summaryS 1297 requires New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to create and issue digital versions of driver's licenses and non-driver identification cards accessible on mobile devices like smartphones. These digital cards must include all information from physical licenses and feature security measures to prevent fraud, while allowing users to update records (e.g., address changes) through the digital system - where digital updates override physical card details. Residents who meet standard licensing requirements can voluntarily request a digital card, for which the MVC may charge a fee. The bill mandates that the MVC ensure system security, integrity, and compliance with data protection standards for all digital card holders.

Maddy summaryS 4071 redirects $400 million in tax credits from the Community-Anchored Development Program and Cultural Arts Incentives Program to the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA). The bill requires HMFA to conduct competitive tax credit auctions to sell these credits, with annual limits of $75 million and a minimum sale price of 85% of the credit value. Proceeds from these auctions must fund middle-income workforce housing developments, defined as housing for households earning 80-120% of the local median income, located near public transportation or job opportunities. This housing must be deed-restricted for these income-eligible households.

Maddy summaryThis bill imposes a $3 daily surcharge on hotel room occupancies in New Jersey cities of the first class that have an international airport. The revenue collected by the Division of Taxation will be deposited monthly into a dedicated fire services trust fund for the municipality. Funds must be used exclusively for firefighting services - including hiring, equipment, and capital improvements - with no more than 37% allocated to personnel costs through 2028. The surcharge supplements, rather than replaces, existing firefighting funding from municipal taxes and state aid.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a three-year School Supervisor Mentorship Pilot Program to support new school supervisors in their first year of leadership. It directly affects "novice supervisors" - certified individuals newly assigned to oversee teaching staff - in public school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools statewide. The program requires the Commissioner of Education to partner with a nonprofit to provide each participant with at least 15 hours of mentoring and additional professional development over one school year, while ensuring geographic and demographic diversity in participant selection. The state appropriates $500,000 from the General Fund to cover program costs, and the Commissioner must report to the Governor and Legislature on the program's effectiveness and recommendations for continuation after the pilot ends.