Sen. John Burzichelli

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4971) creates a "Small Business Interruption Grant Program" administered by New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (EDA). It provides grants to small businesses in low-income communities (defined as municipalities under 10,000 population with >7.5% poverty rate) that suffered economic loss due to prolonged state infrastructure or construction projects. Grants are based on actual or projected revenue loss from closures or reduced business, with $750,000 appropriated from the General Fund to fund the program. Businesses must independently own and operate (<100 employees), be located in a qualifying community, and demonstrate project-related revenue loss to qualify.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the responsibilities of New Jersey's Child Advocacy Center-Multidisciplinary Team Advisory Board and establishes a Problematic Sexual Behavior Program to address cases involving youth under 18 exhibiting developmentally inappropriate sexual behaviors. The program creates specialized care coordinators in each region, a screening process through the State Central Registry, and evidence-based mental health services for affected youth and families. It appropriates $8.5 million from the General Fund, with $5 million for the Child Treatment Assistance Fund and $3.5 million funding specialized coordinators, training for mental health providers, and data collection. Child advocacy centers must adopt updated guidelines for annual progress reviews to maintain compliance with National Children's Alliance standards. The program aims to improve access to medical and mental health services for youth engaging in or impacted by problematic sexual behavior and their families.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires contractors and subcontractors working on public projects to submit payroll records to New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD). It applies to any business performing work for public bodies (like state/local governments or projects funded by public money), including construction, maintenance, or repair work. The key mechanism mandates that these contractors must register with DOLWD and provide payroll details to verify compliance with prevailing wage laws and apprenticeship program requirements. This affects all employers engaged in public work contracts, ensuring transparency in worker compensation and program participation.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to transfer approximately 219 acres of state-owned land in Lacey and Stafford Townships (Ocean County) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in exchange for about 57 acres in Galloway Township (Atlantic County). The land being conveyed will become part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, while the acquired land currently houses the Department of Environmental Protection’s Marine Resources Administration offices. The exchange enables the state to replace aging offices by using the land it currently occupies (since 1964) and avoids development of the transferred property. The bill specifies that minor adjustments may be made to equalize the value of the exchanged parcels.

Maddy summaryS 4719 requires New Jersey's Governor to include a detailed annual report in the state budget message about revenues and expenditures from the "societal benefits charge" - a fee added to electricity and gas bills. The report must show, for each of the last five fiscal years and the current year, how much revenue was collected, how it was allocated (including specific programs like energy efficiency, universal energy assistance, and electric vehicle incentives), and how much was actually spent. This bill aims to increase transparency about how utility customer fees fund state programs without changing the charge itself or the programs it supports.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3663 requires the Department of State to create a public "Reproductive Health Travel Advisory" for residents. The advisory will inform pregnant New Jersey residents about state laws restricting reproductive healthcare access in other U.S. states, using a color-coded system: Blue (full access), Yellow (restricted access), and Red (extreme restrictions risking health or legal consequences). The advisory must be published online and updated whenever other states change their reproductive healthcare laws. This bill directly affects pregnant New Jersey residents planning travel who may need emergency reproductive care.

Maddy summaryThe "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act" (S 3309) requires used car dealers to check for open recalls on vehicles before sale using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website and provide prospective buyers with printed recall information if any are found. Dealers cannot sell vehicles subject to stop-sale or do-not-drive notices issued by NHTSA. The bill mandates dealers to report vehicles with unresolved recalls (for which repairs remain uncompleted six months after initial notice) to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission every 180 days, prompting the Commission to send notices directly to vehicle owners. For vehicles with unavailable parts for recalls, dealers receive monthly compensation equal to 1.75% of the vehicle's value until repairs are completed.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to establish a program to incentivize the development of transmission-scale energy storage systems with a minimum capacity of 5 megawatts. The program will solicit applications for projects totaling at least 500 megawatts of capacity, with projects needing commercial operation by December 2030 and interconnection to the PJM grid. The BPU will provide incentive awards totaling at least $60 million annually for 15 years, based on a scoring system that evaluates price, project maturity, and community benefits. The program is designed to help New Jersey meet its 2030 energy storage target of 2,000 megawatts, with the BPU required to report on progress one year after the initial procurement.

Maddy summarySJR 154 directs New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to investigate PJM Interconnection's capacity market pricing model to determine if it ensures reliable electricity at the lowest cost, requiring a report within 12 months. It also mandates the state to collaborate with neighboring PJM states to promote affordable energy practices, urge PJM to implement market reforms protecting ratepayers from rising prices, and accelerate reviews of new power generation projects. The resolution addresses concerns about increasing electricity costs for New Jersey customers, linked to PJM's current pricing structure and delays in new energy resources entering the grid. This action aims to align PJM's operations with New Jersey's energy affordability goals under the Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the "sweepstakes model of wagering" in New Jersey, which typically involves people paying to enter contests where they might win prizes. It establishes civil penalties of up to $100,000 for the first offense and $250,000 for subsequent offenses against operators of unlawful gambling operations. The bill creates limited exceptions for sweepstakes that offer free entry options, tie non-free entries to purchasing low-value merchandise under $20, disclose rules and odds clearly, and don't base winners on sports events (unless all entries are free). It also updates gambling definitions to cover online wagering, expands prohibitions against rigging sports events, and assigns enforcement to the Division of Consumer Affairs (for sweepstakes) and Division of Gaming Enforcement (for other gambling violations).