Sen. Bob Singer

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1682) requires New Jersey public school districts to include instruction on labor history in social studies curricula for students in grades 6 through 12. It mandates teaching four specific topics: the history of organized labor, notable historical strikes, unionization drives, and the collective bargaining process with workplace legal protections. The Commissioner of Education must provide age-appropriate lesson resources to help schools implement this requirement. The policy applies to all school districts under the state's existing social studies learning standards, beginning with the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to provide up to $2.4 billion in loans for environmental infrastructure projects during FY2026. It directly affects local governments and public water utilities (referred to as "project sponsors") seeking funding for clean water and drinking water system improvements. The bill specifies 151 clean water projects totaling $1.7 billion and 59 drinking water projects totaling $651.7 million that qualify for these loans, with repayment terms up to 45 years. The loans cover a portion of construction costs, and the bank can adjust loan amounts based on actual project expenses. The bill also includes provisions for transferring funds between state trust funds to support these projects.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2951 authorizes the Director of Taxation to pay whistleblowers 15% to 30% of recovered taxes, penalties, or interest when they report construction industry employers violating state tax laws. Whistleblowers must provide specific, credible information that leads to an enforcement action, with awards capped at 10% if the information came from public sources like media or government reports. Employees of the Department of Treasury and those who planned the violations are ineligible, and whistleblowers convicted of related crimes forfeit any award. The bill also protects whistleblowers from retaliation under New Jersey's Conscientious Employee Protection Act.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates funds to New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for fiscal year 2026 to provide zero-interest and principal-forgiveness loans to local governments and public water utilities for environmental infrastructure projects. It directly affects municipalities and water utilities that need financing for clean water projects (like combined sewer overflow reduction and water quality restoration) and drinking water projects, with specific funding limits based on project type and affordability criteria. The bill includes detailed lists of 151 qualifying clean water projects totaling $1.7 billion and 59 drinking water projects totaling $652 million, all intended to meet federal requirements under the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. The loans may offer full principal forgiveness for eligible projects or a blended interest rate based on project costs and borrower affordability.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires pharmacies in New Jersey to display a notice and provide a pamphlet about insulin manufacturer assistance programs at all points of sale. The materials must be created by the Department of Banking and Insurance and will be available to anyone purchasing insulin or requesting them. Insulin manufacturers offering assistance programs may request to be included in these materials. The bill directly affects pharmacies (by mandating the notices/pamphlets) and insulin users (by providing access to cost-saving program information). It does not create new programs but ensures existing manufacturer assistance options are clearly communicated to patients.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new "limited cosmetic retail service license" for retail stores that primarily sell skincare, hair care, makeup, and cosmetic products while offering related services. It requires these establishments to be at least 750 square feet in size, with specific facility requirements including proper sanitation areas and one workstation per 750 square feet of space. The license allows stores to provide services like applying makeup, facial treatments, and hair removal (using depilatories, waxing, or tweezers) that are currently restricted to licensed skin care specialists. This change simplifies licensing requirements compared to current salon standards, which require separate space allocations for customer chairs. The bill directly affects cosmetic retailers and licensed skin care specialists seeking to provide services within retail environments.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public schools to teach labor history as part of the social studies curriculum for students in grades 6-12. It mandates the State Board of Education to adopt specific learning standards covering organized labor history, notable strikes, unionization efforts, and collective bargaining processes in both U.S. and New Jersey contexts. School districts must integrate this content into their curriculum, using inclusive instructional materials that highlight labor movement contributions. The bill does not specify funding or assessment methods but requires implementation concurrent with future updates to existing social studies standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a voluntary electronic currency system in New Jersey backed by gold and silver bullion, managed by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance. The system allows users to purchase digital units representing fractions of a troy ounce of precious metal, which can be used for payments or transferred electronically (with voluntary acceptance by merchants or individuals). It also designates qualifying physical gold and silver coins (meeting specific weight, purity, and marking requirements) as legal tender for debt payments, while providing redemption options for electronic currency holders to receive U.S. dollars or physical metal. The Commissioner may charge administrative fees for transactions, with proceeds deposited into the state General Fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a $1 million grant program through New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (EDA) to reimburse small retail businesses (≤50 employees) for increased operating costs caused by public highway projects. It directly helps businesses located in "impacted construction zones" where highway work blocks traffic or access, covering expenses like lost sales during the project's "relief period" (from start to completion). To qualify, businesses must document their normal pre-project costs and show the difference during the project, with grants covering the incremental expense. The EDA will administer the program using the $1 million appropriation, reviewing applications on a rolling basis as funds allow.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 4672 establishes a state-run bullion depository under the Department of the Treasury to securely store precious metals like gold and silver. Eligible users - including government entities, businesses, financial institutions, and fiduciaries - can deposit physical metals for storage, with withdrawals processed within five business days. The depository mandates strict security (Class 3 vault standards with 24/7 armed guards and biometric access), requires 100% physical backing of all accounts (no fractional reserves), and enforces $100 million in insurance coverage. Customer assets are held in bankruptcy-remote accounts, separate from the private operator’s assets, and protected from creditor claims.