Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Ease of Doing Government Business Act," requires New Jersey state and local government agencies that provide public services - such as issuing licenses, permits, or certifications - to simplify processes and speed up service delivery. Within 180 days of the law taking effect, these agencies must review operations to identify ways to reduce delays, eliminate redundancies, and increase efficiency. They must also conduct annual reviews of transactional services and, where feasible, adopt online tools or automated systems using plain language to make services easier to use. Additionally, agencies must provide public feedback mechanisms for users to share experiences, with responses reviewed within 30 days to inform future improvements.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill modifies New Jersey's certification process for minority-owned and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) to prevent disqualification based solely on not maintaining physical inventory. It allows businesses engaged in procurement (not production) to qualify if they: place orders with manufacturers, take possession by payment, assume ownership risk, and ship products to customers. The bill also requires the certification procedure to include safeguards against shell companies created to evade ownership rules. This change directly affects MWBEs operating as intermediaries in supply chains, expanding eligibility for state contract opportunities.
Maddy summaryS 2386 creates a New Jersey gross income tax credit for active volunteer members of fire departments, ambulance squads, or rescue organizations who use their personal vehicles for emergency duties. It allows eligible volunteers to claim a credit based on miles driven for active duty (defined as direct response to emergencies), calculated using the federal IRS business mileage rate, with a maximum credit of $500 for single filers or $1,000 for married couples filing jointly. To qualify, members must maintain active status without regular pay (only receiving clothing allowances or limited service awards), meet attendance requirements for drills/meetings, and document service through their organization’s certification. The credit applies to taxable years beginning after the bill’s enactment and is refundable if it reduces tax liability to zero. This directly benefits New Jersey volunteer emergency responders who incur vehicle costs while serving.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Office of Homelessness Prevention to contract with county agencies or nonprofits in each county to help people experiencing homelessness obtain personal identification and birth certificates. The state office must arrange for these local partners to directly access and issue birth certificates through the State Office of Vital Statistics, while notifying that office of each issuance. The bill appropriates $2 million from the state budget to fund these contracts, distributing the money among counties based on their homeless population. This provides a concrete pathway for homeless individuals - who often lack essential IDs to access housing, healthcare, and other services - to obtain critical documentation.
Maddy summaryS 4151 requires New Jersey public utilities (like electricity, gas, and water companies) to clearly inform customers about proposed rate increases. Utilities must send a plain-language notice via bill insert or local newspaper explaining the reason for the increase and its impact on customers before filing a petition with the Board of Public Utilities. After the Board issues a final decision, utilities must provide a written summary to affected customers 30 days before new rates take effect if approved, or within 14 days if the rate doesn’t change. The bill also mandates the Board of Public Utilities respond in writing to public questions asked during hearings within 14 days after the final hearing.
Maddy summaryThis bill limits electricity rate increases for low- and middle-income residential households in New Jersey. Specifically, electric utilities cannot raise rates for these households by more than the annual inflation rate (based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index). Eligible households are defined as those with annual incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level (200% for "low-income" households). Utilities must report program participation and financial impacts to the Board of Public Utilities annually, and non-compliance may result in fines.
Maddy summarySR 100 is a New Jersey Senate resolution urging the federal government to update the official poverty line used to determine eligibility for public assistance programs. It argues the current poverty line, established in the 1960s and based solely on food costs, no longer reflects modern expenses like housing, healthcare, and transportation. The resolution states this outdated measure excludes nearly 53 million households facing basic needs shortages from accessing programs like Medicaid and food assistance, despite only 37.9 million being officially counted as poor. By raising the poverty line to better reflect living costs, the resolution aims to expand access to these critical programs for low-income households. As a resolution, it does not change federal policy but formally requests federal action.
Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 1773 requires all permanent full-time state, county, and municipal law enforcement officers to have a certified digital photograph updated every ten years. This photo, verifiable electronically, must be stored in the officer's personnel file and included on their identification card if the agency requires one. The Attorney General, with input from the State Police Superintendent, will create implementation guidelines for this requirement. The bill aims to ensure current visual identification for law enforcement personnel across New Jersey.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans in New Jersey, including Medicaid, to cover treatment for stuttering without cost-sharing. It mandates coverage for both habilitative speech therapy (to help maintain or improve speech skills) and rehabilitative speech therapy (to restore speech skills that have been lost), whether provided in-person or through telehealth. The coverage must be provided without prior authorization, utilization management requirements, or any deductibles, copayments, or annual limits. This applies to all health insurance policies delivered, issued, executed, or renewed in New Jersey on or after the effective date.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Task Force on Higher Education Governance and Funding to examine New Jersey's higher education system, including how colleges and universities are governed, funded, and overseen. The task force, composed of 14 members representing universities, faculty, students, and state officials, will analyze current challenges and identify best practices to develop recommendations. The bill appropriates $200,000 to fund the task force's work and requires a final report with findings to be submitted to the Governor and Legislature within one year.