Sen. Raj Mukherji

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow New Jersey residents to purchase special "Student Movement Against Cancer" license plates for their vehicles. The plates, featuring the slogan "Peace Out, Cancer" and an emblem, require a $50 one-time application fee and a $10 annual renewal fee. All fees collected (after covering administrative costs) would fund a dedicated account that provides annual grants to the Student Movement Against Cancer Inc. to support its cancer-related programs. The Motor Vehicle Commission would design the plates in consultation with the organization and manage the program, with initial costs offset by non-public contributions up to $25,000.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2882) allows New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA), Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Department of Transportation (DOT), and municipalities to give priority consideration to permit applications for "green building projects." To qualify, projects must meet holistic sustainability standards (like LEED certification or equivalent) and include a letter from a licensed architect or engineer verifying compliance. The priority means these applications would receive faster review without guaranteeing approval. It directly affects developers seeking permits for sustainable buildings and local agencies reviewing construction projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey Transit (NJT) to stop setting expiration dates on new rail and bus tickets. Specifically, NJT must issue and honor one-way tickets and 10-trip tickets for rail, light-rail, and bus services with no expiration dates. It also mandates that NJT reinstate any unused tickets purchased before this law that expired under prior policies, within 90 days of the bill's effective date. The policy directly affects NJT passengers who previously bought tickets that expired under older rules, ensuring they can still use those tickets for travel.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2367) allows New Jersey dental service corporations - nonprofit entities providing dental care to subscribers - to form a nonprofit parent corporation. It creates a clear process for these corporations to modernize their structure (e.g., adopting new technologies) while maintaining their nonprofit status and core mission of providing dental care. Key steps include board approval, submitting a detailed plan to the Banking and Insurance Commissioner, and ensuring existing subscriber contracts remain unaffected. The bill specifically prohibits the parent corporation from acting as an insurance provider and requires the dental service corporation to continue its statutory purpose of promoting oral health. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Commerce Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $2 billion "School Property Tax Relief Trust Fund" using state funds and federal pandemic recovery money (like ARP funds). It directly affects New Jersey public school districts by providing one-time grants to cover capital projects, teacher hiring, and wage/benefit increases. School districts receiving grants must choose between a lump sum or 5-year payments, cannot raise their property tax levy for five years, and must submit spending-reduction plans (like consolidating services) to qualify for preference. The fund is designed to be permanent through investment, with strict rules to maintain long-term viability.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 604 prohibits state pension and annuity funds from investing in the 200 largest publicly traded fossil fuel companies, ranked by carbon content in their oil, gas, and coal reserves. It requires full divestment from these companies within one year (two years for coal companies), with exceptions allowing temporary reinvestment if fund values drop below 99.5% of their hypothetical value without divestment. The bill mandates annual reports tracking divestment progress and compliance to the Governor, Legislature, and Attorney General. This policy directly affects the state's $100+ billion pension funds and their investment decisions regarding fossil fuel holdings.

Maddy summaryS 642, the "New Jersey Clean Energy Act of 2024," requires all electricity sold to New Jersey consumers to come from 100% clean sources by 2035, directly affecting electric power suppliers and utilities. It establishes a "clean electricity certificate" (CEAC) program administered by the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to track and verify zero-emission generation from sources like nuclear, solar, wind, and hydroelectric facilities. The bill mandates that electricity providers meet this standard by purchasing CEACs representing clean energy from qualifying facilities, excluding fossil fuel-based generation. This policy aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution while supporting New Jersey's existing clean energy infrastructure goals.

Maddy summaryS 2906, the "New Jersey Public Water Supply Fluoridation Act," requires all public community water systems (serving 25+ year-round residents) to add fluoride to drinking water within 12 months of the law's effective date. The bill directs New Jersey's Environmental Protection and Health Commissioners to create rules for fluoride control, testing, and record-keeping. It exempts systems where natural fluoride levels already meet the required standards. This law directly affects municipal water providers and water purveyors operating public community water systems across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to issue special license plates for the Ancient Order of Hibernians, a fraternal organization. Vehicle owners who apply (paying a $50 one-time fee plus $10 annual fee) can display these plates, which must feature the organization's emblem and slogan. The collected fees fund a dedicated "Ancient Order of Hibernians License Plate Fund," with monies annually appropriated to the organization after covering administrative costs. The bill is procedural, creating a new license plate option without altering broader vehicle registration laws.

Maddy summarySCR 27 proposes a constitutional amendment to guarantee all New Jersey residents a fundamental right to a clean and healthy environment, including clean air, pure water, safe climate, and healthy habitats. It designates the State as the trustee of all natural resources (waters, air, lands, wildlife, and climate) for both current and future generations, requiring the state to conserve and maintain these resources for public benefit. The amendment would be self-executing, meaning courts could enforce it directly without new laws, and it explicitly states these rights are in addition to existing environmental protections. This change would apply to all New Jersey residents and require the state government to uphold these environmental rights through its actions and policies.