Maddy summaryS 2838 establishes the "New Jersey Reparations Task Force" to research and develop recommendations addressing generational harms caused by New Jersey's historical role in slavery and ongoing systemic racial discrimination. The task force will examine specific issues like racial wealth gaps (where Black families have a median net worth of $5,900 vs. $309,000 for white families), housing discrimination, mass incarceration, and voting disparities affecting Black residents. It will produce a report with policy proposals for state-based reparations, focusing on systemic inequities documented in the bill, such as Black children being 30 times more likely to be incarcerated than white children. The bill directly affects Black communities in New Jersey facing persistent racial disparities in housing, education, and criminal justice.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 453) prohibits landlords or their agents from charging residential rental application fees exceeding $50 for most properties, directly affecting landlords who collect such fees. Violations carry a $1,500 penalty per offense, with $250 of each penalty returned to the tenant. It exempts single-family and two-family homes from the fee cap and requires the Division of Consumer Affairs to create an online reporting system for violations. The bill was withdrawn after being enacted as P.L.2025, c.405, meaning it is now law.
Maddy summaryS 2961 prohibits tourist helicopter operations providing sightseeing tours in specific areas like the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island from operating at all licensed New Jersey aviation facilities (airports, heliports, helistops). The bill requires the Commissioner of Transportation to enforce this ban, directly affecting commercial helicopter tour operators. Exemptions include federal/military flights and helicopters providing emergency medical transportation. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires building owners with cooling towers (including evaporative condensers and fluid coolers) to register them with the state health department before operation or within 30 days of the law's effective date. Owners must conduct quarterly inspections and microbial testing, clean and disinfect towers within 24-48 hours if test results show serious health risks, and maintain records for three years. Annual certification by November 1 and compliance with department regulations on cleaning protocols are mandatory. The law directly affects owners of commercial, industrial, and multi-unit buildings with these systems to prevent Legionella bacteria growth.
Maddy summaryThis bill extends New Jersey's $6,000 gross income tax exemption for veterans to their surviving spouses. Currently, spouses can claim the exemption only in the year a veteran dies (if filing jointly), but not in subsequent years. The bill would allow surviving spouses to continue claiming the exemption annually until they remarry, provided the veteran was eligible for the exemption in the year they died. This change directly affects spouses of deceased veterans who were honorably discharged and received the tax benefit. The exemption reduces taxable income for qualifying households, lowering their state tax liability.
Maddy summaryS 2771, the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act, prohibits state and local government agencies from holding individuals for federal immigration authorities based on immigration detainers. It requires agencies like schools, hospitals, and law enforcement to provide services without fear of immigration enforcement, ensuring all residents access public services regardless of immigration status. The bill specifically bans cooperation with "immigration detainers" (requests from federal authorities to detain people) unless supported by a judicial warrant. This directly affects immigrant communities by reducing barriers to healthcare, education, and public safety services, while directing state resources toward local priorities instead of federal immigration enforcement.
Maddy summaryS 2949 requires property management entities (like those managing rental buildings or homeowners' associations) to provide the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) with current contact information for residential property owners and association executive boards. Property managers must submit this information within 15 business days of the bill's effective date and update it within 15 days if changes occur. The DCA will maintain a database to ensure inspectors can reliably deliver safety inspection notices to owners. Failure to comply may result in fines for the property manager or license revocation by the Real Estate Commission. This bill directly affects property managers, rental owners, and planned development associations by mandating clearer communication channels for safety inspections.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a whistleblower reward program for employees reporting tax law violations by construction industry employers in New Jersey. Whistleblowers who provide specific, credible information leading to an administrative or judicial action against an employer can receive 15% to 30% of recovered taxes, penalties, and interest (or up to 10% if the tip came from public sources like media or audits). The award amount is based on how much the information contributed to the case outcome. It excludes employees who obtained information through their official duties and includes protections against retaliation under existing law.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and state developmental/psychiatric facilities in New Jersey. It requires the Department of Health to adopt regulations setting specific ratios, such as one registered nurse for every four patients on medical-surgical units or one nurse for every two patients in critical care units. The law explicitly states these ratios must not reduce existing staffing levels and emphasizes that safe staffing includes all healthcare workers, not just nurses. The bill directly affects healthcare facilities by mandating these staffing standards to improve patient safety and reduce nurse burnout.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's school bus stop laws to authorize the use of school bus monitoring systems for enforcement. It directly affects drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses (including those transporting children or individuals with developmental disabilities) and school districts/municipalities that install such systems. Key provisions establish that violations captured by these systems result in a $250 civil penalty (instead of criminal penalties), with collected funds directed to municipal and school safety programs. The bill also clarifies that registered vehicle owners are presumed responsible for violations recorded by the systems.