Sen. Raj Mukherji

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to provide up to $7,198,045 in low-interest loans to six local governments for specific hazard mitigation and resilience projects in fiscal year 2025. The loans will fund projects including McGovern Park Resilience in Jersey City, Southwest Park Expansion in Hoboken, and flood mitigation in Bergen County, as listed in the bill. Each loan must be repaid within 30 years, and the bank can use repayments and interest to cover operating costs and fund future initiatives. This program implements New Jersey's requirements under the federal STORM Act to reduce community vulnerability to natural disasters.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to provide up to $2.73 billion in loans to local governments and public water utilities for environmental infrastructure projects during fiscal year 2025. It specifies funding for 156 clean water projects totaling $1.9 billion and 72 drinking water projects totaling $714.9 million, with additional supplemental loans for previously funded projects. Loan terms require repayment within 30-45 years at interest rates tied to the bank's bond rates, with specific mechanisms to adjust loan amounts based on actual project costs. The funding supports water treatment, wastewater systems, and drinking water infrastructure improvements across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryS 3303 extends a temporary accommodation for businesses participating in New Jersey's economic development programs, allowing them to reduce the required percentage of full-time employees' time spent at business facilities. The bill extends the existing waiver beyond March 31, 2024, requiring businesses to have employees spend at least 40% of their time at facilities (up from 10%) and pay 20% of their tax credits to municipal affordable housing trust funds (up from 5%). This applies to businesses in programs like the Business Employment Incentive Program and Grow New Jersey Assistance Program. The bill also includes provisions for carrying forward tax credits for up to 20 years and transferring tax credits.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) program to allow qualifying municipalities to use funds from the Enterprise Zone Assistance Fund for transportation infrastructure projects. It revises the definition of "qualified assistance fund expenses" to explicitly include costs for constructing, repairing, upgrading, or maintaining roads, bridges, public transit facilities, and related debt service. Previously, such projects were limited to corridors within enterprise zones; this change broadens eligibility to all transportation infrastructure improvements statewide. The policy directly affects UEZ program municipalities seeking to fund transportation projects using state assistance funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the title of the "Chief Diversity Officer" to "Chief Equity Officer" and creates the New Jersey Office of Supplier Diversity and Business Opportunities within the Department of the Treasury. It expands the officer's role to monitor public contracts awarded to all "small and diverse business enterprises" (including minority, women-owned, economically disadvantaged, socially disadvantaged, and disabled veteran businesses), not just minority/women-owned businesses as previously defined. State agencies must now submit procurement data to the officer and develop annual plans for certifying these businesses, while the new office will manage certifications, review procurement policies, provide training, and evaluate data systems. The Chief Equity Officer reports directly to the State Treasurer.

Maddy summaryS 3491 establishes legal protections for patients and healthcare providers accessing or providing reproductive health care (including abortion) and gender-affirming health care services in New Jersey. The bill defines "legally protected health care activity" as services lawful in New Jersey, regardless of where the patient resides, and creates criminal penalties for interfering with access to these services (such as obstructing facilities, intimidating patients, or recording individuals without consent). It also prohibits New Jersey from extraditing people for providing or seeking these services, protects patient privacy regarding these services, and specifies that fertilized eggs, embryos, or fetuses cannot have independent legal rights under New Jersey law. The bill applies to all individuals seeking or providing these services within New Jersey, including those traveling from states with restrictions on reproductive or gender-affirming care.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to create a program for building electrification and decarbonization. It mandates electric utilities to develop and implement multi-year plans converting fossil fuel systems (like gas heating and cooking) to efficient electric alternatives, such as heat pumps and induction stoves, while meeting specific greenhouse gas reduction targets. Plans must be cost-effective from a societal perspective, considering environmental benefits like reduced methane emissions. The program aims to lower emissions and energy costs through utility-led initiatives, with the BPU setting targets and performance incentives.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey Transit (NJT) to issue rail and bus service tickets with no expiration date, including one-way tickets and 10-trip passes. It also mandates that NJT honor unused tickets purchased before the bill's effective date, even if they expired under prior policies. Within 90 days of the law taking effect, NJT must reinstate any previously expired tickets that were originally issued without expiration dates. The policy directly affects all rail and bus passengers who buy or hold these tickets. NJT must implement these changes immediately upon the bill's passage.

Maddy summaryS 3460 requires New Jersey's Attorney General to study residential burglaries and issue regular reports to inform law enforcement and the public. The study must collect detailed data from 2018 onward, including burglary times, weapons used, injuries, property damage values, and charges filed, broken down by county. The Attorney General must submit an initial report within six months of the bill's enactment, followed by annual reports. These reports will include statistics, summaries of current prevention efforts, and recommendations for reducing residential burglaries statewide.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a pilot program that allows eligible pretrial defendants in New Jersey to access community-based support services instead of being detained. It requires courts to consider this program when setting release conditions, offering options like substance abuse treatment, mental health services, employment support, and supervision through approved community providers. The program aims to reduce unnecessary pretrial detention while ensuring defendants appear in court and do not pose safety risks. The pilot is limited to specific cases and will be implemented under the new "Pretrial Partnership for Community Support and Services" framework.