Sen. Brian Stack

Maddy summaryThis bill removes an existing exception in New Jersey's Smoke-Free Air Act that allowed smoking in casinos and casino simulcasting facilities. Currently, the law permits smoking in areas of casinos with at least 150 slot machines or 10 table games, and in simulcasting facilities with dedicated seating for 50+ patrons. The bill deletes this exception from the statute, meaning smoking would be prohibited in all indoor public areas of these facilities under the general smoke-free law. It directly affects casinos and simulcasting venues that currently operate under the smoking exemption.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2707) caps annual electric and gas utility rate increases for residential customers in New Jersey, prohibiting the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) from approving hikes that would raise the average residential bill by more than 2% over any five-year period. It directly affects residential utility customers by limiting how much their monthly bills can rise through regulated rate changes. The key provision requires the BPU to reject any proposed rate increase that exceeds this 2% cumulative cap over five years. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment and aims to provide predictable utility cost stability for households.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey electric, gas, and water utilities to create a system for notifying customers who opt in about service outages lasting one hour or longer. Utilities must send alerts via requested methods (like text, email, or robocalls) containing outage location, estimated duration, utility/emergency contact info, and how to report related issues. It excludes outages caused by non-payment and allows state/local emergency agencies to share this outage information. The law takes effect 180 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state, county, private, and juvenile correctional facilities to provide free voice calls, video calls, and email services for incarcerated people. It eliminates all costs for both inmates and their families by banning per-minute charges (previously up to 11 cents), surcharges, commissions, or fees on these services. Facilities must maintain current access levels and transfer any remaining prepaid funds to inmates' commissary accounts. The bill appropriates funds from the General Fund to cover implementation costs and takes effect six months after enactment.

Maddy summaryS 403 codifies the implied warranty of habitability for residential rental properties in New Jersey, requiring all leases (written or oral) to guarantee premises are safe, healthy, and fit for living. It directly affects tenants and landlords by allowing tenants to use habitability breaches (like unaddressed code violations) as a defense against eviction for unpaid rent, provided they notified the landlord. Key mechanisms include court-ordered inspections by code enforcement officials, automatic rent reductions for defective conditions, and court-mandated repair schedules for landlords. The bill ensures tenants can withhold rent for conditions reported within 12 months prior to eviction, with remedies retroactive to the notice date and prospective until repairs are completed. (Introduced January 13, 2026; pending in Senate Committee)

Maddy summaryThis bill requires mail-in ballot application forms sent to voters to include prepaid postage, paid for by the State of New Jersey. It directly affects voters who request mail-in ballots, eliminating the need for them to pay postage when returning the application. The key provision updates existing election law to mandate that the state covers the postage cost for these forms, streamlining the process for voters. The change applies to all mail-in ballot applications submitted by mail, as specified in the bill's amendments to election statutes.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 443) requires New Jersey county boards to set annual salaries for specific county officials - such as county executives, supervisors, managers, commissioners, and department heads - through formal ordinances. It specifies that counties do not need to adopt an ordinance for compensation that does not count toward an employee’s pension benefits. The bill amends the Optional County Charter Law to clarify this requirement and exemption. The change applies to county-level salary-setting processes but does not create new benefits or alter pension rules. (Note: The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 13, 2026, and referred to committee; it has not yet become law.)

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a crime to disclose someone's personal information without consent when it creates a risk of physical harm, stalking, or severe emotional distress. It specifically targets disclosures that cause a "close relation" (like family, household members, or close associates) to fear for their safety or experience mental anguish. Exceptions include reporting suspected crimes to police or sharing information about public officials' misconduct in good faith. Violations are punishable as a fourth-degree crime (up to 18 months in jail or $10,000 fine), with harsher penalties if injury or stalking occurs.

Maddy summaryS 383 requires utility service providers (like electric, gas, water, and sewer companies) to submit electronic notices of scheduled work to New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) at least five business days in advance, except for emergency repairs. The BPU must create and maintain a real-time online database showing the date and type of scheduled utility work, accessible to all government agencies and utility providers. This database helps coordinate roadwork and other activities in public rights-of-way by improving communication between agencies and utility companies. The bill does not change utility service standards but streamlines planning for infrastructure projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 402) creates confidentiality rules for landlord-tenant court records in New Jersey. It prohibits public access to these records for 60 days after filing, and permanently blocks access for records where tenants win cases, settle favorably, or file valid legal claims against landlords. Landlords and tenant screening agencies can only access records if a judgment for possession is entered and no appeal occurs. The law directly affects tenants (by protecting their records from being used to deny housing) and landlords (who lose access to basic filing data for screening purposes).