Sen. Brian Stack

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates a requirement that employees of the New Jersey Racing Commission must have lived in New Jersey for at least five years prior to employment. It directly affects all current and future non-commissioner staff hired by the commission, including roles like executive director, chief inspector, and other necessary positions. The change modifies Section 4 of P.L.1940, c.17 by removing the five-year residency clause from the employment qualifications, while maintaining other existing rules about conflicts of interest. The amendment takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2511 prohibits pet shops from selling cats, dogs, or rabbits, repealing the previous "Pet Purchase Protection Act." Pet shops may still sell other animals, pet supplies, or collaborate with shelters to showcase adoptable animals without exchanging payment. Violating this prohibition would result in a $500 fine per violation. The bill also prohibits shelters, rescues, and pet shops from obtaining animals from breeders or brokers in exchange for payment, and defines "unfit for purchase" for animals sold by breeders or brokers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs, Department of Human Services, Board of Public Utilities, and other relevant state agencies to review and potentially increase income thresholds for residential customers seeking utility bill payment assistance and energy efficiency programs. Within one year of the bill's effective date, agencies must assess factors like program alignment, use of State median income, and cost impacts, and request public input to determine appropriate increases. If low-income energy efficiency thresholds rise, the Board of Public Utilities must also adjust moderate-income program thresholds to prevent double eligibility and expand access. The bill takes effect immediately and expires after the first required income threshold increase.

Maddy summaryS 5003 prohibits data center developers from using non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) or other agreements to hide development details from public review or municipal authorities. The bill requires applicants to attest they haven’t entered such agreements with property sellers or local agencies during the planning process. Authorities cannot approve data center projects if this rule is violated, and any agreement intended to conceal development details is deemed unenforceable. This applies specifically to data centers - facilities primarily for storing, managing, and processing digital data - as defined in the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that New Jersey's Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991 explicitly covers elder abuse occurring in domestic settings, such as abuse by family members or caregivers in non-institutional homes. It directly affects elderly individuals living with family or caregivers who are not already protected under separate elder abuse laws (like P.L.1977, c.239 for institutionalized seniors). The bill updates the Act's definition of "victim of domestic violence" to expressly include "elderly persons" in non-institutional settings, ensuring emotional, psychological, and physical abuse by household members falls under existing domestic violence protections. This change aligns the Act's coverage with the Legislature's prior intent to address elder abuse equally with other domestic violence cases.

Maddy summaryS 421, the "Uniform Electronic Wills Act," would allow New Jersey residents to create legally valid wills using electronic means. The bill defines an "electronic will" as a document executed online or via digital tools, requiring the testator's signature (or direction for another to sign), witnessed electronically or in person by two people, or acknowledged before a notary. It ensures electronic wills have the same legal standing as traditional paper wills for all purposes under New Jersey law. The bill is pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee (introduced January 9, 2024) and would affect anyone creating a will in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates two new state entities: the Health Care Cost Containment and Price Transparency Commission (an 18-member body) and the Office of Healthcare Affordability and Transparency (within the Department of Health). It requires all New Jersey hospitals to publicly report detailed pricing data for services like inpatient care and emergency visits, and sets annual cost growth targets for healthcare entities. Hospitals failing to comply with transparency rules face civil penalties of $10 per day per bed, and are prohibited from collecting medical debt from patients until they comply. The bill appropriates up to $5 million to fund these new offices and their operations, aiming to increase price transparency and reduce healthcare cost growth.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands eligibility for New Jersey's Consolidated Municipal Property Tax Relief Aid (CMPTRA) by modifying qualification criteria for certain municipalities. It allows cities of the third or fourth class in sixth-class counties to qualify if they have either the highest property tax rate in their county or rank in the top 3% most distressed municipalities (per the Department of Community Affairs' Municipal Revitalization Index). This change specifically enables the City of Wildwood and Borough of Woodbine (both in Cape May County) to access CMPTRA funding they previously might not have qualified for under existing rules. The bill removes prior barriers to aid for these financially strained communities by adding these two specific qualification pathways.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4901) requires New Jersey's Attorney General to review and update the state's statewide policy for investigating human trafficking. The Attorney General must specifically examine whether recording undercover operations would protect investigation fairness and victims, establish strict rules for sharing any recordings, and ensure county prosecutors are involved early in investigations to address legal issues. It directly affects the Attorney General's office and law enforcement agencies conducting human trafficking cases. The review must address current standards outlined in Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive 2012-2, following a 2024 commission report on trafficking in the massage therapy industry. The policy changes would aim to better protect victims and improve investigation practices.

Maddy summaryS 4899, introduced by Senators Stack and Singleton, amends New Jersey's prostitution laws to increase penalties for certain offenses and create two new crimes: "leader of a prostitution network" and "participant in a prostitution network." The bill upgrades penalties for promoting prostitution involving minors (now a first-degree crime) and for engaging in prostitution with a minor (now a second-degree crime), removing defenses based on mistaken age beliefs. It also clarifies definitions, specifying that "prostitution" includes sexual activity in exchange for economic value and that "promoting prostitution" covers acts like owning a house of prostitution or procuring a prostitute. This law directly affects individuals involved in prostitution as patrons, promoters, or participants in organized networks, particularly those exploiting minors.