Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic annual cost-ofiving adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits of certain retired police and firefighters in New Jersey's Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS). It applies to members who have received retirement benefits for at least 10 years, excluding those who retired with 20-24 years of service, are in deferred retirement, or were hired more than 30 days after the bill's effective date. COLAs will be calculated based on the Consumer Price Index, with a $75,000 annual benefit threshold for the first year (adjusted annually thereafter), and capped at a 1% increase for benefits exceeding this amount. The bill requires the Legislature to appropriate funds from the General Fund to cover these adjustments, with the State Treasurer taking over implementation if the Board of Trustees fails to comply within six months. The adjustments apply only to future benefit payments, not retroactively.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits installing, planting, or placing nonfunctional turf or invasive plant species on commercial, institutional, industrial, or public properties (such as streets, parking lots, schools, and government-owned land) during new construction or major redevelopment projects requiring permits. It defines "nonfunctional turf" as excluding recreational areas (like sports fields and playgrounds) and allows native plant use, while listing 31 specific invasive species (e.g., English ivy, Japanese barberry) and requiring state agencies to maintain an updated invasive species list. The ban takes effect January 1, 2026, with exceptions for maintaining pre-2026 installations and using native plants. Local governments may adopt stricter rules than this state requirement.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires county prosecutors - not police departments - to initiate internal investigations into officer misconduct complaints for all municipal, county, and higher education law enforcement agencies (like campus police). When any complaint of misconduct is filed, the agency must immediately transfer it to the county prosecutor, who then decides whether to investigate or refer the case to court. It applies to all such agencies, including those at colleges and universities under New Jersey law. The bill shifts responsibility for handling these investigations from local agencies to elected prosecutors, streamlining the process.
Maddy summaryS 275 requires licensed airports, heliports, and helistops in New Jersey to reduce helicopter flights by 47% on weekdays compared to the previous year's average. It exempts flights by emergency medical services, military/federal authorities, hospitals, healthcare providers, and news agencies. The bill also bans tourist/sightseeing helicopter operations between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on weekdays and 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. on weekends. These rules aim to reduce noise pollution at aviation facilities but are pending final legislative approval.
Maddy summarySenate Bill S 3905 requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to create and maintain a free, statewide online database for local government legal notices. This bill directly affects municipalities, counties, and other local government units by allowing them to submit required legal notices electronically to DCA instead of publishing them in newspapers. The key mechanism enables local governments to fulfill their legal advertising requirements by delivering notices (or links) to DCA for inclusion in the centralized database, which the public can access online. The database will serve as a single public portal for all legally required local government notices, replacing the traditional newspaper publication method for those choosing this option.
Maddy summaryS 4069 requires municipalities in New Jersey to conduct and publicly share cost-benefit analyses for long-term property tax exemptions (exceeding five years) before approving projects like urban renewal developments. It mandates that urban renewal entities include these analyses in applications, and municipal leaders must produce independent analyses for public review. The bill also directs the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to create a public online database tracking all long-term tax exemptions and five-year tax agreement filings. Municipalities must submit five-year exemption agreements to county financial officers within 10 days of signing and provide annual reports on tax exemptions to county officials. This directly affects municipalities, urban renewal entities, and county governments by increasing transparency around tax exemption impacts on local finances.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1895) allows New Jersey municipalities to provide free or reduced beach fees for two new groups: children ages 12 to 17 and veterans (regardless of service length or disability). Currently, municipalities can offer fee exemptions for seniors, disabled individuals, active military members, National Guard members, and veterans meeting specific service requirements (90+ days active duty or service-connected disability). The bill removes the prior service requirement for veterans, expanding eligibility to all honorably discharged veterans. It also explicitly adds children aged 12-17 to the list of those eligible for no-fee or reduced-fee access.
Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's Homelessness Prevention Program to add a new fee for filing eviction lawsuits and clarifies eligibility for assistance. It requires applicants to be New Jersey residents facing imminent eviction (due to unpaid rent), foreclosure, or imminent mortgage payment issues, while limiting eligibility to households earning under 80% of area median income. The program prioritizes vulnerable groups like disabled individuals, seniors, domestic violence victims, and families with children facing separation. Assistance for mortgage issues must be structured as a secured loan for owner-occupied homes meeting specific criteria. The bill directly affects renters and homeowners at risk of losing housing due to financial hardship who meet the program's strict income and eligibility requirements.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires owners of Group R-2 buildings (like apartment complexes) and senior housing to display clear signage at every elevator showing the elevator servicer's contact information and elevator ID number. It mandates the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to create a public online database tracking elevator inspections, safety issues, and maintenance status. Additionally, DCA must establish a low-interest loan program specifically for senior housing owners to cover elevator maintenance costs. Building owners who fail to post required signage face escalating fines ($100 for first offense, up to $1,000 for repeat violations).
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities to hire a third party to study whether de-privatizing public utilities (like electricity or water providers) would be feasible and cost-effective. The study must examine two main options: public entities (such as state agencies) fully or partially acquiring utilities, or public entities jointly operating utilities with existing providers. It must analyze short- and long-term costs, benefits, environmental impacts, service quality, ratepayer effects, and revenue from clean energy programs. The Board must complete the study within one year, submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature, and the state will appropriate $100,000 to fund the study.