Sen. Brian Stack

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services (DHS) and Department of Health (DOH) to protect SNAP (food assistance), WFNJ (cash assistance), and WIC (nutrition program) recipients from card fraud. DHS and DOH must provide recipients with clear information about risks like card skimming or cloning, prevention tips, how to report theft, and how to get stolen benefits replaced using federal or state funds. The bill also mandates security upgrades for electronic benefits cards (like embedded microchips and transaction alerts) and requires annual reports tracking fraud incidents and benefit replacements. It directly affects over 1 million New Jersey residents who rely on these programs for essential support.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends lifetime protected tenancy for senior citizens (62+ years old) and disabled tenants when their rental building is converted to condominium or cooperative ownership. It applies to tenants who have lived in the unit for at least one year before conversion and meet income requirements. The law prevents forced evictions and rent hikes solely due to conversion, ensuring these vulnerable tenants can remain in their homes without disruption to their health and community ties. The protection lasts for the tenant's lifetime, addressing concerns about housing instability for seniors and disabled residents amid rising costs and economic challenges.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey State Bureau of Identification (SBI) to check if a person has an unprocessed court-ordered expungement before sharing their criminal history background information. It directly affects individuals who have had expungement orders granted but whose records haven't yet been updated in the SBI system. The key mechanism mandates that the SBI must verify and update records to reflect expungements before disseminating background checks for employment, licensing, or volunteer positions. This prevents the SBI from providing outdated or incorrect information that could unfairly block opportunities for eligible people.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and Economic Development Authority (EDA) to give priority consideration to municipalities that meet their affordable housing requirements when awarding competitive state grants and financial assistance. Specifically, it applies to programs like the Main Street New Jersey Program and Neighborhood Preservation Program, but excludes grants intended to help municipalities fulfill their housing obligations. Municipalities are deemed compliant if they meet their fair share housing requirements under state law, with compliance determined by the DCA using factors like prior housing fulfillment rates and settlement agreements during the first five years of a new housing obligation cycle. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a "Bear Smart Fund" within New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to fund the distribution of bear-proof garbage cans to residents. The fund will be financed by civil penalties from bear-feeding violations (e.g., $100-$500 fines) and state or federal grants. The DEP will prioritize distributing these cans in counties with large bear populations - Sussex, Warren, Morris, and Passaic - to reduce human-bear conflicts, with residents possibly paying a small fee. The program may partner with municipalities or waste companies to lower costs, while existing bear-feeding prohibitions remain in place except for specific exceptions like bird feeders under strict conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's existing ban on using "wild or exotic animals" in traveling performances (like circuses on the road). It removes current exceptions for domestic animals (such as dogs, cats, horses, and cattle) and adds rabbits/hares and rodents to the prohibited list. The law now prohibits these animals in all traveling acts, except for educational outreach programs at schools or universities. It directly affects traveling entertainment venues, circuses, and carnivals that transport animals for performances. The key change is broadening the animal protections while restricting exceptions to strictly educational settings.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) of the Office of Administrative Law within the Department of State to enroll in the Workers Compensation Judges Part of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) instead of the current Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP). It mandates that ALJs currently enrolled in the DCRP be transferred to the Workers Compensation and Administrative Law Judges Part of PERS within 90 days of the bill's effective date, while those already in PERS will be moved into this specific part of the system. The bill also specifies that the unfunded liability for benefits provided by this transfer will be paid by appropriations from the State General Fund. This change makes PERS enrollment a condition of employment for ALJs, aligning their retirement system with that of Workers' Compensation Judges.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2295) amends New Jersey law on reckless vehicular homicide to strengthen penalties for drivers causing death while operating vehicles under the influence (DUI), with a suspended license, or near schools. It mandates a license suspension of 5 years to life for these offenses, requires courts to consider pretrial detention for certain DUI-related cases, and allows vehicle forfeiture unless hardship is proven. The law also increases penalties to a first-degree crime for driving under the influence near schools (within 1,000 feet or through designated crossings), with no defense for ignorance of school zones. These changes directly affect drivers convicted of vehicular homicide involving DUI, license violations, or school zone offenses.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 286 allows counties and municipalities to create reduced water, sewer, and stormwater fees for low-income households. It permits local sewerage authorities and municipal water systems to lower charges for residents whose household income is at or below a threshold based on federal poverty guidelines, provided they meet specific eligibility criteria like residing in the dwelling unit and not receiving similar assistance elsewhere. Authorities must establish clear application processes requiring income documentation and advertise the program to residents. The bill requires that local governments have sufficient budget flexibility to cover revenue losses from these reductions without raising rates for other customers.

Maddy summaryThe Freedom to Read Act establishes requirements for library materials in New Jersey public school libraries and public libraries, requiring school boards and library governing bodies to adopt policies that ensure access to diverse and inclusive materials. The bill defines "diverse and inclusive material" as content reflecting protected classes under New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination, materials produced by authors regardless of their protected class status, and materials containing authors' views on contemporary issues, while excluding age-inappropriate content. It creates procedures for challenging library materials, including review committees and requiring that challenged materials remain available until a final decision is made. The bill also provides legal protections for school library media specialists and librarians, granting them immunity from liability for good-faith actions and a civil cause of action against those who harass them for complying with the law.