Sen. Brian Stack

Maddy summaryThe Palisades Cliffs Protection and Planning Act establishes a Palisades Cliffs Preservation Council to coordinate protection efforts for the Palisades Cliffs along the Hudson River. The council, composed of 10 members appointed by specific municipalities (including Jersey City, Fort Lee, and others), will develop a comprehensive plan to balance reasonable development with preventing overdevelopment. This plan aims to address current fragmented local zoning that has failed to protect the cliffs' natural beauty and scenic views. The bill directly affects the 10 municipalities bordering the cliffs and the state by creating a unified approach to preservation.

Maddy summaryS 167 creates new offenses targeting threats against New Jersey election officials and workers, making it a disorderly persons offense to intimidate them in writing or electronically while performing duties. It also establishes a process allowing election workers (like county clerks or voting staff) to request removal of their personal information - such as home addresses, phone numbers, or photos - from public internet records if they face an imminent safety threat. Workers must submit written requests with evidence of threat to the Division of Elections, which must then remove the information. The bill directly affects election workers and officials by strengthening protections against harassment and enabling privacy safeguards.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and certain state facilities (including developmental centers and psychiatric hospitals) in New Jersey. It requires specific ratios, such as 1 nurse per 5 medical/surgical patients, 1 per 2 in emergency critical care, and 1 per 1 in burn units. Facilities must implement acuity-based staffing systems that exceed these minimums, considering patient needs and staff skills, while maintaining nurse float pools. The regulations cannot reduce existing staffing levels and apply to all patient units covered by the law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1031) increases accidental death benefits for firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, hazardous materials responders, and fire instructors who die in the line of duty while active PERS members. It raises the survivor spouse pension from 50% to 70% of the member’s last-year compensation (with a $50,000 minimum), increases children’s benefits from 25% to 70% if no spouse survives, and adds state-paid health insurance premiums for surviving spouses and children. The benefits are retroactive to January 1, 2021, with lump-sum payments for past differences between old and new benefit amounts. The bill aligns PERS accidental death benefits with the existing Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) structure.

Maddy summaryS 1350 repeals a $100,000 annual spending cap on sales and use tax exemptions for businesses participating in New Jersey's Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) program. This bill directly affects certified UEZ businesses that make qualifying capital improvements to their property, such as building construction, major repairs, or renovations. The key provision removes the previous limit, allowing these businesses to claim full tax exemptions for all eligible improvements - regardless of cost - starting January 1, 2022. The change applies retroactively, meaning businesses can now claim exemptions for qualifying projects completed since 2022 without the prior $100,000 restriction.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 264 requires all individual pet groomers to obtain a state license (age 18+, moral character, and passing a practical/written exam) and mandates that pet grooming businesses register with the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. The bill establishes licensing for training schools, sets facility standards (including separate caging, sanitation, 24/7 surveillance cameras, and 60-day video retention), and requires businesses to maintain incident reports for injuries, illnesses, or escapes. Registration fees must cover administrative costs, and businesses must provide proof of liability insurance. This directly affects pet groomers, training schools, and all businesses offering pet grooming services in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryS 282 establishes a temporary two-year Animal Advocate Program within New Jersey's Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). It allows courts to appoint a separate advocate in specific criminal cases involving animal welfare (such as cruelty under R.S.4:22-17 or dog fighting under P.L.2015, c.85) to represent the animal's best interests. The advocate monitors cases, reviews records from vets and animal control, shares information with attorneys, and makes recommendations to the court about the animal's care or placement. The program expires after two years, requiring the AOC to report to the Governor and Legislature on its implementation and whether to continue it.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Developmental Disabilities to create specific guidelines for placing individuals with developmental disabilities in two types of group homes: Level 1 (for minimal behavioral needs) and Level 2 (for persistent safety risks). It mandates that placement decisions must consider the individual's clinical needs, behavior frequency, and risk to others, with Level 2 reserved for those requiring intensive care due to serious safety concerns. Transfers between levels require meeting specific criteria, such as achieving behavioral goals after 18 months (for Level 2 to Level 1) or demonstrating persistent challenging behaviors (for Level 1 to Level 2). The guidelines must also ensure Level 2 homes support reintegration into less restrictive settings.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new principal department within New Jersey's Executive Branch called the Department of Early Childhood, led by a Commissioner appointed by the Governor. The department would consolidate early childhood responsibilities currently held by the Departments of Education and Human Services, covering programs for children from pregnancy through age eight. Key provisions include establishing the Commissioner's authority to hire staff, create rules, conduct investigations, and manage federal or private grants for early childhood services. The legislation also transfers specific programs like preschool education, child care subsidies, and teacher licensing to this new department, centralizing oversight for young children.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 313) makes property tax exemptions for 100% disabled veterans retroactive to the date they were declared disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It directly affects veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities (like paraplegia, blindness, or amputations) who previously paid property taxes on their homes. The key provision requires the state to reimburse municipalities for property taxes paid by these veterans during the retroactive period. This changes the existing law (P.L.1948, c.259) to ensure veterans receive refunds for past taxes, rather than only future exemptions.