Sen. Brian Stack

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the sale of lithium-ion batteries made from reconditioned cells and requires safety certifications for e-bikes, e-scooters, and their batteries. Specifically, it mandates that low-speed electric bicycles and scooters must meet UL safety standards (UL 2849 for bikes, UL 2272 for scooters) and display certification marks on the product or packaging. Businesses selling these devices commercially must provide fire safety materials to employees operating them, covering safe operation and storage. Violations carry written warnings for first offenses and civil penalties up to $1,000 for repeat violations within two years.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 725) criminalizes squatting by creating three new offenses: "housebreaking" (forcibly entering vacant dwellings without permission to occupy), "unlawful occupancy" (taking up residence without permission), and "unlawful reentry" (returning to property after being evicted by court order). It presumes occupants know they lack permission unless they provide a notarized written rental agreement with the owner's current contact details. The law affects individuals occupying vacant properties without owner consent, making these acts fourth-degree crimes punishable by up to 18 months in jail or a $10,000 fine. Currently, squatting isn't a criminal offense in New Jersey, requiring owners to seek court-ordered evictions instead.

Maddy summaryS 698 expands New Jersey's Community College Opportunity Grant Program to cover tuition and fees for career and technical education programs at county colleges and county vocational schools. It directly affects adult students enrolled in these programs (e.g., nursing, culinary, or workforce training) who meet income limits ($0-$65,000 annual adjusted gross income) and apply for federal/state aid via FAFSA. The bill requires students to be in good academic standing and not owe prior grants, with grants covering costs not covered by other financial aid. Funding will be administered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority for students and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education for college support programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides a temporary tax credit for New Jersey businesses that build or improve child care facilities for their employees' children. Businesses can claim a credit equal to 50% of up to $50,000 in qualifying expenses for real property used to operate a child care center primarily serving employees' children. To qualify, businesses must agree to use the facility for 60 consecutive months and submit documentation to the state tax authority. Failure to maintain the facility as required (without exceptions like disasters) triggers repayment of the credit plus interest.

Maddy summaryS 2133 establishes a formal legislative internship program in New Jersey, allowing state legislators to hire interns with up to $10,000 annually per member (subject to presiding officer approval). The program targets undergraduate and graduate students (excluding law and PhD candidates) from accredited schools, prioritizing New Jersey residents or students attending in-state institutions. Interns must complete a work period in a legislator's district office and receive a $1,000 stipend per period, paid bi-weekly or monthly. The bill appropriates $1.2 million from the state budget to fund this initiative.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 292) removes a past conviction for a serious criminal offense as a barrier to serving on a jury in New Jersey. It directly affects individuals with prior convictions under New Jersey, state, or federal law who were previously disqualified from jury service. The bill amends state law by deleting the disqualifying clause in N.J.S.2B:20-1, making these individuals eligible for jury duty. The change applies immediately upon enactment, updating jury selection lists to include qualified citizens with past convictions.

Maddy summaryS 1193 (New Jersey) allows eligible voters who missed the 21-day registration deadline to register and vote on election day or during early voting. It permits registration at assigned polling places on election day or at early voting sites by providing ID or address verification (e.g., utility bill, photo ID) and completing a provisional ballot affirmation. This directly affects voters who did not register before the deadline but appear at their polling location or early voting site during the early voting period. The bill amends Section 19:31-6 of New Jersey law to establish this process, ensuring provisional ballots are counted if requirements are met. It does not change the standard 21-day registration deadline for regular voting.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 58) provides property tax exemptions for New Jersey veterans with service-connected disabilities. It allows veterans with a 30% or higher disability rating (including specific conditions like blindness, amputations, or paralysis) to receive a tax exemption proportional to their disability percentage, up to 100%. Surviving spouses of eligible veterans or those who died in service also qualify for similar exemptions under defined conditions. Crucially, the bill requires the state to reimburse municipalities 102% of the lost tax revenue from these exemptions, ensuring local governments aren’t financially burdened. The policy directly affects honorably discharged veterans with qualifying disabilities and their surviving spouses.

Maddy summaryS 2241 expands New Jersey's subsidized child care assistance program to cover families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL), raising the income limit from 200% FPL ($55,500 for a family of four in 2022) to 300% FPL ($83,250 for a family of four in 2022). The bill requires the Division of Family Development to establish at least four income tiers for determining eligibility and co-payment amounts. It appropriates necessary state funds for implementation, to be determined by the Commissioner of Human Services and approved by the budget office. This change directly affects low-to-moderate-income working families who previously exceeded the income threshold for child care subsidies.

Maddy summaryS 2239 extends New Jersey's requirement that child care subsidy payments for licensed centers and registered family day care providers be based on the number of enrolled eligible children (not attendance) until June 30, 2025. The bill mandates that providers set staff wages and hours based on enrollment numbers, not attendance, and requires the Division of Family Development to study the cost differences between enrollment-based and attendance-based payments. This study must be reported to the Governor and Legislature within three years of the bill's effective date.