Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1318) clarifies and updates tax exemption rules for businesses operating in New Jersey's Urban Enterprise Zones (UEZs). It specifies that eligible retail businesses in designated UEZs or UEZ-impacted business districts can receive a 50% exemption on sales tax for most retail sales (excluding motor vehicles, alcohol, cigarettes, manufacturing equipment, energy, and cannabis products). The exemption requires businesses to obtain a UZ-2 certification from the UEZ Authority, confirming they operate a physical retail location within a qualifying zone. Revenue from exempt sales (excluding cannabis and redevelopment taxes) must be deposited into the Enterprise Zone Assistance Fund for economic development programs in disadvantaged communities.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2090) updates rules for telemedicine and telehealth providers regarding emergency care referrals. It requires telehealth providers to make a "good faith effort" to coordinate with emergency services during remote visits, including sharing the patient's location and contact details with emergency responders. Providers must also refer patients to in-person care when needed, document emergencies, and report suicide attempts during telehealth sessions per privacy laws. These changes apply directly to telemedicine providers and patients receiving remote health services in New Jersey.
Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 1308 requires health insurance carriers offering individual health plans to provide standardized "clear cost share plans" for each metal tier (bronze, silver, gold), mirroring federal Affordable Care Act standards. These plans must include transparent, consistent copayments, deductibles, and coinsurance for covered services, designed to reduce financial barriers to care and improve consumer choice through standardized cost structures. Insurers may offer up to three modified plans per tier if approved with actuarial certification proving consumer benefits, but the state exchange must prioritize unmodified clear cost share plans. The bill directly affects individual health insurance consumers and carriers operating in New Jersey's individual market, aiming to simplify plan comparisons and promote high-value care access.
Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates the requirement for New Jersey public high school students to take the statewide graduation proficiency test during 11th grade. It directly affects all 11th-grade students in New Jersey public schools by removing this specific testing mandate. The key provision removes the grade-level requirement from the law, though students must still meet proficiency standards through other approved assessments or methods to graduate. The bill does not eliminate the overall proficiency requirement but changes when the assessment must be administered. This update aligns with recent policy shifts that allow flexibility in how proficiency is demonstrated.
Maddy summaryThis bill sets 14 years old as the minimum age for a juvenile to be charged with delinquency in New Jersey, meaning children under 14 generally cannot face juvenile court charges for most offenses. It affects minors under 18 by excluding those under 14 from delinquency proceedings for crimes, disorderly conduct, or most violations (except specific traffic, curfew, or safety offenses). The bill requires the Attorney General to create a Juvenile Justice working group - including mental health experts, law enforcement, civil rights advocates, and court officials - to advise on implementing these changes. The working group will help develop policies for how the new age standard affects juvenile justice practices across the state.
Maddy summaryS 1321 amends New Jersey's tax sale law to require that after a lienholder (whether a municipality or private entity) forecloses a tax lien and is reimbursed for the property taxes and interest they paid, any remaining equity from the property sale must be returned to the original property owner. This directly affects property owners who fall behind on taxes but whose properties sell for more than the owed amount, preventing "equity theft" where excess proceeds were previously kept by lienholders. The bill responds to the U.S. Supreme Court's *Tyler v. Hennepin County* ruling (2023), which found retaining excess sale value without compensation violates constitutional protections. It mandates that courts return excess equity to owners after reimbursing lienholders for taxes and interest, aligning New Jersey law with constitutional requirements.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a three-year "Security Deposit Assistance Pilot Program" in eight New Jersey counties (Passaic, Union, Essex, Hudson, Gloucester, Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Mercer) to help low-income renters. It provides a program where eligible households (qualifying for "very low income housing" under the Fair Housing Act) pay 1/12 of their security deposit monthly for the first year, with the state reimbursing landlords if tenants violate leases (up to the unpaid deposit amount). The program requires landlords to accept the state-issued "letter of security deposit commitment" instead of full payment, prohibiting discrimination against participants. It appropriates $450,000 from the General Fund to operate the pilot and requires a legislative report evaluating its effectiveness after three years.
Maddy summaryS 904 establishes a 25-member "Commission on People with Disabilities" in New Jersey to address the needs of residents with disabilities. The commission includes 13 voting members (with requirements for disability representation) appointed by the Governor, Senate President, and Assembly Speaker, plus 12 non-voting ex-officio members from state agencies. Its core duties are to recommend policies and legislation, serve as a communication hub between government and disability communities, coordinate with state agencies on service delivery, and prevent employment discrimination against people with disabilities. The commission must submit an annual report to the Governor and Legislature. The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 9, 2024, and referred to the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires national credit bureaus (like Equifax or Experian) to annually report to New Jersey's Division of Consumer Affairs the total number of free credit reports they provided to New Jersey residents in the previous year. Specifically, they must report how many residents received one free report and how many received two free reports. Failure to comply results in a $10,000 penalty per violation. The bill targets agencies that compile nationwide credit data, not individual consumers or the content of the reports themselves.
Maddy summaryS 905 creates a 14-member "Disability Life-Sustaining Measures Advisory Council" within New Jersey's Department of Health. The council directly affects people with disabilities during public health emergencies by requiring it to recommend policies for emergency care (including ventilators and resuscitation), protect disability rights in medical settings, review emergency standards for federal compliance, and gather public input. The council includes ex-officio members from disability advocacy and state agencies, plus public members with lived experience or advocacy expertise, and must submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. This bill establishes a formal process to ensure disability rights are protected in emergency healthcare decisions.