Sen. Paul Sarlo

Maddy summaryThis bill increases signature requirements for candidates to appear on New Jersey election ballots. For general elections, candidates will need 5% of the vote cast for General Assembly members (up from 2%) or 2,000 signatures for statewide offices (up from 800). Primary election requirements increase from 1,000 to 2,500 signatures for statewide races, 200 to 500 for congressional races, and 100 to 250 for legislative races. The bill also requires the Secretary of State to publish petition forms by January 1 each year to give candidates sufficient time to meet the new requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill reallocates $3.2 million annually (16% of standardbred industry funds) currently designated for Freehold Raceway's overnight horse racing purses to Meadowlands Racetrack whenever Freehold ceases live racing. It directly affects these two racetracks, ensuring Meadowlands receives funds during Freehold's closure (planned after 2024) and returns funds to Freehold if live racing resumes. The reallocation is automatic during periods without live racing at Freehold, per the bill's trigger condition. Other allocations - like Meadowlands' 60% share, Sire Stakes, and breeder awards - remain unchanged.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1323) clarifies key definitions for New Jersey's Aspire Program, which provides tax credits to support economic development projects. It revises terms like "commercial project" (requiring 50,000+ square feet of office/retail space in most areas) and "collaborative workspace" (minimum 2,500 sq ft with specific community features) to determine eligibility for tax credits under the 2020 Economic Recovery Act. The changes directly affect developers seeking tax credits for qualifying projects, such as large-scale commercial redevelopments in designated areas. The bill does not create new incentives but refines how existing program rules apply. It was signed into law as P.L.2025, c.2.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey state resolution (SCR 119) urges federal agencies to develop guidelines for state and local police to respond to unidentified drones. It cites recent drone sightings over sensitive locations like military bases and reservoirs in New Jersey as justification. Currently, federal law limits local law enforcement's ability to independently investigate or address drone threats. The resolution requests the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Department create protocols enabling state/local agencies to better manage these aerial security concerns.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Business Growth Protection Act," establishes new requirements for temporary help service firms in New Jersey that place workers in designated occupational categories. It requires firms to maintain detailed records of temporary laborers' hours and pay, provide itemized wage statements, and obtain state certification. The law revises pay equity requirements to ensure temporary workers are paid at least the third party client's entry-level rate for similar positions, and reduces the surety bond requirement from $200,000 to a minimum of $50,000. It also limits coverage to temporary workers performing work within New Jersey, addressing concerns that previous coverage of out-of-state work was causing businesses to reduce use of New Jersey temporary workers.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the eligibility of newspapers for public notice requirements in New Jersey. It allows public bodies (like local governments and school districts) that used designated newspapers for official notices during 2024 to continue using those same newspapers - whether physical or digital - through March 1, 2025. The change applies only to newspapers already approved for this purpose in 2024, ensuring continuity without requiring new designations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 871, now P.L.2024, c.97) grants retirement eligibility to certain county fire instructors in New Jersey. It allows eligible individuals - those who were enrolled in the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) before November 1, 2008, employed by a county on the bill’s effective date, maintained continuous membership, earned over $1,500 annually, and held permanent career status - to receive service credit for their tenure and qualify for retirement benefits. It also reinstates membership for those whose PERS coverage was terminated within five years prior to the bill’s effective date, provided they repay any returned contributions. The law takes effect immediately, directly impacting qualifying county fire instructors who previously lacked full retirement eligibility under PERS.

Maddy summarySJR 29 designates August each year as "Professional Engineers Month" in New Jersey and the first Wednesday in August as "Professional Engineering Day." The bill requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public observance of these designations. It directly affects professional engineers in New Jersey, recognizing their contributions to public safety, infrastructure, and the state's economic growth. The resolution has no binding requirements beyond the annual proclamation request and took effect immediately upon approval.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow restaurants and licensed alcoholic beverage retailers (including bars, wineries, breweries, and distilleries) to operate in designated outdoor spaces adjacent to their business premises, including on public sidewalks. It creates a "premises expansion permit" process requiring applications to either the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (for licensed businesses) or municipal zoning officers (for restaurants without alcohol licenses), with requirements for security plans and property descriptions. Municipalities may regulate hours of operation but must allow outdoor service outside specific hours (10pm-11am on Sundays-Wednesdays, and 12am-11am on Thurs-Sat), and cannot prohibit outdoor service for businesses already operating under legal or disciplinary restrictions. The bill specifies that State-owned rights-of-way require separate approval from the New Jersey Department of Transportation, with setback requirements for roads intersecting state highways.

Maddy summaryS 3817 delays New Jersey's implementation of Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulations from January 1, 2025, to January 1, 2027. The bill affects vehicle manufacturers of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses, requiring them to gradually increase zero-emission vehicle sales (capping at 40-75% by 2035). It directly modifies the current timeline by prohibiting the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) from enforcing these rules before 2027. This is a procedural change to the existing 2021 DEP adoption of California's ACT regulations, not a modification of the regulations themselves.