Sen. Paul Sarlo

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 973) requires the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly to each set aside at least four sessions per year for public comment. It mandates that each legislative body adopt rules governing the public comment period, including maximum speaking time, number of speakers, and maintaining order. The bill directly affects the state legislature and the public, allowing residents to address legislative matters during designated times. It extends a requirement currently applied only to municipalities and school boards (under the existing Open Public Meetings Act) to the state legislature itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2175) requires major social media companies (with at least 5 million global users) to provide New Jersey residents a 24-hour toll-free phone number to report account fraud, such as unauthorized access. Companies must publish this number in security emails sent to NJ account holders and on their platform's homepage or help page. Failing to comply would violate New Jersey's consumer fraud law, risking fines up to $20,000 per violation. The bill was withdrawn after being approved as part of P.L.2025, c.352.

Maddy summaryS 1657 establishes New Jersey's "Energy Infrastructure Public-Private Partnerships Program" to help public entities like schools, hospitals, and emergency facilities upgrade energy infrastructure through private partnerships. The bill allows these entities to enter 25-year contracts for energy projects (such as solar, wind, and storage systems) under existing public contracting laws, without requiring taxpayer funds. Key provisions include authorizing private companies to finance, build, and manage energy projects that improve resilience against weather events, reduce costs, and support renewable energy expansion. This directly affects critical facilities needing modernized energy systems while leveraging private capital to meet the state's decarbonization goals.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 730, restructures New Jersey's electric and gas utility regulations by giving public utilities new choices regarding ownership and customer service. Electric utilities that own generation facilities must bundle rates and file updated tariffs with the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), ending retail choice for customers. Gas utilities can choose to discontinue retail choice for residential customers, requiring BPU-approved tariff changes that bundle gas rates. The bill also requires BPU approval for utility ownership changes and new electric facility construction, ensuring rate adjustments and environmental considerations are reviewed before implementation. These changes directly affect utilities and residential customers who previously had options to choose suppliers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires ticket issuers (like venues, promoters, or teams) to offer buyers a transferable ticket option at purchase if they use a system that restricts reselling or giving away tickets. It allows exceptions for targeted promotions (e.g., discounted group tickets for specific affiliations) but prohibits penalties or discrimination against buyers who resell tickets or use specific platforms. The bill also lets venues enforce conduct policies and ticket limits while banning restrictions based solely on resale activity. It exempts certain venues in cities with specific tax structures from these requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Government Efficiency and Regulatory Review Commission to evaluate New Jersey's existing rules, regulations, and executive orders. The commission, composed of nine members including state agency heads and legislative leaders, will assess how these rules impact the state's economy and whether their costs to businesses, workers, and local governments outweigh benefits. It must review all relevant rules annually, solicit public input through hearings, and provide the Governor with non-binding recommendations for changes. The commission's reports are advisory only and cannot be used to challenge state agencies in court.

Maddy summaryThis bill automatically adjusts New Jersey's income tax thresholds and qualification limits for inflation starting in 2022. It affects taxpayers who qualify for specific deductions or exemptions, such as those using education savings accounts, paying student loans under state programs, or claiming tuition deductions at in-state colleges. The key mechanism requires the state tax director to annually update these thresholds using the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), rounding to the nearest $5. This ensures the income limits for these tax benefits grow with the cost of living, without requiring new legislation each year.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts all property transfers between direct family members (such as parents to children, grandparents to grandchildren, or adopted children) from New Jersey's Transfer Inheritance Tax. It directly affects individuals receiving inherited assets from lineal relatives, eliminating tax liability on these transfers. The key change permanently implements an existing 2022 provision (effective January 1, 2022) that previously provided this exemption, making it automatic for all future transfers. The exemption applies regardless of the transfer amount and covers both biological and legally adopted lineal relationships.

Maddy summarySR 41 creates a bipartisan Senate Task Force to review New Jersey's state statutes, rules, regulations, and executive orders. The task force will assess whether these rules impose excessive costs on businesses, workers, school districts, and local governments compared to their intended benefits. It must hold public hearings, gather input from affected groups, and submit an initial report to the Senate within one year, followed by annual reports with recommendations to repeal, rescind, or amend burdensome rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill sets a minimum $300 payment rate per basic life support emergency ambulance transport under New Jersey's Medicaid program, increasing from the current $58 rate. It also establishes a minimum $8.94 per loaded mile reimbursement for ground ambulance mileage, with annual adjustments tied to the Medicare rate. The changes apply to all Medicaid-covered emergency transports starting July 1, 2024, affecting ambulance providers serving Medicaid patients. The law requires the state to update Medicaid rules and seek federal approval for these reimbursement changes.