Sen. Gordon Johnson

Maddy summaryThis bill increases New Jersey's Work First New Jersey Child Care subsidy program funding by $28 million in the FY2026 budget, raising the appropriation from $565.8 million to $593.8 million. It directly affects lower-income families who rely on state child care subsidies to cover expenses, reversing a recent pause in new applications and increased family copayments. The key provision requires the state to resume accepting new applications and return to pre-August 1, 2025 copayment rates (2-6% of income), restoring the program to its prior operational status. This addresses a projected $25-$30 million shortfall that had forced the Department of Human Services to limit enrollment and raise costs for families.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 604 prohibits state pension and annuity funds from investing in the 200 largest publicly traded fossil fuel companies, ranked by carbon content in their oil, gas, and coal reserves. It requires full divestment from these companies within one year (two years for coal companies), with exceptions allowing temporary reinvestment if fund values drop below 99.5% of their hypothetical value without divestment. The bill mandates annual reports tracking divestment progress and compliance to the Governor, Legislature, and Attorney General. This policy directly affects the state's $100+ billion pension funds and their investment decisions regarding fossil fuel holdings.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a "sheltered market program" in New Jersey that designates certain state contracts for certified minority, women's, disabled veterans', LGBTQ+-owned, veteran-owned, small, economically disadvantaged, and socially disadvantaged businesses. It requires state agencies to publish eligible contracts online, conduct outreach to these certified businesses, and report annually on contract awards and program performance. The program mandates that prime contractors make good-faith efforts to subcontract with qualified businesses and limits contracts to three years. It directly affects state agencies awarding contracts and certified businesses seeking state work, with oversight by the Department of the Treasury's Chief Diversity Officer.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's employer reporting requirements to include ride-sharing, delivery, and other technology platforms that contract with workers for financial compensation. It requires these entities to report employee or contractor details - including name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, and their own business information - within 20 days of hiring or rehiring, or every 15 days if reporting electronically. Employers failing to comply face civil penalties of up to $25 per violation (or $500 for intentional false reporting). The law directly affects gig economy platforms and similar entities that classify workers as independent contractors rather than employees.

Maddy summarySCR 27 proposes a constitutional amendment to guarantee all New Jersey residents a fundamental right to a clean and healthy environment, including clean air, pure water, safe climate, and healthy habitats. It designates the State as the trustee of all natural resources (waters, air, lands, wildlife, and climate) for both current and future generations, requiring the state to conserve and maintain these resources for public benefit. The amendment would be self-executing, meaning courts could enforce it directly without new laws, and it explicitly states these rights are in addition to existing environmental protections. This change would apply to all New Jersey residents and require the state government to uphold these environmental rights through its actions and policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts drug manufacturers and distributors from needing a pharmacist license when distributing FDA-approved dialysis drugs and devices for home use by patients with end-stage renal disease. It requires these products to be delivered only with a physician's order, in original sealed packaging, directly to patients, their designees, or healthcare providers. Manufacturers must contract with a licensed pharmacist for weekly quality assurance checks on storage and distribution. The exemption applies solely to dialysis-specific products under strict conditions, not to general pharmaceutical distribution.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's bribery law to clarify that offering, accepting, or agreeing to accept a benefit as consideration for influencing an official decision is illegal - even if the person isn't yet in office or qualified to act. It specifically applies to candidates for public office (subject to election oversight) and individuals elected but not yet serving, making it a crime to seek or take benefits for influencing votes, decisions, or duties. The law removes the defense that the recipient wasn't qualified at the time (e.g., hadn't assumed office), while excluding lawful campaign activities like generating permitted contributions. Violations are punishable as second-degree crimes (or third-degree for benefits under $200).

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2168) proposes major reforms to New Jersey Transit (NJT) governance. It establishes an independent Office of Customer Advocate to represent riders, requires NJT board members to have specific transportation experience (including regular rider backgrounds), and mandates more detailed reporting on capital projects. The bill increases board independence from the Department of Transportation and changes the board composition to include 11 voting members (with defined qualifications) and two non-voting labor-representative members. These changes directly affect NJT riders, employees, and the public by aiming to improve transparency, accountability, and service responsiveness.

Maddy summaryS 1268 would have added criminal penalties for selling or possessing machine gun conversion devices - parts that turn standard firearms into automatic weapons. It directly affects individuals who manufacture, sell, or keep these parts, making such actions a criminal offense under New Jersey's firearm laws. The bill amended existing definitions to explicitly include "any part designed and intended solely for converting a firearm into a machine gun" within prohibited items. However, the bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was superseded by a prior law (P.L.2025, c.363).

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2767) modifies New Jersey's earned sick leave law to create a new compliance option for employers in the ready-mix concrete industry covered by collective bargaining agreements. It allows these employers to satisfy the sick leave requirement by providing existing fully paid time off (including personal/vacation/sick days) totaling at least 40 hours per benefit year, instead of tracking separate sick leave accruals. The paid time off must be usable for the same purposes as sick leave under the law and must be fully paid. This provision specifically applies to employees under collective bargaining agreements in the ready-mix concrete industry and does not affect employees already excluded from the law.