Sen. Gordon Johnson

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the "Jersey Craft Beverage Retailer Promotion and Grant Program" to boost sales of New Jersey-made craft alcoholic beverages. It directly affects craft beverage producers (with limited brewery, cidery, or distillery licenses) and retailers holding specific retail licenses who sell their products. The program will run advertising campaigns, create a "Certified Jersey Craft Alcohol Beverage Retailer" signage program, and offer grants up to $2,500 annually for eligible retailers to improve displays or promotions. Funding comes from 50% of tax revenue on craft beverage sales, managed through a dedicated fund established by the Economic Development Authority.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require New Jersey Medicaid and the Plan First program to cover fertility preservation services when medically necessary treatments (such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy) could cause iatrogenic infertility. It defines "iatrogenic infertility" as fertility impairment from medical treatments affecting reproductive organs, and specifies coverage for standard procedures like sperm, egg, embryo, and ovarian tissue storage. The bill prohibits denying coverage based on age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status. It would provide low-income individuals with access to fertility preservation services that are often cost-prohibitive. The bill applies to Medicaid beneficiaries and Plan First participants facing potential iatrogenic infertility from medically necessary treatments.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires that minimum staffing levels for firefighters and fire officers be negotiated as a "term and condition of employment," provided these levels are rationally related to public or employee safety. It establishes a dispute resolution process where disagreements about whether staffing levels are mandatory subjects of negotiation (rather than management prerogatives) will be referred to the state commission for an evidentiary hearing. The bill specifies that the burden of proof for demonstrating safety justification rests with the party claiming the staffing level relates to safety. This provision applies exclusively to firefighters and fire officers, not to other public employees covered by the state's collective bargaining law. The bill does not alter existing collective bargaining rights for other public employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's "Daniel's Law" to protect members of the Legislature and municipal court administrators by requiring private entities to prevent disclosure of their home addresses and unpublished telephone numbers. It mandates the Office of Information Privacy to establish a secure portal that private entities must access at least every 45 days to verify and comply with redaction requests. Private entities must pay annual fees, certify their compliance with the portal, and face $200 civil penalties for each 45-day period of noncompliance. The law specifically exempts news media from liability for previously published information and certain entities covered by federal privacy laws like HIPAA.

Maddy summaryThis bill would amend New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) rules to include pay for extracurricular activities in teachers' pension calculations. Currently, additional compensation for duties like coaching sports teams, directing school plays, or supervising clubs is not counted toward pension benefits. The bill changes the definition of "compensation" to include remuneration for extracurricular activities beyond the regular school day or year. This change would affect teachers who receive extra pay for these activities, potentially increasing their future pension benefits. The bill applies to all teachers whose extracurricular duties qualify under the new definition.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the FY2026 state budget for New Jersey's Department of Children and Families (DCF) by $16.7 million to raise the monthly reimbursement rate paid to care management organizations (CMOs). The rate will increase from $1,032 to $1,200 per client in FY2026, with annual $100 increases until reaching $1,500 per client. CMOs, which coordinate care for youth with complex behavioral health needs, substance use disorders, or developmental disabilities, directly benefit from this funding change. The adjustment is implemented through a specific line item in the state's annual appropriations act.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that certain licensed or regulated professionals in New Jersey can be treated as independent contractors under state law if they have a written agreement stating this status. It specifically applies to licensed insurance producers, broker-dealers, investment advisers, and freight drivers meeting unemployment exemption criteria. The law prevents these professionals from being reclassified as employees under state wage, hour, or unemployment laws, and eliminates the need to pass additional tests to maintain independent contractor status. The bill applies retroactively to all existing written agreements, confirming that these professionals have historically operated under this classification.

Maddy summaryS 4702 establishes a three-year pilot program in New Jersey for testing fully autonomous vehicles, requiring authorized testers (including manufacturers, fleet providers, and institutions) to operate these vehicles under strict safety conditions. The program mandates vehicles have redundant safety systems, data recording for collisions, pedestrian alerts, and visible markers, while operators must be trained, licensed, and capable of manual control. Testers must carry $5 million in insurance, report collisions within 48 hours, and comply with cybersecurity and speed standards, with oversight from a task force including safety officials and consumer advocates. After the pilot, a report will evaluate the program and recommend future integration of autonomous vehicles on state roads.

Maddy summaryS 1510 would require New Jersey to adopt year-round daylight saving time (EDT) once federal law permits states to do so. If enacted, it would amend state statutes to define New Jersey's standard time as Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) permanently, eliminating the current biannual time changes. The bill directly affects all residents and businesses across New Jersey by making the current daylight saving time period permanent. It does not change federal law but prepares the state to implement year-round EDT immediately upon federal authorization. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Transportation Committee after being reported out of the State Government Committee.

Maddy summarySJR 169 is a symbolic resolution designating November 13 of each year as "Day of Civility" in New Jersey. It requests the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and citizens to observe the day through educational programs and activities promoting courteous conduct. The resolution does not create new laws, funding, or obligations; it solely serves as a ceremonial observance. It aligns with "World Kindness Day" and references studies on public perceptions of incivility, but the measure itself has no enforceable provisions.