Sen. Gordon Johnson

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1431) provides temporary mortgage payment relief to New Jersey homeowners significantly impacted by Hurricane Ida's 2021 remnants. It requires mortgage servicers to grant a minimum one-year forbearance (with possible extensions totaling 545 days) to qualifying homeowners who received federal disaster assistance for primary residences damaged by the storm, have income below 150% of area median income, and hold limited bank reserves. During forbearance, servicers cannot charge fees/penalties, report missed payments to credit agencies, or initiate foreclosure. The bill was introduced in January 2024 but withdrawn from consideration in February 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Smoke-Free Air Act to allow smoking in specific areas of casinos and casino simulcasting facilities approved by the Casino Control Commission. It permits smoking in no more than 25% of the casino floor or simulcasting facility, only in clearly marked areas, with strict requirements: smoking areas must be separated by solid walls/doors, have independent ventilation, and cannot be within 15 feet of table game pits. The bill directly affects licensed casinos (with 150+ slot machines or equivalent) and simulcasting facilities (with 50+ dedicated seats or 10+ table games). These provisions override local smoking bans adopted after January 1, 2022, for these specific venues.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state, county, and private adult and juvenile correctional facilities to provide free voice calls, video calls, and email services to incarcerated individuals. It eliminates all fees for both the incarcerated person and their family members receiving calls or messages, prohibiting facilities from charging commissions, surcharges, or additional fees. The bill amends existing law to mandate that these communication services be provided at no cost to any party, while allowing facilities to maintain security measures. It also includes an appropriation for implementation, as certified by correctional authorities. The policy directly affects incarcerated individuals and their families across all correctional facilities in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 789) expands New Jersey's existing affordable housing preference for veterans to include certain South Korean veterans who served as U.S. allies in the Vietnam War. It amends definitions to include South Korean veterans who are New Jersey residents, citizens, and have a disability recognized by South Korea's equivalent of the U.S. Veterans Administration. These veterans will now qualify for the same housing preference priority as other disabled veterans - ranking second behind homeless veterans - under existing state housing programs. Applicants must still meet standard income requirements for each housing project, and the bill does not create new housing but extends current eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 210) creates tax credits for businesses to adopt electric vehicle infrastructure. It provides a 50% credit (up to $1,000 per station) for purchasing and installing commercial EV charging stations, and a 50% credit for converting commercial vehicle fleets to zero-emission models, capped at $25,000 for light vehicles (under 14,000 lbs), $50,000 for medium (14,001-26,500 lbs), and $100,000 for heavy vehicles (over 26,500 lbs). To qualify, businesses must apply for certification from the Environmental Protection Commissioner, proving eligible purchases and installations. The credits apply to both corporation business tax and gross income tax, with unused credits potentially carried forward for up to seven years.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2345 creates a single online application for residents to pre-apply for multiple affordable and senior housing options across the state, including rental, for-sale, temporary, and priority housing. It consolidates 10+ housing subsidy programs - such as Section 8 vouchers, State Rental Assistance, Veterans Housing, and Homeless Prevention - into one streamlined portal, though the initial application only determines preliminary eligibility for waitlists. The system allows users to select specific municipalities, counties, or regions, with the consolidated application later serving as a final eligibility tool for these programs. The bill directs the Housing Agency to implement this system immediately via its website, aiming to simplify access to housing resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 781, would allow registered nurses in New Jersey to apply for special vehicle license plates displaying the caduceus symbol and the words "Registered Nurse." Nurses would pay a $50 application fee (plus a $10 annual renewal fee) to the Motor Vehicle Commission, which would design the plates and manage the program. The state must first secure funding to cover initial costs before implementation, and the program could end if annual plate costs exceed fees for two consecutive years. The bill directly affects licensed nurses seeking to display their profession on their vehicles, with no changes to existing vehicle registration requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Budget and Accounting to establish a separate fringe benefit rate for public colleges and universities starting in fiscal year 2025. It directly affects employees at these institutions and the state budget, as current funding uses a general state rate that doesn't reflect their actual retirement costs (many use cheaper plans like ABP instead of the standard PERS). The new rate will be based on the actual cost of employee retirement programs at these schools, applied to all federal, dedicated, and non-State funded programs. This change aims to align state funding more accurately with the actual benefit expenses of public higher education employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill grants Rutgers University police officers permanent civil service status under New Jersey law, placing them in the state's career civil service system (Title 11A). It directly affects all police officers in Rutgers' Division of Public Safety, giving them job protections and seniority rights previously reserved for state and municipal police. Key provisions include automatic permanent status for officers with at least one year of service before the bill's effective date, with seniority retroactive to their original hire date. The bill does not change existing duties or pay but shifts their employment status to the civil service framework. It is pending before the Senate Higher Education Committee as of January 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases annual payments from New Jersey's Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund to municipalities over two years, replacing the current fixed $740 million allocation. It prohibits municipalities from counting anticipated revenue from this fund when creating their annual budgets and requires that any additional aid must be subtracted from their property tax levy amounts. The bill directly affects all New Jersey municipalities receiving these state aid payments, including cities, towns, and counties. If enacted, it would provide incremental funding increases while ensuring local tax burdens are adjusted downward proportionally.