Sen. Paul Moriarty

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts creditors from paying municipal property registration fees when a property is under an automatic stay in federal bankruptcy proceedings. It directly affects creditors involved in foreclosure cases that enter bankruptcy, removing a fee obligation during the bankruptcy process. The key provision amends existing law to create this exemption, ensuring creditors aren't charged fees for properties protected under federal bankruptcy law. The change applies to fees imposed by municipalities under their property registration programs for foreclosure properties. This is a specific policy adjustment to align municipal fees with federal bankruptcy protections.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 527 prohibits electioneering (such as distributing campaign materials or soliciting support for candidates/parties) within 25 feet of any person waiting in line at a polling place or ballot drop box, making it a misdemeanor. This expands existing law, which already banned such activity within 100 feet of polling sites, to cover lines forming outside that 100-foot zone. The bill exempts newspaper vendors and nonpartisan voter assistance (like explaining ballot procedures) that doesn't support or oppose candidates or issues. It directly affects voters waiting in line, poll workers, and campaign volunteers near voting locations.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the tuition credit amount for volunteer firefighters and first responders in New Jersey. It raises the annual credit from $600 to $1,250 per year (up to a total of $5,000 over four years) for active members of volunteer fire companies or first aid/rescue squads, plus their spouses and dependent children. To qualify, individuals must agree to serve four years in such a volunteer organization and sign a service agreement with their municipality. The credit covers tuition at county colleges, vocational schools, or technical institutes, though students still pay required fees like lab or registration costs.

Maddy summaryS 829, titled "CJ's Law," would make it illegal to manufacture, sell, or possess substances containing kratom in New Jersey. The bill amends state drug laws to explicitly include kratom under prohibited "controlled dangerous substances," creating new criminal penalties for these activities. This change would directly affect individuals who use or sell kratom products, as current law does not ban kratom. The law would apply to all kratom-containing substances, including those sold as dietary supplements or recreational products.

Maddy summaryS 2599 requires companies, research facilities, and institutions using cats, dogs, or ferrets for product testing, research, or educational purposes in New Jersey to assess each animal for adoption suitability after testing ends and offer it to rescue organizations or private individuals if suitable. These entities must register with the state health department, report animal details (like type, number, and adoption status), and document efforts to place animals for adoption. Noncompliance results in civil penalties of up to $50,000 for repeated violations, with a third offense potentially leading to a court-ordered ban on animal testing. The bill establishes clear reporting procedures and enforcement mechanisms to ensure animals used in testing have adoption opportunities.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2080) revises New Jersey's existing law (P.L.2015, c.120) that prohibits sending unsolicited checks automatically enrolling recipients in services or charging fees. It clarifies that businesses cannot mail checks that, when cashed, obligate recipients to pay fees or join ongoing agreements - except for checks sent in response to requests, as account substitutes, or from authorized financial institutions. The bill updates penalties: a first violation incurs up to $500, a second up to $1,000, and third or subsequent violations trigger stricter penalties under the state's Consumer Fraud Act (up to $10,000 for a first CFA offense). This directly affects businesses that send checks, not consumers, by strengthening enforcement against deceptive check practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2156) expands New Jersey's cyber-harassment law to include online communications made with "reckless disregard" for another person's safety, in addition to intentional harassment. It directly affects internet users who post threatening, lewd, or obscene content online, minors convicted of cyber-harassment, and their parents or guardians. Key provisions make reckless cyber-harassment a disorderly persons offense (up to 6 months jail or $1,000 fine), while intentional acts remain fourth-degree crimes. For minors under 16, courts may require education programs on cyber-harassment, and parents can be fined up to $500 for failing to comply with these orders. The bill does not change penalties for intentional harassment but broadens the definition to cover reckless online behavior.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's pretrial detention rules to address how firearm-related offenses are evaluated. It requires courts to treat public firearm discharges (including those with "ghost guns" or conversion devices) as violent offenses in the Public Safety Assessment (PSA) risk tool, rather than categorizing them as lesser crimes like mischief. This change directly affects defendants charged with firearm offenses that currently don't trigger violent offense status under the PSA, potentially leading to stricter pretrial detention decisions for such cases. The amendment ensures the PSA more accurately reflects the danger posed by modern firearm threats, as highlighted in a 2024 state commission report.

Maddy summaryS 2164 allows municipal courts to suspend a person's driver's license or nonresident driving privilege if they fail to appear in court after receiving written notice, fail to pay court-imposed fines/costs, or default on payment plans. It requires courts to provide notice and a hearing opportunity before suspension and adds fees ($3 to the Motor Vehicle Commission, $10 for notice, $15 for suspension) to fines. The bill also explicitly states that N.J.S.A. 2B:12-31 (which previously authorized license suspensions for non-driving offenses) was repealed in 2019 and was not revived by a 2021 amendment. The law takes effect immediately but includes a six-month grace period for paying outstanding fines, retroactive to January 1, 2021.

Maddy summaryS 2074 amends New Jersey's public records law to clarify what constitutes a "government record" and specify confidential information that cannot be disclosed. It defines key terms like "custodian" and "government record," while listing detailed exemptions - including personal data (SSNs, home addresses), trade secrets, attorney-client communications, security procedures, medical examiner photos, and certain sensitive records like sexual harassment complaints. The bill directly affects residents seeking government records by establishing clearer boundaries for public access under New Jersey's Open Public Records Act. It does not create new exemptions but refines existing ones to improve transparency and protect sensitive information. The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 13, 2026, and referred to the Judiciary Committee.