Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez

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and municipal court administrators by requiring private entities to prevent disclosure of their home addresses and unpublished telephone numbers.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 requires all scrap metal businesses in New Jersey to implement specific safety measures. Businesses must conduct quarterly audits to ensure prohibited items are not stored on-site and must reduce fire risks by hiring trained fire suppression personnel or contracting with trained individuals. Additionally, businesses must install and maintain remotely operable on-site fire suppression systems, with a 5-year implementation deadline (starting 6 months after enactment). The law updates existing scrap metal regulations under P.L.2009, c.8, focusing on preventing fires and ensuring proper recordkeeping.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5049) removes a current restriction that allows the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) to withhold retirement or death benefits from members if they are involved in pending civil lawsuits related to their employment. It specifically prohibits the PFRS Board from delaying benefits due to such civil litigation, though it maintains the ability to withhold benefits for members facing criminal charges or administrative dismissal. The bill requires the Board to adjust benefits after any legal case concludes, rather than holding payments indefinitely during litigation. This change directly affects current and future PFRS members who are involved in employment-related civil disputes.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to create special 4-H branded license plates for motor vehicles. Vehicle owners who apply pay a $50 one-time fee plus a $10 annual renewal fee, with all additional fees deposited into a dedicated "New Jersey 4-H License Plate Fund." The fund's annual appropriations directly support 4-H programs across the state. The plates require private funding to cover initial design and production costs (up to $25,000), and the program won't launch until 500 applications are received. The Motor Vehicle Commission must select the plate design in consultation with 4-H.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the time teachers can be away from service while maintaining membership in New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF). It increases the standard discontinuance period from two to seven years, and extends the return-to-service window to 25 years for teachers who were laid off or voluntarily left with 10 or more years of service. Teachers returning within these extended timeframes will be re-enrolled in the TPAF at their previous tier with no additional contributions required. The changes apply to all current and future TPAF members who meet the specified conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a "Summer Termination Program" that prevents utility companies (including local authorities, municipal utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and public utilities) from disconnecting electricity, water, or sewer service to eligible residential customers during extreme heat. It triggers when a 72-hour forecast predicts temperatures reaching or exceeding 85°F for at least 24 hours. Eligible customers include those receiving assistance under the existing Winter Termination Program or those unable to pay bills due to hardships like unemployment, illness, or family emergencies. The program requires the Department of Community Affairs and the Board of Public Utilities to establish self-certification processes for customers to claim financial hardship.

Maddy summaryThe "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act" (S 3309) requires used car dealers to check for open recalls on vehicles before sale using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website and provide prospective buyers with printed recall information if any are found. Dealers cannot sell vehicles subject to stop-sale or do-not-drive notices issued by NHTSA. The bill mandates dealers to report vehicles with unresolved recalls (for which repairs remain uncompleted six months after initial notice) to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission every 180 days, prompting the Commission to send notices directly to vehicle owners. For vehicles with unavailable parts for recalls, dealers receive monthly compensation equal to 1.75% of the vehicle's value until repairs are completed.

Maddy summaryS 3887 requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide public boat access to state-owned lakes where boats are permitted, within two years of the law's enactment. The DEP must build access points, contract with private marinas (via public bidding), or use existing infrastructure to enable public boating. The bill allocates $2 million from the General Fund to fund these access improvements. This directly affects the public seeking boating access, the DEP as the implementing agency, and private marina owners who may enter into contracts with the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3052) expands academic flexibility for New Jersey public college students who are active-duty service members or their dependents (spouses/children) unable to finish a course due to unplanned military obligations like deployment. It changes the attendance threshold from 8 weeks to 55% of a course’s duration to qualify for grade options, adding temporary grades and online course transfers as choices. Students who complete 55% of a course can select a letter grade, pass/fail, incomplete, withdrawal, or online transfer (with approval), while those under 55% can choose incomplete or withdrawal. It also clarifies that pass/fail grades can later be converted to letter grades within a year by completing missed work, and ensures full tuition refunds for withdrawals. The law applies to all public institutions of higher education in New Jersey and takes effect immediately for the next academic year.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey state government to purchase unused tax credits from two specific programs: the New Jersey Aspire Program and the Cultural Arts Incentives Program. It mandates the Division of Taxation to buy these unused credits at 85% of their value, provided the tax credit certificate was issued at least one year before the purchase application. This applies to developers or holders who originally received these credits but did not use them. The bill changes prior law, which allowed the state to optionally purchase such credits, by making it mandatory for these two programs.