Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Taxation to purchase unused tax credits from two specific programs: the New Jersey Aspire Program (for economic development) and the Cultural Arts Incentives Program. The state must pay 85% of the credit's value, provided the tax credit certificate was issued at least one year before the purchase application. It directly affects developers and businesses holding unused credits under these programs who wish to sell them to the state. The bill changes prior law, which allowed but did not require such purchases, making it mandatory for these two programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates an independent Office of the Veteran Advocate within New Jersey's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), with the position appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The Veteran Advocate will investigate complaints about veteran services, monitor care in state facilities, and ensure veterans receive proper treatment, with authority to conduct site visits, issue subpoenas, and establish a 24-hour hotline. The office will report annually to the Governor and Legislature on issues affecting veterans and make recommendations for improving services. The bill appropriates funds from the General Fund to support this new office, which will serve as an ombudsman for veterans and their families receiving services from state entities or state-funded private providers.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a "Summer Termination Program" that prevents utility disconnections for eligible residential customers during extreme heat. It prohibits local authorities, municipal utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and public utilities from cutting off electric, water, or sewer service if a 72-hour heat forecast shows temperatures reaching or exceeding 85°F for 24+ hours. Eligibility includes customers receiving assistance under the existing Winter Termination Program or those facing financial hardship due to unemployment, illness, medical expenses, or family emergencies. The program requires departments to establish a self-certification process for customers claiming hardship, ensuring service continuity during dangerous heat events.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3812) removes a restriction that allowed the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) to withhold retirement or death benefits from members due to ongoing civil lawsuits related to their employment. It directly affects current and future PFRS members (police officers and firefighters) who are involved in civil litigation over their jobs. The bill requires the PFRS Board to pay benefits immediately, but permits adjustments if a legal case later results in penalties. It maintains existing rules that allow withholding for criminal charges or administrative dismissals from public employment.

Maddy summarySenate Bill S 2788 appropriates $128.241 million from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax (CBT) revenues to the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) for farmland preservation. The funds will pay for permanent land protections on farmland through development easements or fee simple purchases, with grants available to counties (covering up to 80% of costs), municipalities, and qualifying nonprofits (covering up to 50% of costs). Additional funds cover administrative expenses, including staff salaries, appraisals, survey costs, and legal enforcement of preservation agreements. This bill implements existing farmland preservation programs under the Preserve New Jersey Act and related legislation.

Maddy summaryS 4607 establishes a 3-year pilot program allowing solar energy projects on state and local government-owned roadside right-of-way areas (30-100 feet from road centerlines) in New Jersey. The bill sets a 10-megawatt capacity limit per project and a 200-megawatt total cap for all projects, requiring approval from the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and Transportation Commissioner. Projects must not impair traffic safety, road maintenance, or driver visibility, and developers must address environmental impacts like stormwater runoff. The pilot will evaluate these projects to inform a future permanent solar program, with potential 12-month extensions and a 50-megawatt capacity increase per extension.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 50-megawatt annual target for solar projects on roadside rights-of-way as part of New Jersey's SREC-II solar incentive program. It requires the Board of Public Utilities to integrate these projects into the existing program with evaluation criteria that consider traffic volume and emissions burden of adjacent road systems. The policy directly affects solar developers seeking incentives for projects on public roadways, aiming to increase solar energy development while considering transportation impacts. This change is part of New Jersey's broader strategy to meet clean energy goals outlined in the 2019 Energy Master Plan.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Department of Children and Families (DCF) to create a unified online child care finder tool to help parents, guardians, and caregivers locate licensed child care centers and registered family child care providers statewide. The tool must include map-based searches, show facility details (like hours, fees, and availability), allow online applications and payments, and meet strict security and accessibility standards. DCF must hire a third-party vendor within 90 days, test the tool in three counties within 270 days, and launch it statewide within one year, using $3.6 million in state funds. The bill aims to replace two separate existing systems with a single, user-friendly platform to simplify child care access.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires scrap metal businesses in New Jersey to verify the identity of sellers and obtain written disclosure about whether scrap metal contains a propulsion battery (like those from electric vehicles) before purchasing it. If sellers state no battery is present, businesses must inspect the metal to confirm. Businesses must maintain detailed records of disclosures and inspections for five years and share them with law enforcement upon request. The law directly affects scrap metal businesses and individuals selling scrap metal containing propulsion batteries.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires businesses receiving New Jersey economic development subsidies (valued at over $25,000) to forfeit part of their subsidy or pay costs if they violate state environmental laws. Specifically, if the Environmental Protection Commissioner determines a business caused an environmental incident, the business must either forfeit 20% of its annual subsidies or pay the full costs of remediation - including housing relocation, air filtration systems, and mental health services for affected residents. Payments collected will fund the new Environmental Incident Recovery Fund, which reimburses impacted residents for qualifying costs. The law applies to all future subsidy agreements and mandates businesses to comply within 30 days or risk losing all future subsidies.