Sen. Troy Singleton

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's "John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act," which sets new standards to protect voting rights. It requires courts to interpret election laws liberally in favor of voters, particularly protecting racial, color, and language-minority groups (defined as "protected classes"), ensuring their equal access to voting and registration. The Attorney General is designated as the chief enforcer to investigate violations, issue guidance, and litigate cases related to voting rights under this law. Key provisions include prohibiting unnecessary voting barriers and mandating that election policies be narrowly tailored to serve compelling government interests.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2565) expands access to closed-circuit television testimony for victims and witnesses specifically in human trafficking cases. It allows courts to order such testimony after finding clear evidence that testifying in person would cause severe emotional distress, with safeguards ensuring the victim/witness testifies under oath, faces cross-examination, and their demeanor remains observable. The law permits victims, prosecutors, defendants, or judges to request this testimony, and includes special confidentiality rules for minors (under 18) regarding audio recordings of their testimony. This directly affects human trafficking victims and witnesses in New Jersey criminal trials, making it easier for them to participate without facing traumatic in-person courtroom settings.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill eliminates time limits for prosecuting human trafficking crimes, allowing criminal charges to be filed at any time. For civil cases where victims sue traffickers, it extends the filing deadline to 10 years after the crime occurred, or until the victim turns 18 if they were a minor at the time, or two years after discovering the harm. The bill directly affects victims of human trafficking (who gain extended legal options) and individuals accused of trafficking offenses (who face no time limit for prosecution). It modifies existing laws to remove fixed time periods for both criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits related to human trafficking.

Maddy summaryS 731 requires New Jersey electric utilities to create special pricing plans for large data centers (defined as facilities with 100+ megawatts monthly demand) to protect regular electricity customers from cost increases. The bill mandates that these plans must prevent non-data center ratepayers from bearing costs from data centers' high energy use and incentivize data centers to improve energy efficiency, including using waste heat. Utilities must submit these plans to the Board of Public Utilities within 180 days, and the rules will take effect one year after the bill passes. Key requirements include data centers committing to 85% service levels for 10 years, proving project uniqueness, and providing financial guarantees to cover potential cost overruns if they reduce service.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's Tuition Aid Grant program to include part-time undergraduate students and creates a new pilot program focused on student affordability and equity. The key change allows part-time students to receive financial aid, with the amount of their grant calculated as a prorated portion of the standard full-time award. Eligibility for these grants remains tied to residency, demonstrated financial need, and satisfactory academic progress, while the total duration of aid is adjusted to reflect part-time enrollment status.

Maddy summaryS 2617 establishes the Council for Community Recovery and Family Success to develop a statewide initiative focused on improving outcomes for infants, children, youth, and families in New Jersey. The council, composed of 25 members including state agency heads and appointed community representatives, will coordinate services across departments and advocate for a State Bill of Rights for Children based on UN standards. It will identify gaps in preventive services and develop strategies across four key areas: family relationships, financial security, education, and health. The bill appropriates $4.0 million to fund the council’s operations and its work plan. This is a procedural bill creating a new oversight body, not a direct policy change affecting specific programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans in New Jersey with more than 50 members to cover medically necessary infertility treatments, including assisted reproductive technology, for individuals and couples. The law specifically mandates coverage for procedures used to prevent the transmission of severely disabling or life-threatening monogenic disorders to offspring, alongside other standard infertility services like IVF and genetic testing. While the bill sets specific guidelines for coverage limits and medical necessity, it includes an exemption allowing religious employers to exclude certain reproductive technologies if they conflict with the employer's religious beliefs.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates a transaction-based requirement for remote sellers and corporations to pay New Jersey sales/use tax and corporate business tax. Currently, sellers must collect tax if they make 200+ separate transactions in New Jersey or exceed $100,000 in revenue. The bill removes the 200-transaction threshold, meaning only the $100,000 revenue rule remains to determine tax obligations. It directly affects out-of-state online retailers and corporations operating in New Jersey without a physical presence. The change applies only to future transactions, not retroactively.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey municipalities to set a 15 miles per hour speed limit in designated historic districts without first conducting a formal engineering and traffic investigation. Under current rules, establishing lower speed limits typically requires a detailed study to prove the change is safe, but this measure removes that requirement specifically for areas listed in the National Register of Historic Places or the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. The law defines these historic districts based on existing state and federal registries and permits towns to pass ordinances to enforce the reduced speed limit immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans covering groups of 50+ people to cover preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) when performed alongside in vitro fertilization (IVF) to prevent serious genetic conditions from being passed to offspring. It applies only when specific medical criteria are met, such as both partners being carriers of certain genetic disorders or a history of a child with a genetic condition. Insurance plans must cover these services at the same level as other pregnancy-related care, but religious employers can opt out if coverage conflicts with their beliefs. The law directly affects insurance providers and individuals seeking IVF with PGT for defined genetic prevention purposes.