Maddy summaryS 2640 amends New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination to explicitly protect individuals from discrimination based on membership in a labor organization. The bill revises the definition of "labor organization" to include any group, such as labor unions or employee representation committees, that exists for collective bargaining or addressing workplace issues. This change adds "membership in a labor organization" to the list of protected characteristics under the law, meaning employers and labor organizations cannot discriminate against members in employment, housing, or other areas covered by the LAD. The policy change extends existing protections to labor organization members without altering other existing protections under the Law Against Discrimination.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a fee refund program for businesses in New Jersey that apply for state permits, licenses, or certifications. It requires state agencies to create a detailed catalog of each permit/license type, including processing times, fees, and legal authority, then submit it to the Governor. The Governor's office will set recommended processing times for each application type. If an agency exceeds this recommended time after receiving a complete application, it must refund the application fee (without affecting the application's approval). The bill applies to all state departments, boards, and agencies.
Maddy summaryS 2367 helps military spouses who relocate to New Jersey due to a military transfer by streamlining their path to teaching certification. It extends the validity of a temporary teaching certificate from 180 to 365 days (with a possible 365-day extension) and eliminates all fees for both temporary and full instructional certificates. The bill also requires the state to expedite processing of full certification applications. These changes directly affect nonresident military spouses holding valid teaching licenses from another state who meet New Jersey's competency standards.
Maddy summaryS 1392 creates an Office of Clean Energy Equity within New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to ensure clean energy programs benefit overburdened communities - areas facing environmental and economic challenges. The bill requires the BPU to establish solar programs reaching 250,000 low-income households by 2030 (reducing their energy costs to under 6% of income) and deploy 1,600 megawatt-hours of energy storage in these communities by 2030. It mandates at least $50 million annually for the office to fund workforce training, community outreach, and program evaluation, with strict requirements for community input and resiliency-focused energy storage. The law directly affects low-income households and overburdened communities through targeted energy cost reductions, job opportunities, and improved disaster resilience.
Maddy summarySR 65 is a Senate resolution supporting the National Black Caucus of State Legislators' efforts to advance President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative. It specifically endorses the Caucus’s Resolution ETE-23-34, which calls for establishing oversight committees to coordinate with federal agencies and ensure 40% of federal infrastructure investments benefit communities of color and other disadvantaged areas. The resolution does not create new funding or alter existing laws but formally expresses the New Jersey Senate’s backing for these coordination efforts. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to share the resolution with federal officials and the National Black Caucus. This is a procedural statement of support, not a policy change.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Infrastructure Capital Asset Reassignment Enterprise Fund (ICARE), a trust fund designed to receive revenue-producing assets from public entities like municipalities, counties, and school districts. Public entities can transfer these assets to ICARE, which will manage them to increase the pension funding levels for state retirement systems. The bill appropriates $20 million to support the fund's operations and requires assets to be transferred through a formal process involving independent valuation. The key change is creating a dedicated mechanism to leverage public infrastructure assets for the benefit of public employee retirement systems.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Volunteer Fire Company Assistance Program" in New Jersey's Division of Fire Safety, appropriating $10 million annually to support volunteer fire companies. It creates a grant program allowing these companies to apply for funding to cover emergency equipment (like protective gear, tools, and maintenance) and operational costs - excluding new vehicles or buildings. To receive funds, fire companies must submit detailed applications outlining how they'll use the money, and must report back within a year on expenditures and impacts. The program directly affects all volunteer fire departments statewide, aiming to improve their operational sustainability through targeted financial assistance.
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 summaryBill S 1410 eliminates the use of U.S. Census data in calculating state funding for special education. The bill changes New Jersey's school funding law to remove census-based metrics from the formula determining special education aid. Instead, funding will be based on projected pupil counts from prior years, not current Census data. This directly affects all school districts receiving special education aid by altering how their state funding is calculated.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires contracting agents (like app-based platforms connecting workers with consumers) that serve 50+ workers in a year to contribute 15% of each worker’s monthly earnings into individual portable benefits accounts. It directly affects gig workers who provide 40+ hours monthly through these platforms (using 1099 forms), excluding sales reps, union workers, real estate agents, and licensed health professionals. Benefits include mandatory workers’ compensation or occupational accident insurance, plus choices for health insurance, paid time off, or retirement benefits from a nonprofit provider. Workers can opt to receive half the contribution as cash instead of benefits.