Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a program within New Jersey's veterans' memorial homes to provide direct support services to families of residents. It requires the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to have resident advocates (already established by law) administer the program, making key resources accessible on-site. The program provides family members with timely information on health updates, facility events, state/federal benefits applications, financial assistance, and counseling services - both in-person and referrals for external support. It defines "family member" to include spouses, domestic partners, and children (by blood or adoption) who are New Jersey residents. The bill mandates implementation within 90 days of enactment.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 1891 establishes a 5-year pilot program requiring New Jersey's Department of Human Services (DHS) to coordinate START services (systemic, therapeutic, assessment, resource, and treatment) for adults with both developmental disabilities and mental illness. The program creates community-based therapeutic respite homes with dedicated beds for crisis stabilization (stabilization beds) and preventive respite (respite beds), alongside 24/7 crisis response services. It mandates individualized crisis management plans to prevent emergencies and stabilize crises without hospitalization or institutional care. This directly affects eligible adults in New Jersey who currently face challenges accessing integrated support across mental health and disability service systems.
Maddy summaryS 1190 establishes a New Jersey legislative internship program specifically for veterans. It allows state legislators to hire eligible veterans as interns in their district offices, with approval from their chamber's presiding officer. To qualify, veterans must be honorably discharged, released within five years, at or below E-5/O-3 pay grades, and have at least a 20% service-connected disability (or be Purple Heart recipients); New Jersey residents receive priority. Interns would complete one work period (potentially extendable) performing legislative tasks under a legislator's direction, with the state seeking federal grants to support the program. The bill is currently pending in committee after introduction on January 13, 2026.
Maddy summaryS 1895 establishes New Jersey's "Farm to Food Bank Pilot Program," directing the Department of Agriculture to create a three-year initiative connecting farmers with food banks to distribute fresh produce and agricultural products. The program provides grants covering part or all of a farmer's production costs (up to market price) for contracted food, administered through the Department of Agriculture with input from the Department of Health. Farmers and food banks negotiate specific contracts for distribution, and the program requires a final report to the Governor and Legislature after three years to evaluate its success.
Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill S 1917 requires the state’s Transportation Commissioner and Highway Traffic Safety Director to annually update public awareness campaigns and use variable message signs at least once yearly. The campaigns must inform motorists about their duty to change lanes or reduce speed when approaching pedestrians, bicycles, or personal conveyances (like scooters), as specified in existing law (C.39:4-92.4). The bill mandates that these materials cover the importance of compliance, risks of non-compliance, and associated penalties. It directly affects all drivers in New Jersey through updated public safety messaging. The bill amends prior statutes (P.L.2017, c.358 and P.L.2019, c.370) to expand awareness beyond emergency vehicles to include vulnerable road users.
Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 316 prohibits foreign governments and foreign persons (including non-U.S. citizens, foreign-owned corporations, and entities controlled by foreign entities) from acquiring or owning agricultural land in the state after the bill's effective date. Existing foreign owners must sell their land within five years, transferring ownership to a U.S. entity while requiring the land to remain in agricultural use. The bill allows limited exceptions for land acquired through debt collection, inheritance, or security interests, but mandates that such land also be sold within two years. It requires the Agriculture Secretary to annually report on foreign ownership trends, acreage, and land use to the Governor and Legislature.
Maddy summarySCR 47 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring New Jersey's Legislature to make all bills and joint resolutions available to the public on its website for at least seven full calendar days after their second reading, before the final vote. This would extend the current one-day requirement between second and third readings. The exception allowing immediate final votes for "emergency" measures would still require a three-fourths vote in each chamber. The amendment directly affects public access to legislation, ensuring most bills are publicly viewable for a full week prior to final passage, unless designated an emergency by a supermajority. It does not change the three-readings requirement but modifies the timing between readings.
Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 1852 provides tax credits to small businesses (fewer than 25 employees and under $1 million annual revenue) and farm employers to offset increased labor costs from the state's minimum wage hike enacted in 2019. The bill allows a credit equal to the difference between the new minimum wage and the previous rate, multiplied by hours worked, for both corporate business tax and gross income tax. Credits are capped at $12,500 per employee and can be carried forward for up to 10 years. This directly affects small business owners and farm employers paying hourly wages who face higher payroll expenses due to the 2019 minimum wage increase.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public meetings of New Jersey's State Board of Education to be accessible both in person and virtually. It mandates that the Board provide a publicly available virtual meeting link on its website and allows members of the public to submit comments remotely during sessions that accept public input. The law directly affects the State Board of Education in how it conducts meetings and the public who attend or comment on education policy discussions. These changes ensure broader public participation by removing physical attendance barriers for meetings about education policy.
Maddy summaryThis bill provides New Jersey farm employers with tax credits for offering lodging or transportation benefits to their hourly or piece-rate farm workers. Employers can claim up to $250 per employee for qualifying lodging (must be on-site, required for employment, and provided for at least six weeks) and up to $500 per employee for transportation benefits (reimbursing actual commute costs like public transit or fuel). The credits apply against corporate business tax and gross income tax, but cannot exceed 50% of the tax liability. Unused credits may be carried forward for up to four years, and benefits cannot overlap with other tax credits or incentives.