Sen. Latham Tiver

Maddy summaryS 1916 establishes the Domestic Violence Shelter Pet Grant Program within New Jersey's Department of Human Services. The program provides grants to domestic violence shelters to cover costs for pets of victims, including food, medication, supplies, and veterinary care, allowing pets to stay with their owners in shelters. Shelters must apply for grants (capped at $50,000 each) with preference given to those housing more pets, funded by a $1,000,000 appropriation from the General Fund. This directly affects domestic violence victims who own pets and the shelters serving them.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey farmers with a farming business to calculate their state income tax using averaged farming income over a four-year period (current year plus three prior base years). The tax credit equals the difference between their normal tax bill and the bill calculated with averaged income, capped at $5,000 annually. It directly affects farmers whose income fluctuates due to weather, market conditions, or production cycles. The policy aims to smooth tax payments across profitable and less profitable years, providing more predictable tax obligations.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2463 bill withdraws the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state program targeting carbon emissions, and repeals the "Global Warming Response Act" along with related climate laws. It directs the Environmental Protection Commissioner to notify RGGI officials of New Jersey's withdrawal 30 days after the bill takes effect. All unencumbered funds previously held in the "Global Warming Solutions Fund" are transferred to the General Fund for ratepayer relief. This bill directly affects New Jersey's climate policy framework by ending its participation in RGGI and redirecting climate-related funding.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey joint resolution urges the U.S. President and Congress to enact a federal student loan forgiveness program for teachers working in schools serving military-impacted communities. It specifically requests that teachers employed for five consecutive years in such schools receive up to $17,500 in federal student loan cancellation. A military-impacted community is defined as one where at least 20% of students have a parent on active duty. The resolution aims to help recruit and retain teachers who support military-connected students facing school transitions due to parental relocations.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state-funded counseling program for family members of New Jersey's active-duty military members and disabled veterans. It requires the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to reimburse licensed mental health professionals for up to 10 counseling sessions per year (in-person or via telehealth) for eligible family members. Eligible family members include spouses, domestic partners, civil union partners, or children of active-duty service members or disabled veterans who are New Jersey residents. The program will maintain a statewide list of participating providers, set reimbursement rates, and conduct outreach to inform eligible individuals about the service.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 1906) exempts sales of pet food and certain veterinary medications from the state's sales and use tax. It applies specifically to food and medications for "qualified pets" - domesticated animals kept primarily for companionship (not for business or research) - and defines "qualified pet medication" as drugs recognized by state boards, prescribed by licensed vets, or intended to affect a pet's health. The exemption covers purchases made by pet owners for their companion animals, removing tax from these recurring costs. The policy change takes effect in the first full calendar quarter after enactment.

Maddy summaryS 1595 exempts volunteer fire companies, nonprofit emergency medical/rescue services, and qualified veteran organizations from paying registration fees under New Jersey's Charitable Registration and Investigation Act. Currently, charitable groups raising over $10,000 annually must register with the Division of Consumer Affairs and pay a fee; this bill removes that requirement for the specified volunteer organizations. The exemption applies to fire companies (including part-paid), emergency service providers, and veteran groups meeting IRS 501(c)(3)/501(c)(19 criteria, provided they operate entirely on volunteer basis. This changes the policy by eliminating a financial burden for these community service groups without altering their charitable status.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1743) requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection to ensure annual prescribed burns meet specific minimum acreage targets in the Pinelands region and statewide. It sets increasing annual goals: starting at 25,000 acres in the Pinelands plus 10,000 statewide in year one, rising to 50,000 acres in the Pinelands and 20,000 statewide by year six. Burns must occur between November and March (before wildfire season) and can be conducted by state agencies, federal partners, or approved landowners under existing law. The bill mandates all relevant state agencies integrate these requirements into environmental and land management plans.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey farm operators to accelerate tax deductions for eligible business investments, matching current federal tax rules. Specifically, it enables farms to use federal Section 168 (bonus depreciation) and Section 179 (immediate expensing of capital costs) for state corporation business and gross income tax calculations. The policy directly affects farms primarily producing agricultural or horticultural commodities for sale, letting them deduct equipment and property costs faster than current state law permits. New Jersey had previously decoupled from these federal provisions, but this bill aligns state tax treatment with current federal standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all state agencies and political subdivisions (including counties, municipalities, school districts, and local government entities) to make a good faith effort to purchase 5% of their goods and services from the Central Nonprofit Agency (CNA), which sources products from approved rehabilitation facilities. The CNA is granted the right of first refusal for these purchases, meaning state entities must consider the CNA before other vendors. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Division of Purchase and Property establish mandatory training protocols for purchasing agents, requiring new hires to complete training and renewing it every two years. The bill also requires regular reporting to track compliance with the 5% procurement goal and training requirements.