Sen. Latham Tiver

Maddy summaryThis bill suspends two specific charges on residential and business electric and gas utility bills for the entire year of 2026 (January 1-December 31, 2026). It eliminates the state sales and use tax and the societal benefits charge (which funds clean energy programs and energy assistance) on these bills. The average residential customer would save $170-$233 on electricity bills and $178-$308 on gas bills during this period. The suspension expires on January 1, 2027, and does not affect other utility fees or taxes.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits electric utilities from charging customers for electricity usage during service interruptions (like power outages). For each billing cycle with an interruption, utilities must reduce fixed monthly charges proportionally to the duration of the outage. It also requires utilities to repair damaged street lights within 10 business days of notice and prohibits billing customers for those lights until repairs are complete. The bill directly affects residential and business electricity customers in New Jersey, ensuring they aren't charged for services they couldn't use during outages or for non-functional street lighting.

Maddy summaryThe "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act" (S 3309) requires used car dealers to check for open recalls on vehicles before sale using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website and provide prospective buyers with printed recall information if any are found. Dealers cannot sell vehicles subject to stop-sale or do-not-drive notices issued by NHTSA. The bill mandates dealers to report vehicles with unresolved recalls (for which repairs remain uncompleted six months after initial notice) to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission every 180 days, prompting the Commission to send notices directly to vehicle owners. For vehicles with unavailable parts for recalls, dealers receive monthly compensation equal to 1.75% of the vehicle's value until repairs are completed.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey employers from requiring employees to attend or listen to workplace communications about political matters, including discussions about political parties, elections, labor organizations, or community activities. It expands existing law by explicitly adding labor organizations and activities to the definition of "political matters" and mandates employers to post a clear notice of these rights in visible workplace areas. Employees who face violations can sue within 90 days for remedies like reinstatement, back pay, or fines up to $5,000 for repeat offenses. The law directly affects all employers in New Jersey - such as businesses, state agencies, and local governments - and their employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $107,999,000 from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues and Green Acres funds to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The funds support local governments in acquiring land for recreation and conservation (e.g., parks, open space) and developing existing lands (e.g., park improvements, inclusive playgrounds under "Jake's Law"). Specifically, $22.4 million funds land acquisition projects, $80.3 million supports development projects like park upgrades and inclusive playgrounds, and $3 million establishes a new planning grant program for local conservation planning. It prioritizes projects in densely populated areas and urban aid municipalities, as defined by population density thresholds.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3052) expands academic flexibility for New Jersey public college students who are active-duty service members or their dependents (spouses/children) unable to finish a course due to unplanned military obligations like deployment. It changes the attendance threshold from 8 weeks to 55% of a course’s duration to qualify for grade options, adding temporary grades and online course transfers as choices. Students who complete 55% of a course can select a letter grade, pass/fail, incomplete, withdrawal, or online transfer (with approval), while those under 55% can choose incomplete or withdrawal. It also clarifies that pass/fail grades can later be converted to letter grades within a year by completing missed work, and ensures full tuition refunds for withdrawals. The law applies to all public institutions of higher education in New Jersey and takes effect immediately for the next academic year.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3662) allows commercial farmers in New Jersey to recover reasonable legal costs and attorney fees when defending against complaints deemed filed in "bad faith" under the state's Right to Farm Act. It directly affects farmers who successfully prove their agricultural operations comply with state regulations and SADC guidelines (the "irrebuttable presumption"), and a county board or the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) determines the complaint was filed without valid grounds. The key mechanism requires farmers to submit cost details to a county board or SADC; if they find the complaint was filed in bad faith (supported by a preponderance of evidence) and the costs are reasonable, the complainant must pay them. The bill does not alter the Right to Farm Act’s core protections but adds a fee-recovery process for frivolous complaints. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryS 3302 prohibits New Jersey employers from requiring employees to attend or listen to communications about political matters, such as political parties, elections, or joining political organizations. It expands the definition of "political matters" to include labor organizations and community activities, and mandates that employers post clear notices of employee rights in visible workplace areas. Employees who face violations can sue within 90 days for remedies like reinstatement, lost wages, or fines against employers (up to $5,000 per violation). The law aims to protect workers' freedom to focus on job duties without political pressure.

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 summaryS 4611, the "Vehicle Choice Protection Act," prohibits New Jersey state agencies from creating rules, regulations, or policies that restrict or ban the sale, registration, or use of new gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles. It directly affects all state agencies (such as the Department of Environmental Protection or Motor Vehicle Commission) by blocking them from adopting any measures that would limit new internal combustion engine vehicles. The key provision explicitly bans state agencies from implementing rules with the purpose or effect of restricting these vehicles, ensuring they cannot be barred from the market. The bill takes immediate effect and focuses solely on preventing regulatory barriers, without addressing electric vehicle policies or creating new requirements.