Maddy summaryS 2981 establishes the New Jersey Military Family Relief Fund, allowing taxpayers to voluntarily contribute to it via their state income tax return. The fund will provide grants of up to $2,500 to cover essential expenses like food, housing, and medical costs for active-duty military members (and their families), New Jersey National Guard members (and their families), veterans (with honorable discharge), and their families, or surviving spouses. To qualify, applicants must be New Jersey residents for at least 12 consecutive months, provide proof of financial hardship, and cannot receive more than one grant within a 12-month period. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will manage the fund and distribute grants when sufficient funds are available.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 2979 requires New Jersey's Clean Energy Program (NJCEP) to make existing energy efficiency incentives available to commercial farm owners, who were previously excluded from the program. The bill mandates the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to create an energy audit program - developed with the Department of Agriculture - to help farm owners assess energy use and identify efficiency improvements. It also requires the BPU to publish all farm-specific incentives and program details online. This change directly affects commercial farm operators by enabling them to access current NJCEP funding for energy-saving upgrades like equipment and building retrofits.
Maddy summaryThis bill, "The Voter Convenience Act," allows New Jersey voters to cast ballots at any polling place within their municipality on election day, rather than being restricted to their assigned location. County election officials must develop uniform guidelines using electronic poll books to verify voter eligibility and provide the correct ballot for the voter's election district. It applies to all municipalities that choose to implement the change, with optional countywide voting locations also permitted. The bill modifies election procedures but does not alter voting eligibility or ballot content.
Maddy summaryThis bill sets minimum payment rates for ambulance services under New Jersey's Medicaid program. It requires $300 per emergency ambulance transport and $8.94 per loaded mile for ground ambulance services, with annual adjustments tied to Medicare rates. These changes directly affect ambulance providers serving Medicaid beneficiaries. The rates take effect July 1, 2024, and require state rule updates for implementation.
Maddy summaryThis bill extends New Jersey's process for calculating gas taxes through Fiscal Year 2032 and imposes new fees on electric vehicles, including a $300 annual registration fee for passenger EVs and $450 for commercial EVs. It repeals the sales tax exemption for electric vehicles, directing those revenues to transportation projects, and appropriates $2.5 billion total - $1 billion to NJ Transit for capital projects and operations, and $1.5 billion to the Transportation Trust Fund. These changes are intended to support New Jersey's transportation infrastructure funding needs through 2032.
Maddy summarySCR 96 proposes a constitutional amendment to dedicate specific tax revenues from electric vehicle sales and registration fees exclusively to New Jersey's transportation system. If the state imposes a sales tax on electric vehicles, the amendment requires up to $100 million annually from that tax to fund transportation projects. Similarly, any additional registration fee on electric vehicles would require all revenue from that fee to be dedicated to transportation. The amendment does not create new taxes or fees but ensures that if such revenues exist, they must be used solely for transportation planning, construction, and repairs - barring other constitutional exceptions.
Maddy summaryThe New Jersey Transit Accountability Act (S 2957) requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJT) to hire an independent auditor within 90 days to examine its financial management and budget reporting practices since 2018. The audit must assess pandemic impacts on service demand and finances, evaluate current funding adequacy, and recommend improvements to governance, staffing, and customer service. NJT must submit the auditor’s findings to the Governor and Legislature, then adopt recommended policies within six months - though it may opt out with a detailed justification. The report must cover how NJT manages money, pandemic effects, funding gaps, and specific operational fixes, without overriding existing audit obligations.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) from requiring children under 16 to obtain a horseback riding permit or pay the $2.00 nonrefundable application fee when riding in state wildlife management areas. It directly affects young riders (under age 16) who use these public spaces for horseback riding. The law removes an existing permit requirement and fee specifically for this age group, while allowing the DEP to adopt necessary rules for implementation. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to prioritize energy security, diversity, and affordability when updating the state's Energy Master Plan. It mandates the BPU to conduct detailed cost and impact analyses for all energy generation projects and the Master Plan itself, including breakdowns of financial effects on ratepayers, state/local governments, and infrastructure costs. The plan must limit intermittent energy sources (like wind/solar) to no more than 50% of the state's energy portfolio and prioritize in-state energy generation to reduce subsidies for out-of-state sources. These changes directly affect the BPU, ratepayers (through potential cost impacts), and energy developers (requiring pre-approval analyses), while ensuring public transparency via online analysis publications and annual committee testimony.
Maddy summaryS 2807 requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to waive the knowledge test for military service members and veterans with an honorable discharge who apply for a commercial driver license (CDL) and have operated commercial vehicles during military service. To qualify, applicants must submit proof of military service or veteran status, a military CDL or documentation of their driving experience, and meet federal conditions like having no recent license suspensions or serious traffic violations. The waiver does not apply to applicants seeking licenses for vehicles carrying 16+ passengers, hazardous materials, or school buses. This change aligns with federal regulations (49 C.F.R. §383.77) that permit states to waive testing for qualified military drivers.