Sen. Carmen Amato

Maddy summaryThis bill increases New Jersey's annual payment to eligible veterans and their surviving spouses from $750 to $3,000. It applies to veterans with specific service-connected disabilities, including total sight loss, paraplegia, permanent leg paralysis, amputations, or loss of limb function due to military service injuries, accidents, or diseases. Surviving spouses of qualifying veterans will continue receiving the same increased payment after the veteran's death. Currently, 207 veterans and spouses receive this benefit, and the change takes effect January 1 following the bill's passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts certain New Jersey veterans from the state's gross income tax if they meet two conditions: they must have an honorable military discharge (from active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, reserves, or New Jersey National Guard) and have total income of $50,000 or less. The exemption applies to taxable years beginning after the bill's enactment date (January 1, 2025). It directly affects low-income veterans who served honorably, reducing their state tax burden. The policy change takes effect immediately upon enactment for future tax years.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's property tax law to explicitly remove tax exemption status for housing provided to school faculty. Currently, faculty housing is excluded from exemption under existing law, but this bill clarifies and strengthens that exclusion by removing it from the list of exempt properties. It would require schools to pay property tax on faculty housing units, directly affecting faculty members living in school-provided housing. The change applies to all schools and colleges covered by the tax exemption rules in R.S.54:4-3.6.

Maddy summaryS 1001 requires New Jersey municipalities to designate one parking space near city hall or other main municipal buildings exclusively for vehicles displaying disabled veteran or Purple Heart recipient license plates or placards. This applies to vehicles owned by and transporting qualifying veterans or Purple Heart recipients who already have special license plates or placards issued by the Motor Vehicle Commission. The bill builds on existing parking fee exemptions for these individuals (established in 2015) by adding a physical reserved parking space requirement. Municipalities must implement this change within six months of the law taking effect.

Maddy summaryS 1926 caps New Jersey's annual use of energy tax revenues at $740 million, requiring the remaining funds to be distributed as annual municipal aid. The bill mandates that municipalities receive payments based on their historical tax distributions from 1994-1996, with additional funds allocated to correct previous imbalances in aid distribution. This ensures approximately $740 million in energy tax revenue directly supports local governments each year, rather than being retained by the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to use funds from the "societal benefits charge" (a fee utilities collect from customers) to pay for solar panel installations at age-restricted community clubhouses. It specifically targets facilities meeting federal definitions of "housing for older persons" (typically communities for seniors). The key mechanism redirects existing utility fee revenue - previously used for broader energy programs - directly toward purchasing and installing solar technology at these clubhouse facilities. This creates a new funding stream for renewable energy infrastructure in senior housing communities without creating new taxes or fees.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 313) makes property tax exemptions for 100% disabled veterans retroactive to the date they were declared disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It directly affects veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities (like paraplegia, blindness, or amputations) who previously paid property taxes on their homes. The key provision requires the state to reimburse municipalities for property taxes paid by these veterans during the retroactive period. This changes the existing law (P.L.1948, c.259) to ensure veterans receive refunds for past taxes, rather than only future exemptions.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides tax credits to New Jersey small businesses that pay higher unemployment insurance premiums than standard rates. Specifically, it allows eligible small businesses (meeting federal SBA size criteria) to claim a credit against their state income tax equal to the difference between their actual unemployment insurance payments and what they would have paid at standard "column C" rates. The credit applies for 2023, 2024, and subsequent years until unemployment insurance rates drop to or below standard levels. Businesses cannot claim credits if other subsidies already cover the same cost increase.

Maddy summaryS 1922, "Breann's Law," requires health insurers, the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP), and NJ FamilyCare to cover out-of-network medical services for children diagnosed with catastrophic illnesses. It applies when services are provided by an out-of-network provider following a referral from an in-network provider, and the coverage must match what’s provided for in-network care under the same plan. The law defines "catastrophic illness" as life-threatening or causing serious disability, and it affects dependent children covered under specific health insurance contracts. This policy change ensures consistent coverage for critical care without requiring families to switch networks during emergencies.

Maddy summaryS 1920 reestablishes a New Jersey state education aid program that provides $500 per student to school districts located in municipalities where over 51% of residents are age 65 or older (based on the latest federal census). This aid directly affects qualifying school districts, such as those in Manchester Township and Berkeley Township (which is part of the Central Regional School District), by supplementing existing funding. The bill calculates aid based on projected student enrollment in qualifying municipalities and reduces the local tax burden for those areas by lowering their share of regional school district levies. It reestablishes a program repealed in 2008 and applies starting with the 2008-2009 school year (though the current bill is newly introduced).