Sen. Carmen Amato

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 563) makes it a third-degree crime to intentionally damage or deface military monuments. It directly affects individuals who purposely deface, damage, or pollute monuments erected to honor military personnel or commemorate battles. The law defines "military monument" specifically as any monument created to honor armed forces members or mark military history, and "desecrate" as defacing, damaging, or polluting such sites. The bill amends existing law to create this specific offense level, effective immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill permits licensed organizations in New Jersey, such as charities, veterans' groups, and churches, to conduct a new raffle game called "Queen of Hearts." The game uses a board with 54 shuffled cards; participants who win a raffle ticket select a card, receiving a cash prize for non-Queen cards or 50% of the prize (with the rest retained by the organizer) if they select the Queen of Hearts, with drawings held weekly until the Queen is chosen. The Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission must create regulations for these raffles, and organizers may use the net proceeds as allowed by law. The bill does not change existing eligibility for raffle licenses but adds a specific game format to permitted activities.

Maddy summaryS 2133 establishes a formal legislative internship program in New Jersey, allowing state legislators to hire interns with up to $10,000 annually per member (subject to presiding officer approval). The program targets undergraduate and graduate students (excluding law and PhD candidates) from accredited schools, prioritizing New Jersey residents or students attending in-state institutions. Interns must complete a work period in a legislator's district office and receive a $1,000 stipend per period, paid bi-weekly or monthly. The bill appropriates $1.2 million from the state budget to fund this initiative.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's legislature passed SCR 15 to request Congress call a state-led convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. The convention would propose constitutional amendments to limit federal spending, reduce federal government power over states, and impose term limits on federal officials and members of Congress. This is a continuing application, meaning New Jersey's request remains active until at least two-thirds of states join the same effort. The bill itself does not change laws but seeks to initiate a process for potential constitutional amendments.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 58) provides property tax exemptions for New Jersey veterans with service-connected disabilities. It allows veterans with a 30% or higher disability rating (including specific conditions like blindness, amputations, or paralysis) to receive a tax exemption proportional to their disability percentage, up to 100%. Surviving spouses of eligible veterans or those who died in service also qualify for similar exemptions under defined conditions. Crucially, the bill requires the state to reimburse municipalities 102% of the lost tax revenue from these exemptions, ensuring local governments aren’t financially burdened. The policy directly affects honorably discharged veterans with qualifying disabilities and their surviving spouses.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to create rules for small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), defined as reactors under 300 megawatts requiring U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing. It authorizes the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to use 60% of the Global Warming Solutions Fund to provide financial incentives for the construction and operation of SMRs. The EDA must determine grant levels, selection criteria (prioritizing projects with measurable greenhouse gas reductions), and application processes for these incentives. This directly affects the EDA, reactor developers, and potential investors in SMR projects within New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the cancellation period for home improvement contracts to seniors aged 65 and older. It allows these consumers to cancel any home improvement contract for any reason within five business days (instead of the current three days) after receiving the signed contract. Contractors must include a clear notice in the contract stating this extended window and require full refunds within 30 days of cancellation. The change directly affects seniors entering home improvement agreements over $500, providing them additional time to review contracts without penalty.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates New Jersey's Transfer Inheritance Tax for estates of decedents dying on or after July 1, 2021. It repeals all existing laws imposing this tax, which previously taxed transfers to beneficiaries (including siblings, non-relatives, and others) at rates up to 16%, affecting anyone receiving assets from a New Jersey estate. The repeal removes New Jersey from the list of six states with an inheritance tax. Existing tax obligations for deaths before July 1, 2021, remain unaffected.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 966) updates New Jersey's legal definition of "domestic violence" to explicitly include psychological abuse and economic abuse. It adds two new provisions: (1) any behavior causing fear or distress that disrupts daily life (psychological abuse), and (2) financial control tactics that prevent someone from accessing money, property, or essential goods/services (economic abuse). The change directly affects victims covered under the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, expanding legal protections to include these previously excluded forms of abuse. The bill revises Section 3 of the 1991 Domestic Violence Act without creating new enforcement mechanisms, solely clarifying the scope of existing protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program to allow married individuals who are victims of domestic abuse to claim the credit while filing as "married filing separately" instead of being required to file jointly. It directly affects New Jersey residents who are married, living apart from their spouse due to domestic abuse, and would otherwise lose eligibility for both federal and state EITC benefits by filing separately. The key provision exempts these taxpayers from the standard joint filing requirement if they meet three conditions: living apart from their spouse, being unable to file jointly due to domestic abuse, and indicating this on their tax return. This change ensures victims of domestic abuse can access existing tax credits without being forced to file jointly with their abuser.