Budget & Taxes

This bill creates neutral safe exchange zones at county sheriff offices for parents exchanging minor children under custody or visitation orders. Each zone must have clear signage, 24/7 access, adequate lighting, and continuous video surveillance recording for 45 days. The court may require exchanges at these zones if domestic violence is involved or a restraining order exists. County sheriffs receive state funding to establish these zones, and law enforcement is protected from liability for incidents occurring there.

S 1834 amends New Jersey's urban enterprise zone (UEZ) program to allow for the creation of additional zones. The bill updates definitions to clarify terms like "UEZ-impacted business districts" (areas negatively affected by adjacent zones) and expands the list of qualifying municipalities eligible to establish zones. This would enable more communities to create UEZs, which provide tax incentives to businesses to stimulate economic development in distressed areas. The changes would directly affect businesses operating within new zones and local governments managing these zones.

This bill requires New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to create and offer payment incentives to drivers who owe certain motor vehicle surcharges every three years. It specifically targets drivers who haven't paid surcharges for traffic violations (like accumulating penalty points) but excludes those with surcharges related to drunk driving convictions. The incentives may include waived down payments or interest on overdue amounts. The bill updates current law, which previously only required "periodic" offerings, to mandate a precise three-year cycle for these payment relief options.

SCR 54 proposes a constitutional amendment to grant property tax exemptions for the primary residences of surviving spouses of certain first responders who die while on duty. It directly affects surviving spouses of law enforcement officers, paid or volunteer firefighters, and paid or volunteer emergency medical personnel (first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad members) who died from work-related duties. The exemption requires the property to have been the first responder's primary residence at the time of death, excludes cases involving the deceased's willful negligence, and ends if the surviving spouse remarries. It also disqualifies spouses who separated under circumstances that would have led to divorce before the first responder's death.

This bill establishes the "Cop 2 Cop Sustainability Fund" to provide stable, ongoing funding for a confidential 24-hour crisis hotline supporting New Jersey law enforcement officers and sheriff's officers. It appropriates $500,000 annually from the General Fund starting in fiscal year 2025 to sustain the existing "Law Enforcement Officer Crisis Intervention Services" program, which currently receives $400,000 from Body Armor Replacement Funds. The hotline offers confidential peer support for officers experiencing psychological stress, trauma, or emotional distress related to their work. Operators must be trained in law enforcement-specific mental health issues, and the program ensures caller confidentiality while allowing limited tracking for severe cases. The fund will also accept additional revenues from other sources to support the program's long-term operation.