Sen. Brian Stack

Maddy summaryThis bill requires certain rooming and boarding houses and cooperative sober living residences to comply with local land use regulations. Specifically, it amends existing law to subject these facilities to municipal zoning and land use rules (previously exempt except for construction codes). It also mandates that applicants for a State Class F license to operate a cooperative sober living residence must submit written approvals from local zoning, fire, health, and building authorities with their license application. The bill affects owners/operators of these facilities and changes how the state issues licenses for sober living residences.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey sewerage authorities from charging new connection or tapping fees to property owners redeveloping land that was connected to the sewer system for 20+ years, regardless of whether the property was actively used after initial connection. Exceptions apply if the redevelopment involves adding structures, changing the property's use, or modifying existing sewer connections. The bill also requires authorities to reimburse property owners who paid such fees under protest before the law took effect. It directly affects property owners and developers redeveloping older connected properties in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a New Jersey legislative internship program allowing state legislators to hire students with up to $10,000 annually per member. It prioritizes New Jersey residents or students attending New Jersey colleges, excluding law and doctoral students, and requires interns to complete at least one work period in a legislator's district office. Participants receive a $1,000 stipend per work period, paid bi-weekly or monthly as determined by the legislator. The state appropriates $1.2 million from the General Fund to fund this program.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a $200 million mortgage assistance program for New Jersey homeowners with low or moderate incomes who face imminent risk of homelessness due to missed mortgage payments. It provides forgivable, zero-interest loans (called "deep," "moderate," "shallow," or "single" subsidies) to cover arrears, fees, and future payments after qualifying hardships like job loss, illness, or death of a family member. Homeowners must complete a counseling course, commit to living in the home as their primary residence for three years, and use the funds only for their principal residence to qualify for loan forgiveness. The program targets households earning 50% to 80% of the local median income who have experienced financial hardship causing mortgage delinquency.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows 16- and 17-year-olds who are U.S. citizens, reside in a school district for at least 30 days, and live in New Jersey to vote only in local school board elections. It requires the Secretary of State to create a separate registration process and ballot design for these voters, mirroring existing systems for other eligible voters. The bill does not permit voting in any other elections (like mayoral or state elections) and does not require school boards or municipalities to take action to implement it. This change would take effect January 1 following the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Santiago/Ramos/Liu Police Protection Act," requires all new law enforcement vehicles purchased in New Jersey to have tinted windows that allow only the minimum light transmittance permitted under federal law. It applies only to vehicles clearly marked as police vehicles and affects law enforcement agencies buying new vehicles after the bill takes effect (four months post-enactment). The key provision mandates federal-standard window tinting for new police cars, aiming to enhance officer visibility and safety. The bill honors officers Rafael Ramos, Wenjian Liu, and Melvin Santiago, who were murdered in 2014.

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits paid to eligible retired members of New Jersey's Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS). It requires the PFRS board of trustees to restore these COLAs to their previous statutory level without requiring additional contributions from retirees, provided actuarial certification confirms the change won't increase employer costs or jeopardize the system's long-term financial health. The policy directly affects retired police officers and firefighters who receive benefits under the PFRS. The change reverses a prior reduction to these automatic inflation adjustments for this specific retirement system.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 978 makes it a fourth-degree crime (carrying up to 18 months in jail or $10,000 fine) to secretly install or use electronic tracking devices or apps to monitor another person's location with intent to facilitate unlawful acts like stalking or harassment. The bill directly affects individuals who secretly track others without consent, such as in cases of relationship surveillance. Key exemptions include parents tracking minor children, caregivers monitoring vulnerable individuals, businesses disclosing location tracking in privacy policies, and employers tracking work vehicles under specific conditions. The law creates a legal presumption that secret location tracking is intended for unlawful purposes, while excluding government entities and certain business/employer uses.

Maddy summaryThis proposed New Jersey bill would allow residents to create legally valid wills using electronic means, such as online platforms or digital signatures. It requires electronic wills to be signed with clear intent, witnessed by two people (in person or via video call), or notarized, and must follow specific formatting rules. The law would treat electronic wills as fully equivalent to paper wills for inheritance purposes, ensuring they hold up in court. It directly affects New Jersey residents making estate plans, modernizing will execution while maintaining legal safeguards.

Maddy summaryS 405 creates a two-year pilot program in New Jersey's courts to appoint advocates for animals in specific criminal cases involving animal welfare, such as cruelty or dog fighting prosecutions. Courts may appoint a volunteer advocate from a list maintained by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to monitor cases, access animal-related records, and recommend the animal's best interests - including placement - to the court. The program targets cases under statutes governing animal cruelty (R.S. 4:22-17) or dog fighting (P.L. 2015, c.85), with advocates selected from qualified attorneys or law students familiar with animal welfare law. The program expires after two years, requiring a report on implementation and whether it should continue.