Rep. Antwan McClellan

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school districts to post detailed curriculum plans online for each grade level at least 30 days before the school year starts. It mandates that districts include specific information like course units, learning objectives, and details about textbooks/materials used. School districts must also post when and where parents/legal guardians can review these materials before they are used in classrooms. The bill applies to all public school districts and takes effect for the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A 774 establishes a two-year pilot program allowing public schools to set up breakfast kiosks (carts or cubicles) for students, replacing traditional cafeteria lines. The program targets three school districts (one in each region) to test increased breakfast access, requiring schools to follow federal nutrition guidelines and use existing federal funding for subsidies. It directly affects public school students - especially low-income students qualifying for free/reduced lunch - by making breakfast more accessible as students enter school. The bill mandates a report on participation rates after the pilot, focusing on how many low-income students used the service. The Department of Agriculture will administer the program and manage a dedicated fund for grants to participating schools.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's chief law enforcement officers or the Superintendent of State Police to notify federal immigration authorities whenever a non-citizen applies for a firearms purchaser identification card (for rifles and shotguns) or a handgun purchase permit. It directly affects non-citizens seeking to purchase or possess firearms under New Jersey's permit system. The key mechanism adds a mandatory notification step to the existing background check process, requiring law enforcement to share applicant information with federal immigration agencies. The bill does not alter background check standards but creates a new reporting obligation for non-citizen firearm permit applicants.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $34 million from constitutionally protected business tax revenues to fund farmland preservation grants. It provides counties with planning incentive grants covering up to 80% of the cost to acquire development easements on farmland, directly affecting eligible counties like Burlington, Gloucester, and Somerset. The funds are distributed through the State Agriculture Development Committee to support local efforts in preserving agricultural land. The grant amounts vary by county, with some receiving up to $8.5 million total. This policy change enables counties to protect farmland through permanent easements without requiring new tax revenue.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Bill A1696 updates optometrists' scope of practice by expanding their ability to provide eye care services. The bill allows optometrists to prescribe pharmaceutical agents (including controlled substances under specific conditions), administer immunizations for coronaviruses, flu, and shingles (for patients 18+), and perform minor procedures like removing superficial foreign bodies or treating chalazions. It also permits certain non-invasive laser/ultrasound treatments (e.g., trabeculoplasty) using only topical anesthesia, while explicitly prohibiting invasive eye surgery, orbital procedures, or general anesthesia. These changes apply to all optometrists practicing in New Jersey and require adherence to CDC guidelines for immunizations and reporting to the state immunization registry.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's existing small business loan program to include certified rural broadband telecommunications service providers as eligible borrowers. It defines "broadband telecommunications service provider" as entities certified by the Board of Public Utilities to offer high-speed internet (25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload) in rural areas (population ≤30,000 and ≤4,000 people/sq. mile). The program will allow these providers to access loans for capital purchases, employee training, and new positions - similar to other eligible businesses like farmers and dairy operations. The change modifies the eligibility definition in existing law without creating a new program.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts plastic materials processed at designated "advanced plastic processing facilities" from New Jersey's solid waste disposal and recycling laws. These facilities must transform plastic into non-fuel products (like chemicals or monomers) using methods such as pyrolysis, not into fuel. The exemption excludes PETE (code 1) and HDPE (code 2) plastics. Processors using these facilities avoid state recycling/disposal rules but remain subject to air/water pollution and land-use laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to issue special license plates featuring the U.S. Coast Guard seal for active or honorably separated Coast Guard members, their spouses, parents, or principal business owners. Applicants pay a $50 one-time fee and a $10 annual fee, with all fees deposited into a dedicated "Coast Guard License Plate Fund" that annually appropriates money to the Coast Guard. The plates must display the Coast Guard emblem, and the design is developed jointly with the Coast Guard, covering administrative costs through the fund. The program is procedural, focusing on recognition and funding for the Coast Guard through license plate fees, not broader policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the State Debt Capacity Advisory Commission to analyze New Jersey's debt affordability. The commission must publish an annual report by December 1st, including detailed projections of state debt payments, revenue estimates for debt service, and comparisons of debt ratios to other states. The report provides nonbinding advisory information to assist the Governor and Legislature in evaluating future debt decisions, but does not constitute an official state disclosure. The commission consists of nine members, including the State Auditor, Legislative Budget Officer, and public experts appointed by legislative leaders. The report will be publicly accessible online and updated as needed to inform fiscal planning.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "New Jersey Pandemic Bill of Rights for the Welfare of Individuals," granting specific protections to all New Jersey residents during pandemics, disease outbreaks, or public health emergencies. It requires health care facilities to safeguard nursing home residents and those with preexisting conditions, ensure proper medical evaluation before discharge, provide adequate care and therapies, allow family visitation, and maintain attorney access as essential services. The Commissioner of Health must publish these rights online, and all health care facilities must post them prominently. The bill directly affects vulnerable populations like nursing home residents and patients in medical facilities, aiming to prevent repeat of issues seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as restricted family access and inadequate care.