Asm. Paul Kanitra

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires public school principals and teachers to lead a daily two-sentence oral recitation of the Declaration of Independence for students in grades three through twelve. The recitation must occur before each school day begins, immediately after the Pledge of Allegiance, and includes the famous passage about equality and unalienable rights. The legislation also mandates that schools develop age-appropriate curricula explaining the historical context of these words and provides $10,000 in funding to distribute official notices to educators. The act includes exemptions for students with conscientious objections and children of foreign diplomatic representatives.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the monthly personal needs allowance (PNA) from $50 to $140 for low-income residents in nursing homes, state/county psychiatric hospitals, and state developmental centers. It directly affects eligible residents who receive medical assistance under New Jersey’s Medicaid program but are not eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The allowance is intended for personal discretionary spending on items like phone calls, meals out, clothing, or hobbies. The amount will automatically increase annually starting January 1 after enactment, adjusted by the same percentage as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes New Jersey from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and repeals the state's Global Warming Response Act. It directs money currently held in the Global Warming Solutions Fund to the General Fund for use in providing relief to ratepayers. Additionally, the legislation amends existing laws to establish a Forest Stewardship Incentive Fund for managing state forests and creates a three-year program to test the reliability and cost of electric school buses.

Maddy summaryThe End the Toll Trap Act aims to reduce unfair financial burdens on New Jersey motorists by adjusting how administrative fees are applied to toll violations. It establishes a task force to study toll and fee reductions and modifies existing laws to limit administrative fees to only those who commit three or more violations within a 90-day period. The bill also clarifies that vehicle owners who rent out their cars are not liable for toll violations if they promptly provide the rental company's name and address to authorities. Additionally, the legislation restricts access to toll violation data, ensuring that records containing images or personal details are used solely for law enforcement purposes and are not considered public records.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Safe Guardianship Act" in New Jersey, which restricts who can be appointed as a guardian for an incapacitated person. The law prohibits granting guardianship letters to anyone who is involved in a civil lawsuit or has a restraining order against the incapacitated person, particularly in cases of domestic violence. Additionally, it requires judicial review of guardianship appointments made before a domestic violence case is filed and mandates that courts consider a defendant's prior guardianship history when setting bail in domestic violence cases. These provisions aim to protect vulnerable individuals from potential abuse by people with conflicting interests or histories of violence.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors Thomas Mundy Peterson as the first African American to vote in the United States following the ratification of the 15th Amendment. It commemorates his historic March 31, 1870, vote in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, after the amendment guaranteed voting rights regardless of race. The resolution recognizes his civic contributions, including serving on a city charter committee and becoming Perth Amboy's first African American jury member. It is a commemorative measure with no legislative provisions or policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates April as "Autism Awareness Month" in New Jersey to promote public understanding and acceptance of autism spectrum disorders. The resolution requires the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging state officials and citizens to observe the month with relevant activities and programs. It aims to highlight the diverse experiences of individuals with autism and their impact on families, schools, workplaces, and communities. The measure takes effect immediately and does not create new funding or mandate specific actions beyond awareness promotion.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to create a special registration period for permits at Island Beach State Park where only state residents can apply. During this time, the department must restrict online and in-person permit applications to residents and verify eligibility using a New Jersey driver's license or state ID. After the resident-only period ends, any remaining permits will be offered to non-residents using the standard application process. The law defines eligible permits as annual, seasonal, or short-term access permits for mobile sport fishing vehicles, beach driving, and other motor vehicles at the park.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Social Media Fairness and Transparency Act, would require social media companies operating in New Jersey to follow specific rules about how they moderate user content and manage platform algorithms. It defines key terms like "censor," "post suppression," and "selective suspension" to clarify what actions the law covers, while also setting minimum thresholds for which companies must comply based on revenue or user numbers. The legislation creates a legal cause of action that allows individuals to sue social media companies if they violate these content moderation requirements. Additionally, the bill explicitly excludes paid content prioritization from its restrictions and provides specific definitions for what constitutes a social media platform under New Jersey law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state agencies to create faster approval and permitting processes for artificial intelligence data centers that use small modular nuclear reactors. It directly affects the Board of Public Utilities, Department of Community Affairs, and Department of Environmental Protection, which must establish these expedited procedures within 12 months of the bill taking effect. The key provisions mandate streamlined site approvals, construction plan reviews, electrical interconnection processes, and environmental permits for projects combining AI data centers with on-site nuclear power. The bill aims to accelerate the development of new AI data centers powered by small modular reactors while also allowing their use at existing facilities.