Asm. Paul Kanitra

Maddy summaryThe Legionnaires' Disease Prevention Act establishes a $5 million grant program to help owners of historic buildings (pre-1910 or architecturally significant structures) with compromised water systems cover renovation or removal costs. Grants cover up to 50% of eligible project costs, capped at $5,000 per project. The bill also requires public water systems with over 100 connections to maintain specific disinfectant levels (0.3 mg/L chlorine or 1.0 mg/L chloramine) and develop maintenance plans to prevent Legionella bacteria growth. These measures aim to reduce Legionnaires' disease risks in aging infrastructure while targeting historic properties.

Maddy summary"Jillian's Law" amends New Jersey law to require institutional commitment (not outpatient treatment or release) for defendants found incompetent to stand trial who are deemed dangerous to themselves or others. It removes the court's option to place such defendants in outpatient settings or release them, mandating institutional custody only for the period needed to determine if they might regain competence. The bill maintains the existing 3-month review process for fitness and requires courts to weigh factors like the defendant's regaining competence and the nature of the charges before dismissing cases. It directly affects defendants in criminal cases found incompetent who pose a danger, ensuring they remain in secure facilities until their fitness can be reassessed.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public schools to teach cursive handwriting to students in grades three through five. It mandates that school districts incorporate specific curriculum activities to help students read cursive text and write legibly in cursive by the end of fifth grade. The law takes effect immediately for the first full school year after enactment, applying to all public school districts in the state. It directly affects elementary school students and educators responsible for implementing the curriculum.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill allows 12th graders who are enlisting or planning to enlist in the U.S. military or National Guard to miss school for required military activities without penalty. Absences for military enlistment activities - including testing, medical exams, interviews, or fingerprinting - must be recorded as excused and won’t appear on transcripts, job applications, or affect perfect attendance records. Schools may request documentation to verify the student’s military plans. The bill applies only to students in grade 12.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a specific plea option for juveniles charged with both residential burglary and motor vehicle theft during the same incident, under strict conditions: no firearm use, no bodily injury, and no prior serious offenses. Prosecutors may offer a deal where the burglary charge is dismissed if the juvenile pleads guilty to motor vehicle theft (as a third-degree crime) and receives a 5-year prison sentence with 3 years of parole ineligibility. Juveniles who reject this plea but later provide evidence leading to an adult's arrest for similar crimes can later negotiate reduced sentences. The bill also shortens the expungement waiting period from 5 to 3 years for those who accept the plea or later qualify for sentencing reductions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all voters in New Jersey to show a photo ID at polling places before receiving a ballot. Acceptable IDs include a New Jersey driver's license, REAL ID card, DMV "identification only" card, or U.S. passport. Voters without valid photo ID or with mismatched ID may be challenged, but they can still establish eligibility through the existing process. The bill amends election law to add this requirement while clarifying that challenges do not deny voters the opportunity to prove their right to vote.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require doctors to prescribe no more than a seven-day supply of opioid pain medications for new patients with acute pain (short-term pain like injuries or surgery), except in specific cases. Doctors must also discuss addiction risks with patients, document medical history and pain management plans, and obtain patient agreements for long-term opioid use. It applies to initial opioid prescriptions for acute pain but excludes chronic pain, cancer care, hospice, or end-of-life treatment. The law aims to reduce opioid overuse by limiting initial doses and improving patient education, with additional review requirements for prescriptions lasting three months or longer.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A-1189) requires New Jersey to provide additional state school funding to reduce property tax burdens for residents. It directly affects school districts that experienced state aid reductions between 2018-2019 and 2022-2023, directing the state to pay them retroactive aid equal to their past funding losses. Key mechanisms include calculating base aid amounts based on historical funding formulas, mandating districts receiving increased state aid to lower property tax levies by the same amount, and requiring annual property tax reductions if state aid rises. The bill appropriates $2.9 billion to implement these changes, aiming to ensure school funding aligns with residents' ability to pay property taxes.

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic resolution (AR 90), not a law. It formally condemns Hamas for the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and expresses support for Israel's right to exist. The resolution states New Jersey's commitment to Israel as a strategic partner and includes provisions to send copies to Israeli leaders, U.S. officials, and New Jersey's congressional delegation. It does not create new policies or affect any specific group through legislative action.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 280) raises minimum insurance coverage requirements for New Jersey auto policies. It increases the required liability limits for bodily injury/death from $15,000/$30,000 to $50,000/$100,000 per accident, and raises property damage coverage from $5,000 to $25,000 per accident. The bill also increases the minimum uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage limits to $250,000 per person/$500,000 per accident for bodily injury and $100,000 per accident for property damage. These changes apply to standard auto insurance policies for all vehicle owners registered or garaged in New Jersey.