Asm. Margie Donlon

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school staff (including those in after-school programs) to complete epilepsy and seizure disorder care training every five years. It directly affects school boards, administrators, and all school personnel who interact with students. The key provision mandates that training must be provided through a Department of Health-approved course from a nonprofit epilepsy support organization. This ensures staff can recognize seizures, provide appropriate care, and know when to seek help, as outlined in individualized health plans developed with parent input and physician guidance. The law applies to all schools in the state and takes effect at the start of the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4978) requires New Jersey county prosecutors to collect and report specific data about firearm-related incidents that did not cause bodily injury. Prosecutors must submit quarterly data - including incident details, location, charges, and whether the firearm was used lawfully - to the Attorney General for three years. The Attorney General will compile this data into a public report for the Governor and Legislature, to be published online. It directly affects county prosecutors (who collect the data) and the Attorney General (who compiles and publishes the report), with no changes to criminal penalties or gun laws. The bill focuses solely on gathering standardized data for transparency and analysis.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey State Police to create a maternity leave policy for troopers who provide proof of pregnancy. It mandates at least eight weeks of fully paid recovery leave after childbirth, with benefits maintained and the leave not counted against sick leave balances. The policy must also prohibit residency restrictions or integrity checks during this leave period, which are typically applied to other medical leave. The State Police Superintendent must post clear details, including required forms, FAQs, and contact information, on the department's intranet. This directly affects current and future female troopers who become pregnant while serving.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Assembly Bill A3036, the "SAFER APP" program, authorizes the Attorney General to order navigation app providers (like Google Maps or Waze) to reroute traffic during declared emergency conditions. Municipalities can request an investigation into traffic emergencies - such as highway congestion, emergency vehicle delays, or accident hotspots - by adopting a resolution approved by the Transportation Commissioner within 90 days. If an emergency is confirmed, the Attorney General can mandate navigation systems to divert traffic, with non-compliant providers facing daily fines up to $5,000 payable to the affected municipality. The bill directly affects navigation service companies and aims to improve emergency response by reducing traffic barriers.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits rental property owners and property management software companies from coordinating to restrict competition on rent prices. It bans using software that collects and analyzes rental data (like prices and lease terms) from multiple landlords to recommend or fix rents, which the bill identifies as a cause of rising rents in New Jersey. The law makes it illegal for owners to subscribe to such "coordinating" services, for software companies to facilitate price-fixing agreements, or for landlords to engage in "consciously parallel pricing coordination." Violations will be enforced under New Jersey's existing Antitrust Act, with new public education efforts to inform renters about reporting suspected violations.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires all subscription service providers (such as streaming platforms, gym memberships, or recurring payment services) to give customers an easy way to cancel their subscriptions using the same method they signed up (e.g., online, by phone, or in person). It also mandates that providers using "negative option" features (where silence or inaction is treated as acceptance) must clearly disclose terms, obtain explicit consent before charging, and provide a simple cancellation mechanism. Violations can result in fines up to $20,000 per offense, expanding previous rules that only applied to health clubs to cover all subscription services.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Department of Agriculture to promote state-produced aquaculture products (farm-raised fish and shellfish) through the existing Jersey Fresh Program. It requires an annual $100,000 appropriation from the General Fund to fund advertising and promotion of these products, which must meet department-established quality standards. The Department must also create a specific quality grading system for aquaculture products, distinct from wild-caught seafood, to verify their quality under the program. This directly benefits New Jersey aquaculture businesses by expanding market access for their products through state marketing efforts.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2051 requires law enforcement officers to conduct a risk assessment for domestic violence victims who agree to participate. Officers must use the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) tool, gathering details on recent incidents, injuries, and weapon use. If the assessment indicates elevated risk of serious harm, officers must inform the victim and, with consent, connect them to crisis services or charge the suspect. The bill directly affects domestic violence victims (through consent-based assessments) and law enforcement officers (through mandated training and procedures).

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all source plasma donation centers operating in New Jersey to obtain an annual license from the Department of Health. Existing centers pay a $25 initial fee, while new centers pay higher renewal fees, with all income funding the Department's oversight. Centers must follow safety rules based on federal standards for donor screening and plasma collection, and the Department can inspect facilities, suspend licenses for safety violations, or impose fines up to $5,000 for repeated offenses. The law directly affects plasma donation centers and their operations, ensuring standardized safety practices for donors and the community.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's electric utilities to create special pricing rules (tariffs) for data centers within 180 days of the law taking effect. The tariffs must protect regular electricity customers (non-data center ratepayers) from cost increases caused by data centers' high energy use. Utilities must also design tariffs to encourage data centers to improve energy efficiency, including using technologies that capture and reuse waste heat. The Board of Public Utilities will review and approve these tariffs, and utilities must implement them for all data centers in their service area one year after the law passes.