Asm. Margie Donlon

Maddy summaryAJR 197 designates May of each year as Haitian Heritage Month in New Jersey. This symbolic resolution directly affects New Jersey residents, particularly the state's fourth-largest Haitian-American community (nearly 69,000 people), by formally recognizing Haitian cultural contributions. The bill requires the governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public observance through events and educational activities. It highlights Haitian history, including the Haitian Revolution and global influences, without creating new laws or funding. As a procedural resolution, it serves to honor cultural heritage rather than implement policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans the sale, distribution, import, or manufacture of children's products intended for children under six that contain lead, mercury, or cadmium. It requires manufacturers to issue immediate recalls if they discover such products, and retailers must remove recalled items from shelves within 48 hours and return inventory within 14 business days at the manufacturer's cost. Manufacturers must then destroy recalled products within 60 business days to prevent public access. Violations carry penalties including fines up to $20,000 for initial offenses, or criminal charges with up to 10 years in prison for repeated failures.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health care providers in New Jersey to give patients a clear, itemized billing statement within 30 days of discharge or 7 days after a written request. The statement must break down all charges in plain language - no vague terms like "miscellaneous" or "supply charges" - and list specific services, dates, provider names, costs, and payment status (e.g., covered by insurance or patient responsibility). It also mandates that providers explain technical terms and include a contact for billing disputes. These rules apply to hospitals, clinics, and health care professionals, directly affecting how patients receive and understand their medical bills.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) to ensure its child abuse reporting hotline provides callers with information about available support resources for victims and their families. The hotline, which currently handles abuse reports, will now also share details on community services such as counseling, parenting programs, and substance abuse treatment. This change mandates that all hotline interactions include referrals to these assistance programs, directly helping families seeking immediate support after reporting abuse. The amendment applies to the emergency hotline maintained by DCPP and takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires licensed child care centers in New Jersey to provide parents or guardians with 60 days' written notice before increasing tuition rates. Centers must send the notice via certified mail (with return receipt), first-class mail, or in-person delivery to the parent's last known address, and also post it on their website and display it prominently at the center. The notice requirement applies to all tuition rate changes occurring three months after the bill's enactment. This directly affects parents of children enrolled in licensed child care centers by giving them advance warning of fee changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds the right to use assisted reproductive technology (ART), including in vitro fertilization (IVF), to New Jersey's constitutional protections for reproductive choice. It explicitly expands existing rights - previously covering contraception, sterilization, and pregnancy decisions - to include choosing whether to use ART. The law states that any state, county, or local law limiting this right is invalid and unenforceable. It directly affects all New Jersey residents seeking or providing ART services, reinforcing access amid legal challenges in other states like Alabama. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an annual two-month sales tax holiday in New Jersey from August 1 to September 30 each year. During this period, individuals purchasing qualifying items for personal, non-business use are exempt from state sales tax on: computers under $3,000, school computer supplies under $1,000, and specific school supplies (like notebooks and pencils), art supplies (paints, clay), and instructional materials (textbooks, reference books). The exemption applies only to retail sales to individual consumers, not businesses or bulk purchases. The tax holiday aims to reduce costs for families buying back-to-school essentials during a typical low-demand period for retailers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Transportation (DOT) to create and annually update a public awareness campaign focused on motorcycle safety. The campaign must include educational materials about motorcycle safety, information on distracted driving risks, and variable message signs promoting safe road-sharing practices between drivers and motorcyclists. It directly affects all New Jersey drivers and motorcyclists by aiming to reduce motorcycle-related accidents on state roads. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state colleges to close on Election Day for general elections, meaning no academic classes will be held on that date. It directly affects public colleges across the state by mandating they treat Election Day as a holiday on their academic calendars. The law takes effect in the first full academic year following its enactment, ensuring colleges adjust their schedules to accommodate the holiday.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows active-duty U.S. military members and their dependents living in New Jersey to qualify for county resident tuition rates at local county colleges, regardless of their official mailing address. It specifically applies to military personnel residing in or stationed at a New Jersey county college's county, ensuring they pay the lower in-county tuition rate instead of higher non-resident fees. The policy change directly affects military families who currently face higher tuition costs due to maintaining out-of-county or out-of-state addresses for administrative purposes. The bill takes effect immediately for the next academic year, aligning county college tuition benefits with existing state-level residency rules for military members at public universities.