Asm. Vicky Flynn

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill excludes military reenlistment and voluntary extension bonuses from state gross income tax. It directly affects active-duty service members in the U.S. Armed Forces who receive these bonuses while residing in New Jersey. The key provision amends state tax law to specifically exempt these bonuses from taxable income, meaning eligible service members won't pay state income tax on them. The change applies to taxable years beginning after the bill's enactment date.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new criminal offense for financial exploitation of elderly individuals in New Jersey. It amends existing criminal statutes to define the offense, specifically targeting situations where someone in a position of trust - like a fiduciary, caregiver, or agent - illegally takes or controls an elderly person's property through deception or coercion. The law establishes clear definitions for terms like "deprive" and "fiduciary" to ensure consistent prosecution. This change directly affects vulnerable seniors and those who exploit them, providing law enforcement with a targeted legal tool to address financial abuse.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3159) prohibits New Jersey state agencies from granting new economic development subsidies to businesses that previously received a loan-based subsidy but have not paid the principal and interest on that loan for more than 24 months. It directly affects businesses that received prior state loan or loan guarantee subsidies but are significantly behind on repayments. The key change amends existing law by replacing the requirement of "default" with a specific 24-month overdue threshold for loan payments. This policy adjustment applies to subsidies valued at over $25,000 intended to stimulate economic development. The bill does not alter current eligibility rules for businesses not in this overdue repayment category.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's legal definition of domestic violence to explicitly include psychological abuse and economic abuse. It adds two new categories to the existing definition: (1) psychological abuse that causes fear or distress impacting daily life, and (2) economic abuse that restricts a person's ability to access money, property, goods, or services. The change directly affects victims protected under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, broadening legal recourse for non-physical forms of control. The amendment applies to all individuals meeting the act's victim criteria, including those in dating relationships or with shared children.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a New Jersey Statewide Suicide Prevention Coordination and Oversight Council within the Department of Human Services. The council will collect standardized, non-identifying data from suicide prevention programs across the state - including details like age, gender, race, LGBTQ+ status, military service, and suicide method - to analyze trends and develop reporting standards. It will also create guidelines for informational materials and serve as a central hub for sharing aggregated data with state agencies, while strictly complying with privacy laws like HIPAA. The council directly affects all suicide prevention entities (hospitals, clinics, community programs) required to report data and state agencies using the findings for policy decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to check if someone claiming unclaimed property owes unpaid child support before releasing funds. If a claimant is found to be a child support debtor, the state must hold the property (or its proceeds) and surrender it to the child support agency until the debt is paid. This prioritizes child support claims over other claims against the unclaimed property funds. The law applies directly to individuals seeking to claim abandoned property held by the state, ensuring those funds go toward satisfying outstanding child support obligations.

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents reductions in New Jersey state school aid for specific districts affected by declining property values. It protects school districts in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties (classified as fifth or sixth class) if their equalized property valuation for the current budget year is lower than it was in 2012-2013. The bill ensures these districts' total state aid remains at least as high as their 2017-2018 level, excluding certain aid types like preschool, special education, school choice, and debt service. The policy directly affects public school funding in coastal communities still recovering from Superstorm Sandy's property value impacts. The change takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows local election officials to request police officers to provide security at schools used as polling places during elections. Specifically, district boards, election superintendents, or county clerks can ask for officers to be assigned to school polling locations for security, and police departments must comply with such requests. Officers assigned for this purpose are prohibited from interfering with voters or election materials, and violating this rule would be a third-degree crime. The bill clarifies that police presence at school polling places is permitted, while maintaining safeguards to protect voter access.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits the duration of emergency orders, rules, or regulations issued by New Jersey's Governor under the Civil Defense Act to 14 days (expiring on the 15th day), unless the Legislature passes a concurrent resolution extending the period. It prohibits the Governor from issuing identical or similar orders for the same emergency after one expires. Exceptions include orders rescinding prior emergency actions, federal compliance requirements, internal government operations, military orders under the Governor's command, or orders under other laws allowing longer terms. The bill applies directly to the Governor's emergency authority and takes immediate effect.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill provides temporary mortgage relief to homeowners directly impacted by Hurricane Ida's 2021 flooding. It requires mortgage servicers to grant a one-year payment pause (forbearance) to eligible homeowners who received federal disaster aid for storm-damaged primary residences, meet income limits (under 150% of median income), and have limited savings. During this period, servicers cannot charge fees, penalties, or report negative credit information, and must halt foreclosure actions. The relief applies only to those who obtained FEMA or similar federal assistance for damage sustained to their homes.