Asm. Vicky Flynn

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council to study how state agencies use artificial intelligence (AI). The council, made up of the state's Chief Technology Officer, two Assembly members, two Senate members, and two public AI experts, will evaluate AI's benefits and risks in government operations. It must develop ethical guidelines to prevent bias and protect privacy, recommend safe AI practices for state agencies, and review current AI systems for fairness. The council will report its findings to the Governor and Legislature within one year and then cease to exist.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A4401 bill establishes an online public registry of individuals convicted of human trafficking offenses who are incarcerated, on parole, or participating in community release programs. The registry will include specific details about each person's conviction, sentence, location, and criminal history, organized into four categories based on their status. The bill also mandates training for law enforcement, hotel/motel staff, healthcare employees, and court personnel on recognizing and responding to human trafficking. Additionally, it requires schools to incorporate age-appropriate human trafficking prevention education into middle and high school curricula, covering topics like online safety and grooming tactics.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Open Public Records Act (OPRA) to clarify and update how government records are accessed. It defines key terms like "commercial purpose" (excluding news/media and certain organizations) and "data broker," while adding new protections for personal information to prevent identity theft or harassment. The bill also specifies that government records include electronic data and excludes certain deliberative materials. It appropriates $10 million to fund implementation of these changes, directly affecting public agencies, journalists, researchers, and residents seeking records.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill exempts certain military survivors from state income tax on income they receive. It specifically applies to New Jersey resident surviving spouses who did not remarry and unmarried dependent children under 19 (or qualifying dependents) of service members who died while serving in combat zones, hazardous duty areas, or from combat-related injuries. To qualify, survivors must annually certify their status to the state tax department and receive written proof to provide to employers, eliminating tax withholding on their income. The exclusion covers income otherwise subject to tax, expanding existing tax benefits for military families.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 50% tax deduction for New Jersey residents who pay out-of-pocket for in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment for themselves, their spouse, or domestic partner. The deduction applies only to IVF costs not covered by health insurance plans (such as hospital, health maintenance organization, or state programs) and not already deductible under existing tax rules. It takes effect immediately for taxable years beginning after enactment, reducing taxable income by half the eligible IVF expenses paid during the year.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey municipalities to count existing housing built before April 1, 1980, toward their affordable housing requirements under specific conditions. To qualify, the housing must have been reserved for low- or moderate-income residents for at least 20 consecutive years starting after March 24, 1975, and cannot have already been counted toward another obligation. Municipalities can apply this credit toward past, future, or current housing obligations - especially if the property is rehabilitated to meet affordability standards. The bill directly affects local governments and existing low/moderate-income housing units, easing compliance with state housing mandates without requiring new construction.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4351) modifies New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (EDA) small business loan program to provide preferential terms for veteran-owned businesses. It requires the EDA to offer lower interest rates and more flexible repayment terms to eligible veteran-owned small businesses, including 0% interest for loans to businesses owned by veterans with service-connected disabilities. The bill prohibits the EDA from charging application, closing, or guarantee fees for these loans. To qualify, a business must be owned or controlled by veterans, with at least 50% of employees being veterans or meeting the service-connected disability criteria. The policy directly affects small businesses in New Jersey that meet these veteran ownership definitions.

Maddy summaryThis bill would create special "100 Percent Disabled Veteran" license plates for New Jersey veterans determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to be 100% disabled. Qualified veterans would receive these free plates displaying "100 Percent Disabled Veteran" and a chosen emblem, granting them all handicapped parking privileges under existing law. The plates would be non-transferable and exclusively for the veteran's use, with misuse leading to revocation of benefits and plate forfeiture. The bill requires the Motor Vehicle Commission to notify veterans about the program through registration renewals and office signage.

Maddy summaryAJR 176 is a joint resolution directing New Jersey's Attorney General to investigate whether organizations promoting the legalization of sexual relationships between adults and minors use the internet to encourage sex offenders to violate state age-of-consent laws. The bill requires the Attorney General to report findings to the Governor and Legislature within one year. It specifically targets online activities of such groups, which the resolution states recruit members and advocate for abolishing age-of-consent protections. The resolution does not create new laws but mandates an investigation into these internet-based activities.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill creates a lien on life insurance policy proceeds and annuity payments to collect unpaid child support. It requires insurers to search for existing child support judgments before distributing funds to beneficiaries or estates, ensuring payments go toward overdue support. The lien applies to life insurance policies (excluding funeral/credit policies) and annuities, staying distribution until the child support debt is satisfied. Insurers must verify the beneficiary's identity and conduct the search through a private company, with exemptions for minors under 16. The law directly affects life insurance companies, beneficiaries with child support debt, and the child support enforcement system.