Asm. Anthony Verrelli

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state, county, and private correctional facilities - including juvenile facilities - to provide free voice calls, video calls, and email services to incarcerated adults and juveniles. It prohibits facilities from charging inmates or their families any fees (including per-minute charges, surcharges, or account fees), ensuring both parties to communications bear no cost. The law also mandates that facilities maintain current service access levels and transfer any remaining prepaid funds to inmates' commissary accounts. The bill appropriates state funds for implementation and takes effect six months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts disabled veterans and Purple Heart recipients from paying municipal parking meter fees when traveling in a vehicle displaying their special license plate or placard issued by New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC). It applies only when the veteran or recipient is driving or riding as a passenger, and does not cover vehicles parked longer than 24 hours in one location. The exemption specifically covers parking meter fees, not other parking costs, and requires the MVC to issue the necessary placards. The bill directly affects eligible veterans and Purple Heart recipients using municipal parking.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires developers planning projects over five acres that cause deforestation to obtain a permit and submit a compensatory reforestation plan approved by the Department of Environmental Protection. The plan must detail the deforested area, reforestation site, costs, and species selection (prioritizing native trees and climate resilience), with reforestation ideally done on-site or within the same municipality. It establishes the "State Compensatory Reforestation Fund," funded by developer payments, to support state reforestation efforts and provide grants to private landowners for tree planting. The law directly affects large-scale developers, private landowners seeking grants, and the Department of Environmental Protection, which enforces the permit process and manages the fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state and county correctional facilities to offer hepatitis B and C blood testing to every new inmate at the start of their sentence. Inmates cannot be forced to take the test, but facilities must provide the option. The Commissioner of Corrections must create implementing rules within six months of the bill's enactment. This directly affects all individuals entering state or county correctional facilities by expanding access to preventative health screenings during incarceration.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes an exemption in New Jersey's Smoke-Free Air Act that previously allowed smoking in casinos and casino simulcasting facilities. Currently, these venues could permit smoking in areas used for gambling (like slot machine rooms or table games), but the bill would eliminate that exception. After passage, all indoor areas of casinos and simulcasting facilities open to the public for gambling would be required to be smoke-free. This change aligns these venues with the state's general indoor smoking ban, which applies to most public workplaces and spaces.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey solid waste management districts (including counties and the Hackensack Meadowlands District) to create a strategy reducing food waste by 50% by 2035 compared to 2022 levels. Districts must submit these strategies as amendments to their waste management plans, counting food donations, composting, and anaerobic digestion toward the goal. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) must publish a list of actionable measures for districts (like donation programs, composting infrastructure, and public campaigns) and establish tiered regulations for composting facilities. The policy directly affects local waste management systems and aims to divert food waste from landfills, reducing methane emissions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to develop a comprehensive State Water Infrastructure Investment Plan every five years. The plan must estimate annual and long-term funding needs for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems, identify revenue sources, prioritize projects (including environmental justice communities), and incorporate climate resilience strategies. It also mandates the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to publish additional details about water infrastructure projects and appropriates $200,000 to support these efforts. The bill directly affects state agencies, water systems, and communities relying on public water infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A-2540, "Cancer Patient Care and Compassion Act") requires health insurance plans and Medicaid in New Jersey to cover specific cancer treatments without cost-sharing for patients with Stage III, IV, or terminal cancer. It mandates coverage for parenteral treatments (like IV medications), survivorship care plans, and other services determined by regulators. The bill also adds protections: mortgage lenders must pause foreclosure during active treatment, creditors cannot initiate collections, and tenants facing eviction can request a 45-day stay with physician certification. These provisions directly affect cancer patients and their families by removing financial barriers to care and preventing housing/financial instability during treatment. The bill is pending before the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a grant program through New Jersey's Economic Development Authority to attract emerging technology businesses to designated urban areas. It provides grants covering cloud computing service costs for qualifying businesses that locate or maintain headquarters in specific "urban technology zones" (like Newark, Trenton, or certain cities meeting population criteria). To qualify, businesses must have 100 or fewer full-time employees, show 20% growth in staff or revenue, and commit to keeping their U.S. headquarters in the zone for five years total (two years during the grant period plus three additional years). The program aims to boost job creation and economic growth in New Jersey's urban cores by incentivizing tech companies to use cloud-based services.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill A 1775 requires health insurers (including hospital, medical, and health service corporations) to cover counseling and behavioral therapies for anyone receiving medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction. The bill mandates that this coverage be provided under the same terms and conditions as other medical treatments, prohibiting stricter limits on mental health/substance use disorder benefits compared to general medical care. It directly affects insured individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders and requires insurers to comply with federal mental health parity standards. The law would apply to all health insurance contracts issued or renewed in New Jersey after its effective date.