Asm. Anthony Verrelli

Maddy summaryThis bill requires electric, gas, and water utilities in New Jersey to automatically notify customers about service outages via phone calls, texts, or emails using contact details on file. Utilities must share outage location, estimated duration, emergency contacts, and updates as the situation develops. It specifically excludes outages caused by unpaid bills. The law applies directly to customers affected by unexpected service disruptions beyond the utility's control.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 2334) exempts veterans who are permanently 100% disabled (as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) from paying annual motor vehicle registration fees for one passenger vehicle. It directly affects honorably discharged veterans with this specific disability rating who own a vehicle in New Jersey. The bill requires the Adjutant General (in consultation with the Motor Vehicle Commission) to notify eligible veterans about this fee exemption. The exemption applies to one vehicle owned by the veteran and does not cover commercial vehicles or additional vehicles. The bill takes effect 13 months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's Community College Opportunity Grant Program to include adult students enrolled in career and technical education programs at county vocational schools. It directly affects adult learners seeking licenses or certifications through programs like nursing or culinary training, allowing them to receive financial aid covering tuition and approved fees not covered by other grants. Key provisions define "adult student" and amend eligibility to include these programs (requiring at least four months of enrollment), while maintaining income limits ($0-$65,000) and requiring students to apply for other aid first. The program remains administered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, targeting career-focused education without changing existing grant structures.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 1747) allows mail-in voters to fix ballots rejected due to a missing certificate. It requires county election boards to send a "Cure Letter" within 24 hours of rejection, explaining the issue and providing a simple form to verify identity. Voters can cure the error by providing basic ID details (like a driver's license number or last four SSN digits) or acceptable documents (e.g., utility bill), without needing a sworn affidavit, within 48 hours before election results are certified. The bill directly affects voters who accidentally omit the required certificate when mailing ballots, ensuring their votes can still be counted if they correct the error promptly.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2322) updates New Jersey charter school rules to ensure fair enrollment, improve student transitions, and increase transparency. It requires charter schools to admit all students without discrimination using random selection (except for weighted lotteries to promote diversity), prohibits admission criteria beyond random selection, and mandates schools to make applications available in the seven most common non-English languages in their district. New requirements include appointing a student placement liaison to coordinate transitions for new and exiting students, conduct exit interviews for non-graduating students, and annually report exit reasons and placements to the state and school districts. These changes directly affect charter schools, students, and their home school districts by standardizing enrollment practices and tracking student movement.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) program to include part-time undergraduate students at public and private colleges in the state, who are currently excluded. It amends statutes to allow part-time students to receive grants reduced proportionally (e.g., half the full-time amount) and counts their enrollment toward eligibility limits as half a full-time year. Funding for part-time grants must be separately appropriated, requiring dedicated budget line items. The change directly affects part-time students seeking financial aid for degree programs, aligning their eligibility with full-time peers under the state's existing financial aid framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 1784) requires owners of certain public spaces - like theaters, libraries, medical waiting areas, banks, restaurants, and grocery checkout zones - to install induction loop listening systems during new construction or substantial renovations costing over $40,000. These systems wirelessly transmit sound to hearing aids and cochlear implants with telecoil features, reducing background noise for people with hearing loss. Owners must also display permanent signage indicating the system’s availability and submit biennial self-certifications confirming it remains functional. Exceptions apply if a building code agency determines installation would be impractical, based on the owner’s request during permit applications.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Fairness in Bidding Act (A 3542), requires public entities like school districts and counties to include certified cost estimate ranges in construction bid advertisements for projects over $500,000. The ranges must span no more than 5% (e.g., $100,000-$105,000) and be verified as reasonable. It also increases the required bid security deposit from 10% to 50% of the bid amount (capped at $100,000) and specifies valid reasons for rejecting all bids, such as bids exceeding the certified cost estimates. These changes apply directly to public construction contracts and aim to ensure transparency and prevent unreasonably low or high bids.

Maddy summaryThis bill imposes a 1% administrative fee on contracts awarded to out-of-state contractors who work under New Jersey's Prevailing Wage Act (P.L.1963, c.150) and Public Works Contractor Registration Act (P.L.1999, c.238). It directly affects contractors whose principal business is outside New Jersey (excluding temporary satellite offices), requiring them to pay this fee based on the total contract value. Contractors may subtract costs they already paid for state business registration from the fee amount. The collected fee is deposited into the state General Fund and applies immediately to all contracts awarded after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance companies and state health programs in New Jersey to cover treatment for suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts for women during the one-year postpartum period (after childbirth). It specifically defines "suicidal ideation" as thoughts or plans about suicide and "attempted suicide" as harmful behavior meant to cause self-harm or death. The coverage applies immediately to all existing and new health plans in the state, including those for state and school employees. The bill addresses a critical health gap, as suicide is a leading cause of death among postpartum women, with studies showing up to 20% of postpartum deaths may involve suicide.