Asm. Anthony Verrelli

Maddy summaryThe "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey" establishes a state-level voting rights law to protect racial, color, and language-minority groups' voting rights. It requires election policies to be narrowly tailored to compelling justifications and prohibits methods that impair protected class members' ability to elect their preferred candidates. The bill creates a preclearance process for political subdivisions with prior voting rights violations before implementing election policies, mandates language assistance for language-minority groups meeting census thresholds, and provides remedies including alternative election processes and redistricting changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes penalties for underage gambling in New Jersey from criminal charges to civil fines. It affects minors who gamble (now facing fines up to $2,000 for repeat offenses), casino employees or licensees who allow underage gambling (liable to the same fines), and Atlantic City (which will receive all collected fines). Key provisions set specific fine tiers: $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, and $2,000+ for subsequent offenses. All fines collected will be deposited exclusively into Atlantic City's public safety services trust fund, with no criminal records or court proceedings involved.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a voluntary online resume bank for New Jersey residents with disabilities who wish to be appointed to state boards, commissions, authorities, or similar entities (like special committees or task forces). The Governor must establish a webpage listing available appointments and allow individuals to submit their resumes, including personal contact details, disability-related information, and preferred state entities. The resume bank will be accessible to the executive branch and Legislature to help identify qualified candidates for these roles. It does not mandate appointments but aims to streamline the application process for state positions.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the scope of practice for optometrists in New Jersey by allowing them to prescribe more pharmaceutical agents (including some controlled substances), administer certain immunizations (for coronaviruses, influenza, and varicella-zoster virus), and perform simple ophthalmologic procedures like non-invasive laser treatments. It clarifies that optometrists must complete specific training and credentialing to provide these expanded services, including evidence of competence through accredited education programs. The bill directly affects licensed optometrists in New Jersey and their patients, who will have access to a broader range of eye care services from optometrists. The legislation updates the legal definition of optometry practice to better align with optometrists' doctoral education and clinical training.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3778) reaffirms the ongoing operation of the Rutgers Institute of Management and Labor Relations, established in 1947, and appropriates $750,000 annually from the state General Fund to support its work. The Institute will continue offering affordable educational programs - including classes, conferences, and webinars - focused on labor-management relations, with tuition designed to be free for New Jersey residents. It mandates an advisory council with equal representation from labor, management, and the public to guide the Institute’s programs. The funding is supplemental to existing state allocations and must be used to support the Institute’s educational and research activities on workplace issues.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state, county, and private adult and juvenile correctional facilities to provide free voice, video, and electronic mail services to incarcerated individuals, eliminating all fees for calls or messages. It prohibits facilities from charging per-minute rates, setup fees, or any other charges to incarcerated persons or their families, and mandates that services must be provided at no cost to any party. The bill appropriates funds from the General Fund to cover implementation costs, ensuring facilities can provide these services without financial burden. As a result, incarcerated individuals and their families will no longer face costs previously associated with communication, such as domestic call fees up to 11 cents per minute.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state agencies currently leasing space at 300 and 400 Riverview Plaza in Trenton to relocate to other suitable locations within the city as soon as possible. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) must then actively seek private businesses to occupy the vacated office space and prioritize them for eligibility in state business assistance programs. The EDA may modify existing programs, such as the Grow New Jersey Assistance Program, to offer enhanced incentives like bonuses to private entities that move into these buildings. The bill also authorizes the EDA to request support from other state agencies, including the Department of Treasury and Department of Transportation, to facilitate the redevelopment of the area.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to establish a separate fringe benefit rate specifically for state colleges and universities, effective with fiscal year 2025. Currently, these institutions use the same general state employee rate for benefits, but their staff often participate in less costly retirement plans (like the Alternative Benefit Plan) compared to other state employees. The new rate will reflect the actual cost of employee retirement programs at these schools. This change applies to all federal, dedicated, and non-State funded programs at public colleges and universities.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a "Substance Use Disorder and Addiction Treatment Best Practices Task Force" in New Jersey to address fragmentation in the state's addiction treatment system. The task force will coordinate oversight currently split across multiple agencies - like the Department of Health (licensing treatment centers), Department of Community Affairs (sober homes), and Division of Human Services (community services) - which the bill states causes inefficiencies. It directly affects New Jersey residents seeking addiction treatment and the providers operating in this system, aiming to improve service coordination and address issues like fraud identified in a state investigation. The task force will develop best practices to streamline care and protect individuals accessing treatment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state agencies to provide public-facing forms, applications, and documents in the five most commonly spoken languages in the state (based on the latest federal census data). Agencies must also offer documents in Gujarati, Korean, and Punjabi upon request. It applies to all state departments, commissions, and independent authorities that interact with the public. The law takes effect three months after enactment, with the Secretary of State tasked with creating implementation rules.