Asm. Anthony Verrelli

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Neighborhood Scholar Revitalization Pilot Program" in four New Jersey cities: Camden, Trenton, Jersey City, and Paterson. It offers college graduates with at least $7,000 in student loan debt a $7,000 reimbursement toward their loans after committing to live in designated low-income neighborhoods for 24 months. Businesses in participating enterprise zones can earn tax credits equal to their contributions to the program's fund, which is partially funded by transferring money from municipal enterprise zone assistance accounts. The program limits participation to 200 graduates per city, with a 3-year evaluation required to determine potential expansion.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A2053 requires the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to create mandatory standards for publicly funded transitional housing programs supporting individuals recently released from prison. The bill mandates that these standards ensure resident safety, provide emergency and long-term housing, and include counseling services (like substance abuse treatment, job training, and medical care), personalized care plans for long-term inmates, and assistance securing permanent housing. These regulations must be developed in consultation with the Corrections Commissioner and will apply to all state-supported reentry housing programs. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public community water systems (serving at least 15 connections or 25 year-round residents) to provide specific lead-related information to customers. It mandates that water systems include details about lead sources, health effects, and reduction measures in annual Consumer Confidence Reports (as required by federal law), and send written notices to new customers within 90 days of service. Additionally, systems must notify all customers 48 hours before lead pipe work (or as soon as practicable in emergencies), including temporary water safety risks and mitigation steps. All notices must align with guidelines published by the Department of Environmental Protection within 120 days of the bill's effective date. The law directly affects residents, businesses, and institutions receiving water from covered systems across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $450,000 from the Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction Fund - funded by fines from convicted drug offenders - to the Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs Program. The program, established by law (P.L.2012, c.46), uses fishing activities to engage youth in drug prevention efforts. The funding covers implementation costs, and the bill encourages annual appropriations from the same fund or other sources to maintain the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey county clerks to provide accessible mail-in ballots to voters with disabilities who request them, delivered electronically to the voter's specified contact method. The accessible ballot must include features like audio guidance, braille compatibility, electronic marking, and the ability to print or return the ballot electronically for eligible voters. Eligible voters for electronic return include those who are blind, have visual impairments preventing standard ballot reading, or have physical disabilities affecting ballot handling. The Secretary of State must issue uniform guidelines for election officials to implement these requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey mail-in voters to correct their ballot if they forget to include the required "Certificate of Mail-in Voter" on their ballot envelope. County election boards must send a "cure letter" with a simple form within 24 hours of rejecting a ballot for a missing certificate, giving voters up to 48 hours before election results are certified to fix the error. Voters can verify their identity using a New Jersey driver's license number, last four Social Security digits, or a utility bill - without needing to swear an affidavit or submit hard-copy ID. The bill ensures mail-in ballots won't be rejected solely for minor signature variations and requires county boards to process these corrections weekly before elections.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school districts to teach students in grades 6-12 about the dangers of e-cigarettes as part of their health education curriculum. The instruction must cover nicotine content in e-cigarettes, how use can lead to addiction to tobacco or other drugs, health risks from chemicals like formaldehyde, and the state's ban on e-cigarettes at school under the Smoke-Free Air Act. School districts must integrate this content into existing health education standards, and the Commissioner of Education will provide sample lesson materials to support implementation. The bill directly affects all New Jersey public schools and students in the specified grades.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school districts to incorporate age-appropriate instruction on racial discrimination and social justice into middle school Social Studies classes as part of their existing New Jersey Student Learning Standards implementation. It directly affects all middle school students and school districts across the state. The key mechanism mandates the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Amistad Commission, to provide school districts with sample learning activities and resources to support this instruction. The requirement takes effect immediately for the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires state and private correctional facilities to provide inmates with free telephone and video calls, meaning neither the inmate nor the person they call pays any fees. It eliminates per-minute charges, service fees, and additional surcharges for all calls, including international calls for state and private facilities. Facilities must still follow state procurement rules when contracting for these services. The policy change aims to reduce financial strain on families and support rehabilitation through consistent communication.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes New Jersey law to remove the automatic disqualification from jury service for individuals with prior convictions of serious crimes (indictable offenses), except for convictions of murder or aggravated sexual assault. It allows people who have completed their sentences for other serious crimes to be considered for jury duty, provided they meet standard qualifications like U.S. citizenship and county residency. The bill does not affect those currently incarcerated for serious crimes, who remain disqualified. This update expands the pool of potential jurors by including more people with past criminal records, while maintaining specific exclusions for the most severe offenses.