Asm. Verlina Reynolds-Jackson

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A5720 requires all public school districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects to install exterior key boxes meeting safety standards at every school building by June 2027. These key boxes must contain building keys, access devices, and updated emergency access maps, with locations chosen in collaboration with first responders. The state appropriates $2.5 million from the General Fund to reimburse schools for installation costs. The bill directly affects school safety infrastructure and emergency response access.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5799) requires pharmacies in New Jersey to provide written notice of an intended closure to the local municipality’s governing board at least 90 days before closing. It directly affects pharmacy owners and operators planning to shut down locations, in addition to their existing requirements to notify the State Board of Pharmacy and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The key provision mandates this advance notice to give communities time to address potential gaps in healthcare access. The bill takes immediate effect and directs the Board of Pharmacy to create implementing rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill would create special "Woman Veteran" license plates in New Jersey, featuring a silhouette of a woman veteran saluting against an American flag with the words "Woman Veteran." To obtain these plates, applicants must provide proof of veteran status (via DD-214 or discharge documents) and pay a $50 application fee plus a $10 annual renewal fee. The additional fees collected fund a dedicated "Woman Veteran License Plate Fund," which annually supports organizations assisting women veterans. The program requires 500 initial applications and $25,000 in private funding before implementation, and expires if these conditions aren't met within 12 months.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Out-of-School Time Advisory Commission to review before-school, after-school, and summer programs statewide. The 20-member commission includes state agency leaders, legislative appointees, and representatives from child care organizations, educators, and researchers. Its key duties are to assess current programs, develop statewide standards, examine funding sources, and evaluate program quality across urban, suburban, and rural areas. The commission must submit an interim report within one year and a final report within two years, after which it will expire. The bill directly affects all organizations providing out-of-school time programs in New Jersey by setting a framework for their review and improvement.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $3 million annually from cannabis-related Social Equity Excise Fee revenues to fund Freedom Schools in New Jersey. The funds, collected through New Jersey's regulated cannabis sales program, will be allocated to the Department of State to support these programs. Freedom Schools provide year-round academic support, including summer programs and tutoring, for K-12 students and their families. The funding directly affects students in New Jersey public schools participating in these community-based educational initiatives.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5763) requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJT) to create and implement a mandatory training curriculum for all operators of NJT motorbus regular route service (including contracted operators). The training must cover four key areas: basic disability types (physical, sensory, intellectual, developmental), safe passenger assistance techniques, emergency procedures for disability-related incidents, and resources from disability organizations. NJT must also seek input from recognized disability groups before updating the curriculum and post the full training content on its website for public access. The policy directly affects NJT bus operators and passengers with disabilities, aiming to improve service accessibility and safety.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows small New Jersey employers with fewer than 20 employees to claim a tax credit for paying health insurance premiums for their workers. Employers who cover 100% of premiums for single coverage get a $250 credit per employee, and $500 for family coverage; partial coverage (50-100%) earns a proportional credit. The credit is reduced if premiums aren’t paid for the full year, and no credit is available if less than 50% of premiums are paid. It applies to both corporation business tax and gross income tax, capping the credit at the actual amount paid and limiting total credit use to 50% of tax liability.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill prohibits residential landlords from charging tenants more than $5 per month for using online payment methods to pay rent. Landlords must cover any fees exceeding $5 or reimburse tenants within 10 days, and provide itemized receipts showing compliance with the $5 limit. Violations result in $1,000 penalties per offense, plus attorney fees and other costs that tenants can recover through a private lawsuit. The law applies to all residential landlords and tenants using online rent payment systems in New Jersey. It aims to prevent excessive fees that disproportionately impact low-income and fixed-income renters.

Maddy summaryThe Graduate Physician Licensing Act establishes a new license category for medical school graduates who have not completed residency programs. These "graduate physicians" would be permitted to provide primary care services in medically underserved areas under the supervision of a collaborating physician through formal collaborative practice arrangements. The bill sets specific licensure requirements (including passing Step 2 of the medical licensing exam and having no criminal history) and outlines detailed oversight requirements for collaborative practice arrangements, including documentation, chart review, and patient disclosure. Health insurance plans, Medicaid, and state health benefit programs would be required to reimburse graduate physicians at the same rate as physician assistants for their services.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4812) establishes a 15-member Task Force on Higher Education Governance and Funding to examine New Jersey's higher education system. The task force, appointed by the Governor, Senate President, and Assembly Speaker, includes representatives from public universities, community colleges, student groups, faculty unions, and alumni associations. It will study governance structures, funding mechanisms, oversight roles, and best practices from other states to assess how well the system meets current challenges. The task force must issue a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year, using $200,000 in state funds for administrative costs. The bill does not change funding or governance directly but creates a process for evaluating these systems.