Asm. Verlina Reynolds-Jackson

Maddy summaryThis bill requires main contractors (prime contractors) who win state construction, goods, or services contracts to notify subcontractors listed on their bids within 30 days of winning the contract. The notification, sent by certified mail, must include the state agency awarding the contract, a description of the main contractor's work, and the subcontractor's specific tasks with a timeframe. Prime contractors are not required to notify subcontractors about separate paperwork, permits, or deadlines needed to perform work. Failure to provide this notice within 30 days subjects the prime contractor to penalties specified in their contract.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Attorney General to develop a uniform basic police training curriculum for all entry-level officer training. The Attorney General must create this curriculum in consultation with the Police Training Commission, which will then implement it at every approved police training school across the state. The Attorney General must review and update the curriculum annually. The bill also defines key terms: a "basic course" refers to initial training for police recruits, and an "approved school" means a training facility authorized by the Commission.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Treasury to update the state's Disparity Study every five years, starting January 1, 2029. The updates must track changes in how often small, minority-owned, women-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses secure state government contracts. The study, originally completed in 2024, directly affects state procurement policies and these business categories. This ensures regular assessment of opportunities for underrepresented businesses in state contracting.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Agriculture, working with the Department of Education, to create a single online application system for students to apply for the National School Lunch Program and school breakfast programs. School districts and participating nonprofit nonpublic schools must make this online application available to families, while still offering paper applications. Schools already using their own online systems have one year after the bill's passage to switch to the state-developed system. The policy aims to streamline enrollment for eligible students in these federally funded meal programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4596) requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to form partnerships with businesses, community groups, healthcare providers, universities, and other stakeholders to strengthen emergency response during public health crises. The DOH must identify critical resources and at-risk populations, then establish formal partnerships to develop joint response plans, conduct shared training, and coordinate across agencies. These partnerships will focus on improving preparedness and response capabilities for future crises. The bill directly affects the DOH and the entities it partners with, aiming to create a more coordinated system without changing existing laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to revise its Pandemic Influenza Plan to better prepare for future large-scale flu outbreaks. The updated plan must address long-running pandemics, align with federal public health standards, clarify agency roles during emergencies, improve coordination with local health departments, establish healthcare guidelines for severe shortages, and address health equity gaps exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The DOH must seek input from the Governor’s Office, local health departments, and public health stakeholders during revisions and regularly update the plan for training exercises. The bill directly affects state emergency response systems and aims to strengthen New Jersey’s public health preparedness.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey state agencies to provide certified business enterprises with up to 10% of a contract’s value as an advance payment before work begins. It directly affects certified small, minority/women-owned, LGBTQ+, veteran, and disadvantaged-owned businesses that bid on state contracts but lack upfront capital. Contractors must request the advance in their bid, share it proportionally with certified subcontractors within 60 days, and repay if they fail to start or complete the work. The Division of Revenue Business Certification Program in the Treasury Department determines eligibility for these certifications.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4744) requires six New Jersey authorities (NJTA, SJTA, EDA, CRDA, PANYNJ, and DRPA) to consider and prioritize minorities and women in hiring decisions and to consider and prioritize minority-owned and women-owned businesses when awarding contracts. The bill defines "minority" to include Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and American Indian/Alaskan Native individuals, and specifies detailed criteria for minority and women-owned businesses. Each authority must publish demographic data about their employees and contractors on their websites, including counts by gender, race, and ethnicity with average salary and contract values, updating this information quarterly. The provisions for PANYNJ and DRPA will only become effective after New York and Pennsylvania pass similar legislation.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a "sheltered market program" allowing New Jersey state agencies to reserve certain contracts for certified businesses including minority-owned, women-owned, disabled veterans' businesses, LGBTQ+-owned businesses, and other economically or socially disadvantaged enterprises. State agencies must seek approval from the Chief Diversity Officer to designate contracts for this program, using criteria like historical underutilization of certified businesses. The program requires agencies to publish designated contracts online, conduct outreach to eligible businesses, and submit annual reports tracking contract awards and performance. Contracts under the program cannot exceed three years, and prime contractors must make good-faith efforts to offer subcontracting opportunities to qualified businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state agencies to make a good faith effort to increase the use of certified minority and women-owned businesses as prime contractors and subcontractors in state procurement. It mandates agencies to develop specific goals based on a statewide disparity study (to be completed by August 2029), which found minority and women-owned businesses currently receive only 4-15% of prime contract dollars across different sectors. Contractors must submit utilization plans detailing how they'll engage these businesses, with waivers available for those who make good faith efforts but can't meet requirements. Agencies must report annually on progress toward goals, with the bill set to expire on December 31, 2029 if the disparity study shows no continuing disparity.