Asm. Verlina Reynolds-Jackson

Maddy summaryThis bill expands eligibility for expunging criminal records in New Jersey by allowing individuals with multiple convictions to apply for relief under specific conditions. It permits expungement for people convicted of one crime and up to three minor offenses, or for multiple crimes that were interdependent and committed in a short time frame, provided there are no subsequent unrelated convictions. The legislation also clarifies that certain marijuana-related charges, including those involving school zones or public housing, may be included in expungement applications if they meet the established criteria. These changes directly affect individuals seeking to clear their criminal records while maintaining restrictions on those with unrelated later convictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill would make it legal for adults aged 21 and older to grow and possess marijuana plants for personal use in New Jersey. Under the proposed law, individuals could grow up to six plants for recreational use or up to 10 plants for medical use, with a household limit of 12 plants total. The legislation removes criminal penalties for maintaining or operating premises used to grow these limited quantities of marijuana for personal purposes. Additionally, the bill requires the state's Cannabis Regulatory Commission to create rules within 90 days of enactment to implement these changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public employers in New Jersey to share the cost of health benefits for retirees who worked for multiple government entities, dividing the expense proportionally based on how long each employer employed the retiree. It applies to retirees who qualify for employer-paid health coverage and were employed by more than one state or local government agency or higher education institution. The law allows employers to choose whether to contribute to these costs and does not change existing collective bargaining agreements. Additionally, the bill updates rules for how certain state employees contribute to their own health coverage in retirement.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that the New Jersey State budget bill wait at least two full calendar days between its second and third reading in either legislative house before it can be passed. The measure directly affects the state legislature by adding a mandatory waiting period to the budget approval process, ensuring more time for deliberation. While the requirement can be waived with a three-fourths majority vote in either house, the default rule mandates the two-day interval. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts to mandate that students identified as engaging in bias-related conduct meet with a certified school psychologist weekly for at least nine months. The law defines bias acts as any behavior motivated by protected characteristics such as race, gender, or sexual orientation that creates a hostile environment, and includes actions like displaying hate symbols or using discriminatory language. Districts must employ psychologists trained in implicit bias and racial equity to provide restorative interventions aimed at understanding underlying causes and preventing future incidents. The legislation emphasizes support and education over purely punitive measures, requiring staff training and transparent reporting to address rising bias incidents in schools.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey to join the Women's Reproductive Health Care Compact, a multi-state agreement. The compact requires member states to work together to protect patients and providers who seek or provide reproductive health care across state lines. Key provisions include preventing extradition or investigations against those involved in care, blocking forced disclosure of medical records, stopping penalties against providers (like license suspensions or insurance hikes), and banning data collection about patients' travel, costs, or barriers to care. It directly affects New Jersey residents traveling for care, out-of-state providers serving New Jersey patients, and medical facilities operating across participating states. The compact does not change New Jersey's own abortion laws but focuses on interstate cooperation to safeguard access.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 1679) prohibits crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) from making false or misleading claims about their services in advertisements or public statements. Specifically, it bans CPCs from falsely implying they provide abortion or medical pregnancy services (like prenatal care), misrepresenting themselves as licensed health care facilities, or failing to disclose they don’t offer such services. Violations trigger penalties under New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act, including mandatory cessation of false advertising and public correction of the misleading claims. The law directly affects nonprofit CPCs that operate without medical licenses and present themselves as health care facilities, requiring them to clearly state their service limitations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 2731) adds the right to use assisted reproductive technology (ART), including in vitro fertilization (IVF), to New Jersey's fundamental reproductive rights. It directly affects all individuals in New Jersey, including those under state control, by legally protecting their choice to access ART for starting or expanding a family. The key mechanism declares any state law, rule, or regulation limiting this right "deemed invalid" and unenforceable under New Jersey law. The bill responds to Alabama's 2024 court ruling that threatened IVF access, expanding existing protections for reproductive choices. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 1315) establishes standardized credit transfer policies between New Jersey's public colleges and universities. It requires all public institutions to create a statewide transfer agreement ensuring general education credits and associate degrees transfer seamlessly to four-year programs, and a reverse transfer agreement allowing students enrolled at four-year schools to earn associate degrees from community colleges for credits completed there. The bill creates a new "New Jersey Transfer Ombudsperson" within the Higher Education office to resolve disputes over credit transfers and monitor compliance. It directly affects public colleges, students transferring between institutions, and community colleges offering associate degrees. The bill is pending before the Assembly Higher Education Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to create a public online registry listing out-of-state contractors awarded public construction contracts that require prevailing wages. It directly affects contractors whose main business is outside New Jersey, excluding satellite offices or temporary locations. The registry, maintained by the State Treasurer, will include project details, contractor trade names, and business addresses, and must be accessible on the Treasury Department’s website. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.