Asm. Verlina Reynolds-Jackson

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a temporary task force to study and suggest improvements for transportation services for people with disabilities and senior citizens in New Jersey. The seven-member group includes state officials and representatives from advocacy organizations, who will meet to examine issues like travel obstacles, infrastructure, and new technologies such as automated vehicles. After organizing within 30 days, the task force will hold public hearings and submit a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within 18 months before the group dissolves.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a three-year pilot program to provide school-based mentoring for kindergarten through third-grade students in public schools located within 1,000 feet of a site where gunfire occurred in the previous school year. The program aims to improve the social-emotional and behavioral skills of these students by offering weekly, 25-minute one-on-one sessions focused on emotional monitoring, resilience, and self-control. Under the plan, the state Commissioner of Education will select the Jersey City School District and six other schools across the state to participate, providing grants to cover costs and allowing the use of third-party administrators. Participating schools must train mentors, identify students with specific developmental challenges, and evaluate progress before, during, and after the curriculum. At the end of the pilot, the Commissioner will report to the Governor and Legislature on whether the program should be expanded statewide.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Attorney General to create a single, standardized curriculum for basic police training across the state. The Attorney General must work with the existing Police Training Commission to develop this course, which will then be taught at all approved police training schools. The law also gives the Commission authority to enforce this new curriculum, inspect training schools, and ensure instructors meet specific qualifications. Additionally, the Attorney General is tasked with reviewing and updating the curriculum annually to keep it current.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the New Jersey State Police to create a new community policing unit designed to build trust and transparency with the public. The unit will work with local agencies and community groups to address crime and quality of life issues, while also implementing recruitment practices aimed at increasing racial and ethnic diversity. Additionally, the legislation mandates biennial training for all troopers on inclusive communities and requires each officer to complete a minimum number of community engagement hours annually. To ensure accountability, the Superintendent of State Police must submit an annual report to the Attorney General and the Legislature detailing the unit's activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires local governments in New Jersey to prepare their budgets using generally accepted accounting principles to improve financial transparency. It mandates that the Local Finance Board establish a uniform double-entry bookkeeping system for all local units and requires specific authorities, such as parking and sewerage boards, to hire certified public accountants for annual audits. Additionally, the bill sets strict deadlines for completing and filing these financial reports with both the local governing body and the state Division of Local Government Services. These changes directly affect counties, municipalities, and various municipal authorities by standardizing how they track and report their finances.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts how criminal records that have been expunged can be shared or used in New Jersey. It makes it a crime for any individual or organization to reveal the existence of an expunged arrest or conviction and holds record-keeping businesses responsible for immediately removing such data from their systems. The law also requires these businesses to provide a free way for people to correct their records and imposes fines of up to $5,000 for those who knowingly distribute expunged information. Additionally, the bill clarifies that agencies are not liable if they fail to remove records due to errors by law enforcement, while also protecting the privacy of license applicants by limiting the public disclosure of their home addresses.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires most health insurance plans to cover the cost of diapers when a doctor deems them medically necessary for a patient. The law applies to a wide range of insurance types, including hospital and medical service contracts, individual policies, group plans, and small employer benefits. To ensure quick access to care, the bill mandates that insurers must pay for these medically necessary diapers without requiring prior approval or other administrative hurdles.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the week containing September 10th of each year as "Suicide Prevention Week" throughout New Jersey. The primary mechanism is a formal resolution that requests the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and residents to observe the week with awareness activities and programs. By establishing this official observance, the legislation aims to raise community awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding suicide without creating new funding or operational requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill restructures the governance of New Jersey's State Health Benefits Program by creating a new State Health Benefits Commission with 13 members. The commission will include existing state officials, representatives from local and higher education employers, and members appointed by various public employee unions, including specific seats for police and firefighters. A key provision is the addition of a non-voting expert member selected by the other commissioners to provide independent advice on health care plan design. The bill also establishes a new committee to assist with plan design and outlines how members will be appointed, serve terms, and manage conflicts of interest. Ultimately, the legislation aims to broaden representation and oversight in how the state manages health benefits for its employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new 25-member Council for Community Recovery and Family Success within New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (though operating independently). The council, funded with $4.0 million, will develop a coordinated approach to prevent family crises by focusing on early intervention, family support, and child well-being - shifting from current crisis-response services. It includes state agency leaders, community advocates, and residents from underserved areas, with members appointed by the Governor, Senate President, and Assembly Speaker. The council will create a work plan and budget to advance preventive services aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.