Asm. Verlina Reynolds-Jackson

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 1669) requires landlords in New Jersey to attach a copy of a municipal inspection or occupancy certificate to residential leases and deliver it to tenants at lease signing, with tenants acknowledging receipt by initialing the certificate. Landlords must provide this certificate within 30 days if omitted, or tenants may void the lease and vacate without further payment. If a tenant exercises this right, landlords must return security deposits plus interest within 30 days. The bill directly affects landlords of units subject to municipal inspection requirements and ensures tenants know rental units have passed safety inspections before moving in.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows a surviving family member or estate representative to terminate a motor vehicle lease immediately upon the leaseholder's death, without requiring them to buy the vehicle or continue the lease. It prohibits dealers or lessors from charging any fee for this early termination (though reasonable fees for excessive wear/mileage specified in the lease are permitted). Dealers must disclose this termination right in the lease agreement, and failure to do so incurs a $500 penalty. The law applies to personal vehicle leases signed after enactment and does not affect commercial vehicles or surviving co-lessees who signed the lease.

Maddy summaryBill A 1691 requires New Jersey school districts to close all schools on the day of any general election or primary election for a general election. This directly affects all public school districts across New Jersey by mandating closures on these specific election days, removing the current discretion school boards have to decide whether to close. The key provision (Section 1) states that school boards "shall close the schools" on these election days, replacing the existing law that allowed districts to set their own calendar. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment and is currently pending in the Assembly State and Local Government Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a pilot program to help low-income tenants with poor credit histories avoid eviction for missed rent payments. It selects 1,000 randomly chosen households from New Jersey’s State Rental Assistance Program or Section 8 voucher program (after credit counseling) to participate. If a tenant misses rent, the program pays the landlord directly but requires the tenant to repay the amount within 90 days. The program tracks default rates by credit score and reports findings to the legislature, funded by $10 million in state appropriations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs to track and publicly report natural disaster-related spending by state agencies, counties, municipalities, school districts, and other local governments. It mandates organizing spending into four clear categories: preparedness (like training and planning), mitigation (reducing future damage), response (immediate actions after a disaster), and recovery (restoring communities). The department must publish simple, annual summaries online showing funding sources and whether reimbursements are expected, including data from local budget reports. This applies to all units of government that already submit budget summaries under existing laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a first-degree crime for specific law enforcement personnel - including police officers, correctional staff, and probation officers - to use a chokehold that blocks breathing or causes serious injury or death while on duty. It defines "chokehold" broadly to include any pressure on the throat or windpipe that hinders breathing. Violators face up to 20 years in prison, a $200,000 fine, or both. The law directly affects sworn law enforcement and correctional staff, clarifying and strengthening existing restrictions on chokehold use.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the Behavioral Healthcare Provider Loan Redemption Program by allowing for-profit community mental health providers to be designated as "approved sites" under the program. Previously, only nonprofit, educational, or government-run facilities qualified, but this amendment explicitly includes for-profit entities. Eligible providers (such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers) who work at these approved sites can apply to have their qualifying student loans partially repaid, up to a $150,000 limit. The change directly affects behavioral healthcare professionals seeking loan repayment assistance and for-profit clinics aiming to recruit staff through this program.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases New Jersey's threshold for skipping formal advertising on state construction and repair contracts from $25,000 to $150,000 for projects involving labor and materials. It directly affects state agencies and departments managing public building projects under this dollar limit, allowing them to negotiate or award contracts without full competitive bidding. The change takes effect January 1, 2024, and requires the Governor to adjust the threshold every five years based on inflation. This reduces administrative time and costs for smaller projects while maintaining oversight through state division directors.

Maddy summaryAJR 58 establishes a 15-member task force to address cases of missing and murdered Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) women and girls in New Jersey. The task force, appointed by state leaders and agency heads, will develop culturally competent training for first responders, create prevention materials for affected communities, improve statewide data collection on missing BIPOC women/girls, identify high-risk locations, and launch a public awareness campaign. It must submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within 18 months of forming. The task force directly affects BIPOC women and girls who are missing or victims of violence, aiming to address underreporting and systemic gaps in law enforcement responses.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 1972) would gradually expand family leave protections by lowering the employee threshold for businesses to be covered under the law. Currently, businesses with 30+ employees must comply; the bill phases this down to 20 employees (after 365 days), then 10 employees (after 730 days), and finally to 5 or more employees (after 1,095 days). It directly affects small businesses (5-30 employees) by requiring them to provide job-protected family leave for eligible employees. The bill was introduced in 2026 but withdrawn because it was superseded by another law (P.L.2025, c.279) that already implemented similar changes.