Asm. Mitchelle Drulis

Maddy summaryACR 85 proposes a constitutional amendment to increase New Jersey's annual veterans' property tax deduction from $250 to $1,250, effective 2024. It directly affects honorably discharged veterans and their surviving spouses who reside in the state, allowing them to deduct the full $1,250 from property taxes (or cancel the tax if it's less than $1,250). The current $250 deduction has remained unchanged since 2003, and this amendment requires voter approval to take effect. If passed, it would be the first increase since 1999, when the deduction rose from $50 to $250.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1213) provides $15 million in supplemental state funding to the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Foundation via the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). The funds will support expanding the Vietnam Era Museum by 11,850 square feet to achieve accreditation, acquire modern equipment for preserving artifacts, and enhance educational programming. The Foundation, which serves over 10,000 New Jersey students annually, will use the expansion to improve museum facilities and visitor experiences. This direct funding supports the Foundation's mission to honor Vietnam War veterans and educate the public through its museum and programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2484) eliminates a $50 fee charged to New Jersey residents for filing a certified copy of a court-ordered name change. It directly affects individuals who change their names due to events like marriage, divorce, or legal adoption. The bill amends state law by removing the specific fee provision (previously listed in Section 11(d)) for certified name change documents. This change applies immediately upon enactment, reducing costs for people needing official documentation of their name change.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A590 bill grants state employees an additional day of administrative leave per year for Eid al-Fitr and an additional day for Eid al-Adha, separate from their standard leave allotment. It requires public school districts to record absences for these holidays as excused, ensuring students face no academic penalties, such as missing awards or tests. The law also mandates that such absences not appear on transcripts or affect eligibility, provided a parent or guardian submits a written excuse.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill authorizes pharmacists to dispense HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) without individual prescriptions under specific conditions. Pharmacists must verify patients are HIV-negative through recent testing, provide counseling, complete required training, and document services before dispensing. Health insurance plans must cover these medications without prior authorization or step therapy requirements. Patients can receive up to a 60-day supply of PrEP without a prescription within any two-year period before needing a prescription for continued use. Pharmacists must also notify patients' primary care providers about the dispensing, unless the patient declines.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A925 would allow voters to register and vote on election day at polling places or during early voting by completing an affirmation statement and providing identification. Currently, voters must register at least 21 days before an election, but this bill would enable those who missed the deadline to register and cast a provisional ballot. Voters registering on election day would have 48 hours after the election to verify their identity through the Motor Vehicle Commission database or by providing acceptable identification, ensuring their ballot is counted if valid. This change would directly affect voters who meet eligibility requirements but missed the standard registration deadline.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A126 creates a tax credit program for employers who provide full paid family leave (up to two workdays) to employees for school-related events involving their children, such as conferences or meetings. Employers that offer this leave can claim tax credits equal to the wages paid during those days, offsetting the cost of the benefit. The program is limited to $10 million annually in total credits and applies to private employers, nonprofits, and other business entities. It supplements existing earned sick leave requirements under New Jersey law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2197) removes a requirement that county or municipal deer management plans must include written consent from private landowners located within 2,000 feet of a designated deer management area. It directly affects landowners in that proximity by eliminating the need to provide written permission for wildlife officials to access their property for specific deer management activities, such as retrieving darted deer for sterilization. The key provision amends existing law to prohibit the Fish and Game Council and Division of Fish and Wildlife from mandating this consent, streamlining implementation of approved community-based deer management plans. This change applies specifically to access for authorized management actions, not to the deer control methods themselves.