Asm. Joe Danielsen

Maddy summaryThe "John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey" requires all voting policies to be interpreted in ways that maximize voting access for all eligible voters, particularly members of racial, color, and language-minority groups. It prohibits voting practices that burden protected class members and mandates language assistance for limited English proficient voters. The bill creates a preclearance process for voting changes in jurisdictions with a history of voting rights violations and establishes the New Jersey Voting and Elections Institute to maintain public voting data. These provisions aim to ensure equitable access to voting and protect against voter suppression and vote dilution.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a statewide Parkinson's disease registry under New Jersey's Department of Health. It requires healthcare providers (such as hospitals, doctors, and clinics) to report diagnosed cases of Parkinson's disease or related movement disorders to the registry, while allowing patients to opt out of data collection. The registry will collect anonymized data on incidence, prevalence, and demographics (if patients choose to share), with strict confidentiality protections and no public disclosure of individual records. The Department of Health must publish annual reports on registry data and maintain a public website detailing the registry's purpose and findings.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 1067) requires the state's Department of Human Services to conduct a landscape analysis of mental health services accessible to deaf and hard of hearing residents. It mandates that mental health services be provided in a client's primary communication method (like sign language or speech), delivered by professionals certified in that method and trained in culturally appropriate care for the deaf community. The bill also requires the creation of a resource guide listing providers meeting these standards and defines key terms like "culturally affirmative mental health services." It directly affects deaf and hard of hearing individuals seeking mental health care across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3041 prohibits cooperatives from receiving public works contracts if any member contractor or subcontractor within the cooperative has failed to pay prevailing wages. The bill extends a three-year ban (currently applied to individual contractors) to cover entire cooperatives, meaning a cooperative cannot win contracts if one of its members violates wage laws. It defines a "cooperative" as a business with collective ownership and long-term member control, and includes a process for affected cooperatives to request a hearing if they believe the ban is wrongly applied. The prohibition applies to all cooperative entities with a member on the prevailing wage violation list, lasting three years from the date of listing.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds $250,000 in supplemental funding to New Jersey's 2026 budget for gubernatorial transition expenses, bringing the total to $650,000 (supplementing the existing $400,000 allocation). It directly affects the Governor-Elect and the Department of Treasury, which will use the funds for costs like office setup, staff hiring, and administrative operations during the transition period. The funding is part of the state's fiscal year 2026 appropriations and takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public school staff in New Jersey to complete training on caring for students with epilepsy or seizure disorders every two years. It directly affects school staff (including teachers, coaches, and support personnel) and students with these conditions. The training, provided through Department of Health-approved courses by nonprofit organizations, covers recognizing seizures, emergency response, and daily care. This update builds on existing law (P.L.2019, c.290) that already requires schools to develop individualized health plans for affected students but adds the mandatory biennial staff training requirement. The law applies to all school-sponsored activities, including those outside regular school hours.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires retailers to provide a raincheck for 60 days if a product or service advertised via a digital coupon (like a phone or website discount) is unavailable at the time of purchase. It directly affects retailers using digital coupons and protects consumers who cannot redeem the advertised offer. The key provision mandates that retailers issue a written raincheck allowing customers to obtain the same item at the same discounted price within 60 days. Violations would be considered consumer fraud under New Jersey law, with penalties including fines.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands eligibility for New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) to include certain substitute teachers who were previously excluded. It amends the law to allow eligible substitutes - defined by specific criteria in the bill - to enroll in the retirement system, directly affecting their access to pension benefits. The key change modifies the definition of "member" in the pension law to include these substitute educators. This policy shift provides a concrete pathway for qualifying substitutes to build retirement savings through TPAF.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A6204) would require ranked-choice voting for several New Jersey and federal elections, including governor, state legislature, U.S. Senate and House races, and presidential primaries and general elections for presidential electors. Voters would rank candidates in order of preference on ballots, with votes redistributed in rounds until a candidate meets the election threshold (33% +1 for state assembly, 50% +1 for other offices). The process continues until one candidate achieves the threshold or all remaining candidates are eliminated, with ballots becoming "exhausted" if they no longer rank any remaining candidates. The bill mandates ballot design allowing at least six rankings and write-in candidates, applying to all specified elections starting from the next applicable cycle.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 13-member "School Finance Reform Commission" to study New Jersey's school funding system. The commission includes the Education Commissioner and State Board of Education President (ex officio), plus 11 public members appointed by legislative leaders and the Governor. It will examine school district property tax levies and how local funding calculations affect equalization aid distribution, with a focus on two specific 2007 laws. The commission must submit a report with findings and recommendations within one year of organizing, and the bill expires 30 days after that final report is issued. The commission itself does not make policy changes but will provide study results to guide future decisions.