Asm. Robert Karabinchak

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A3558 bill establishes the state's official definition of antisemitism using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) standard, including specific examples of antisemitic conduct. State agencies and institutions must use this definition when reviewing, investigating, or deciding on cases involving discriminatory acts motivated by antisemitism. The bill appropriates $100,000 for a public awareness campaign by the Attorney General's office to educate residents on identifying and reporting bias crimes through community outreach and the existing bias crimes hotline. This campaign aims to improve reporting of antisemitic incidents without affecting First Amendment rights or conflicting with existing anti-discrimination laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the filing deadline for members and retirees of New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS), and State Police Retirement System (SPRS) to qualify for accidental disability retirement benefits related to 9/11 World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations. It allows for a two-year filing period after the bill's effective date (with potential two-year extensions) and replaces the requirement for a pre-employment physical examination with evidence of medical examinations that failed to disclose qualifying health conditions. The bill also permits retirees previously denied due to late filing to petition for reconsideration or resubmit their eligibility forms. Retirement systems must notify all affected members within 60 days of enactment about these provisions using clear language explaining filing requirements and time limits.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes a permanent annual $500,000 allocation from New Jersey's Clean Communities Program Fund to fund public outreach for the state's single-use plastics reduction program. The funding supports the Department of Environmental Protection's outreach efforts, including educational campaigns and a bag redistribution program that repurposes reusable bags for food banks and pantries. The bill changes current law, which limited this funding to the first three years after the 2020 single-use plastics ban law, making it permanent. This directly affects the DEP's outreach activities and the public receiving information about reducing plastic use.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to update driver education, testing, and the driver's manual to include specific information about safely interacting with pedestrians, cyclists, and other non-motorized road users. It mandates that driver's education courses, the written knowledge examination, and the official driver's manual must cover a driver's responsibilities when approaching and passing pedestrians and cyclists, including the penalties for failing to comply with these responsibilities as outlined in existing law (P.L.2021, c.194). The changes will affect all new drivers going through the state's licensing process, including teenagers and adults seeking their first license. The bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to incorporate these provisions into all relevant educational materials and testing.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public and certain nonpublic schools to offer parents a no-fee option for paying school meals, field trips, activity fees, and other school-related costs. It mandates that payment platforms used by schools must clearly disclose all fees, average annual user costs, and the availability of the no-fee alternative. Schools must include this fee information and the no-fee option in all payment requests sent to parents. The law applies to all school districts and charter schools, taking effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to study how data centers impact electricity rates for residential customers. The BPU must determine if non-data center customers unfairly subsidize data center costs, whether infrastructure for data centers causes unreasonable rate hikes, and project the future portion of residential rates attributable to data centers over the next 20 years. The study will also evaluate policy options to prevent rate increases from data center growth. The BPU must complete the study within one year and submit a report to the governor and legislature within 15 months.

Maddy summaryThis bill would permit New Jersey county boards of elections to extend the prohibited distance for electioneering from 100 feet to 200 feet around polling places and ballot drop boxes during elections. Currently, electioneering is prohibited within 100 feet of these locations. County boards would have discretion to choose the extended 200-foot distance but must provide clear notice of this rule and its penalties before implementation. This change would directly affect voters, candidates, and campaign workers near polling locations during election periods.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits public institutions of higher education in New Jersey from entering into sports wagering partnerships that involve advertising or marketing in stadiums, digital/broadcast sports content, or other campus-related channels. It specifically bans agreements between universities (including athletic departments or booster clubs) and sports wagering operators for student or campus audience access. Exceptions exist for academic partnerships with casinos/sports wagering licensees that provide student learning opportunities, and for related foundations that avoid direct student advertising (e.g., no on-campus marketing or targeted digital ads to enrolled students). The law takes effect immediately upon approval.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new Department of Veterans Affairs as a principal department within New Jersey's Executive Branch, transferring all veterans-specific services currently handled by the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs. The new department will be led by a commissioner who must be an honorably discharged veteran and will oversee veterans' homes, memorial cemeteries, and various services including benefits administration, counseling programs, and housing assistance. The legislation aims to create a more focused agency dedicated solely to veterans' needs, as New Jersey is one of few states without a dedicated veterans' affairs department. This change maintains all existing veterans' programs while creating a centralized agency to better coordinate these services for the state's approximately 900,000 veterans.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires employers and contractors working on projects for New Jersey public bodies (such as state agencies, local governments, schools, or publicly funded projects) to register with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) and submit certified payroll records. It expands current requirements by applying to all work for public bodies - not just projects subject to prevailing wage laws - covering construction, maintenance, repairs, and other work paid for with public funds or financial assistance. Employers must provide these records within 10 days of a request; failure to comply allows DOLWD to direct public bodies to withhold up to 25% of payment (capped at $100,000) until records are submitted. The bill directly affects contractors and employers performing work for public entities, ensuring transparency in wage reporting.