Asm. Sterley Stanley

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial joint resolution (AJR 171) honoring John Sterling, a New Jersey resident and longtime New York Yankees radio broadcaster. It commemorates his 36-season career, including calling over 5,400 Yankees games since 1989, and his signature style like the "Sterling Shake" and "Theee Yankees win" calls. The resolution requests the Governor issue a proclamation to recognize Sterling's impact on baseball broadcasting, as he retired in April 2024 and resides in Bergen County, New Jersey. It has no legal effect or policy changes, serving solely as a symbolic tribute.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey hospitals with inpatient maternity services and licensed birthing centers to provide lactation counseling to people who have given birth before their discharge. Specifically, facilities must offer either an in-person one-on-one consultation with a certified lactation specialist or a remote consultation via live voice if requested. The counseling must include breastfeeding education, support, care planning, instruction on breastfeeding techniques, recommendations for assistive devices, and health benefit information. The bill ensures lactation specialists cannot be reassigned to non-lactation duties during their shifts and defines "lactation consultant" and "lactation counselor" by specific certification standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires owners and operators of rooming and boarding houses to follow local zoning, fire, health, and building regulations - previously exempt from such oversight. It specifically adds a requirement for cooperative sober living residences to submit written approvals from local authorities (zoning, fire, health, and building) when applying for a state Class F license. The bill amends existing law to explicitly subject these facilities to municipal land use regulations, removing an exemption that previously prevented such oversight. These changes directly affect property owners and operators of these housing types in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryAJR 56 designates May of each year as "Older Americans Month" in New Jersey. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation to honor older residents' contributions and encourage community recognition of their ongoing value. It does not create new laws or alter existing policies, but formally recognizes older Americans' roles in society, including their workforce participation and community engagement. This ceremonial designation aligns with the national observance established since 1980.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5572) establishes new quorum rules for New Jersey professional licensing boards and committees that process license applications without requiring legal review due to criminal background checks. It allows a quorum to be formed with just the chair present if the entity cannot achieve a regular quorum after 90 days due to vacancies or needing all members present at every meeting. The change specifically applies to entities overseen by the Division of Consumer Affairs or other state agencies handling licensure applications. This streamlines processing for certain applications while maintaining oversight requirements. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Assembly Resolution 189 (AR 189) is a symbolic resolution recognizing the Sikh community's contributions to the state and commemorating the 1984 Sikh Massacre in India. It specifically acknowledges the Sikh community's economic and cultural contributions to New Jersey (home to approximately 100,000 Sikhs) and formally commemorates the 1984 attacks in which roughly 3,000 Sikhs were killed over three days. The resolution describes the 1984 violence as "genocide and ethnic cleansing" and calls for the state to recognize this historical atrocity. As a non-binding resolution, it has no legal effect but serves to honor the community's history and advocate for remembrance.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires new flooring installed in schools (K-12) and licensed childcare centers to be certified as mercury-free by the manufacturer before a construction permit can be issued. For renovations involving existing flooring, applicants must either provide certification that current flooring is mercury-free (pending health department rules) or confirm it will be removed before new flooring is installed. Manufacturers falsely claiming mercury-free flooring face civil penalties of $10,000 for a first offense and $25,000 for repeat violations. The bill directly affects construction projects in these facilities and establishes a process for health department certification of mercury-free flooring.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits retail food stores from raising prices on staple food items more than once per day. It directly affects stores selling everyday groceries like cereals, bread, meats, dairy, fruits, and vegetables - defined as "staple food goods" intended for home preparation. Stores violating this rule face escalating civil penalties: $1,000 for a first offense, $2,500 for a second, and $5,000 for third or subsequent violations. Enforcement will be handled by New Jersey’s Office of Weights and Measures and the Office of Consumer Protection.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5668) revises the composition of New Jersey's State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling, increasing its size from 13 to 15 members. It adds two public school vocational program representatives and two private school representatives in cosmetology, while reducing public members from three to two. The bill also changes professional representation to include all licensed professions covered by the board (instead of specifying cosmetologists, barbers, or beauticians separately). These changes aim to better reflect the diverse sectors within New Jersey's cosmetology and hairstyling industry.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5088) exempts the sale of farm vehicles from New Jersey's sales and use tax when purchased by farmers and registered as farm vehicles with the Motor Vehicle Commission. It removes the current weight requirement (over 18,000 pounds) that previously limited the exemption, making all qualifying farm vehicles eligible regardless of size. To claim the exemption, farmers must provide documentation proving farming is their primary income source to the Division of Taxation. The change applies immediately upon enactment.