Asm. Sterley Stanley

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires licensed healthcare providers (including doctors, nurses, and midwives) to conduct regular, private screenings for intimate partner violence during patient visits, using evidence-based guidelines. If a provider identifies potential abuse, they must document findings, provide immediate resources for victims (like local support services), and ensure patients can revoke access to their medical records for alleged abusers under federal privacy laws. The bill mandates that healthcare professionals advise victims during the same visit about removing perpetrators from their authorized medical record access list. The state departments of Children and Families and Health must maintain and update a biennial resource list for providers on victim support services. It directly affects healthcare providers and patients experiencing abuse by current or former intimate partners.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's child abuse reporting hotline (maintained by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency) to provide callers with information about available resources for victims and their families. The hotline must now include details about community services such as counseling, parenting classes, substance abuse treatment, in-home support, foster care, and residential care. It directly affects families reporting or experiencing child abuse by connecting them to immediate support options. The policy change amends existing law to ensure victims and families are informed about these resources during hotline interactions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Consumer Affairs to create and maintain a public online portal on its website. The portal must provide accessible, annual updates of non-confidential licensing data, including application counts, processing times, active license numbers by county, exam pass rates, and consumer complaint statistics. Users can sort this data by profession or license type and view year-over-year comparisons. All data shared must comply with existing open records laws and privacy protections, ensuring only publicly disclosable information is made available.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a temporary quorum rule for New Jersey professional licensing boards (like those for nurses or engineers) that struggle to meet standard quorum requirements. Specifically, if a board cannot get a regular quorum due to vacancies or needing all members present, it can process certain license applications after 90 days of this issue, using just two members (including the chair) as a quorum. The rule applies only to applications not requiring legal review due to background check issues. This aims to speed up processing for applicants without delaying decisions on complex cases. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to prioritize funding for two types of projects: (1) land acquisition for recreation and conservation, and (2) environmental infrastructure projects that include or enable flood mitigation. It directly affects local governments, nonprofits, and communities seeking DEP grants under the Green Acres program, which uses constitutionally dedicated funds. Key provisions mandate that DEP establish criteria prioritizing projects that protect floodplains, reduce flood risk, conserve natural resources, and support recreational access. The bill amends existing laws to ensure these factors are explicitly considered when ranking eligible projects for funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts community gardens using on-site composting systems from certain environmental permits required under New Jersey's Solid Waste Management Act, Recycling Act, Air Pollution Control Act, and Water Pollution Control Act. It applies to gardens that accept no more than 200 gallons of source-separated food waste weekly (with larger properties allowed 200 gallons per 5,000 square feet) and use all generated compost exclusively on-site or distribute it per DEP rules for Class C recyclables. The exemption covers permits related to waste management, air, and water pollution, directly benefiting community gardens by reducing regulatory burden for small-scale composting.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new criminal offense for creating, sharing, or possessing digital content depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of children - including computer-generated or manipulated images that appear to show minors. It specifically targets items where a child (under 18) is identifiable by face, likeness, or distinguishing features, or where a person is manipulated to look like a minor ("purported child"). The law prohibits distributing such content via the internet or file-sharing programs, and makes possessing it with intent to share a crime. It directly affects individuals who produce, distribute, or share these materials online, regardless of whether the child is real or digitally altered.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3114, the "Law Enforcement Officer Protection Act," requires police officers and other law enforcement personnel to reveal their faces and show official identification before detaining or arresting someone during public interactions. Officers must wear non-concealing uniforms, display a photo ID card, show a numbered badge, or verbally state their name and agency. Exceptions include undercover work, medical masks (with physician approval), smoke protection during emergencies, or when safety or an investigation is at risk. The law applies to all state, county, and municipal officers and takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a symbolic resolution that recognizes the history of women's suffrage in New Jersey, honoring the first women who voted in the state more than 200 years ago. It highlights key historical moments, including the 1776 constitution that granted voting rights to certain women, the 1790 law that solidified these rights, and the 1807 law that restricted suffrage to white men. The resolution also acknowledges the 1920 ratification of the 19th Amendment and the decades of activism by New Jersey women that preceded it. Copies of the resolution will be sent to women's organizations and the National Women's History Museum.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires new flooring installations in schools, community centers, and licensed child care centers to be certified mercury-free by the manufacturer. It applies to all facilities using identified mercury-risk flooring materials, including existing buildings where such flooring was installed before current occupancy. Key provisions mandate certification for permits, require air quality testing if mercury is detected, and obligate owners to implement mitigation or remove unsafe flooring within six months if tests exceed safety thresholds. Violations by manufacturers issuing false certifications carry civil penalties of $10,000 for first offenses.