Asm. Yvonne Lopez

Maddy summaryThis bill changes New Jersey's unemployment rules for workers who leave a job for another that later falls through. It extends the acceptable time window from 7 to 10 days for workers to accept a new job without losing benefits if the offer is rescinded through no fault of their own. Workers qualify for benefits if the new job's pay or hours match their previous position, and they left for a job starting within 10 days. The rule also adjusts the timeline if an employer terminates them early, starting the 10-day period from the planned departure date.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 17-member New Jersey Task Force to improve coordination among nonprofit social service organizations. The task force will develop recommendations focused on reducing overhead through shared services, eliminating duplicated programs by forming alliances, and creating uniform reporting for how organizations spend public funds. It includes state agency leaders and 13 public representatives from diverse social service sectors (e.g., homelessness, mental health, food assistance). The task force must submit its findings to the Governor and Legislature within 12 months, after which it will dissolve. The bill itself does not change laws but creates a process for collaboration.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Bill A-1329 establishes the "New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative" to connect students, workers, and job seekers with training for high-demand careers. It creates Centers of Workforce Innovation at community colleges focused on 11 key fields like healthcare, cybersecurity, renewable energy, and manufacturing. These centers will develop public curricula, provide job-specific skills training, promote financial aid (including Community College Opportunity Grants), and expand apprenticeships. The bill was introduced in 2026 but withdrawn after being approved as P.L.2025, c.374.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) rules to allow temporary state employees at psychiatric hospitals or correctional facilities to qualify for accidental disability benefits. It specifically covers injuries sustained after January 2003 while working temporarily at these facilities (before becoming a PERS member), making such injuries eligible for PERS benefits once the employee gains membership. The key change deems these pre-membership injuries as occurring "during membership" if the employee joins PERS without interruption in the same job. This expands eligibility beyond current rules, which only provided workers' compensation for such injuries before PERS membership.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's State Board of Education to create three new teaching certifications: 1) A "Students with Disabilities Preschool through Grade 12" endorsement (excluding blind/visually impaired or deaf/hard of hearing students), allowing teachers to instruct all students with disabilities across all grade levels without separate endorsements. 2) A "Kindergarten through Grade 8" endorsement enabling teachers to instruct grades K-6 and specialty subjects in grades 7-8. 3) A "Bilingual and Bicultural Preschool through Grade 12" endorsement requiring language proficiency and coursework, replacing current requirements that needed separate subject/grade endorsements. These changes primarily affect current and prospective teachers seeking certification in special education, elementary/middle school, and bilingual education, streamlining their qualifications for New Jersey public schools.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's professional licensing boards (e.g., for nursing, engineering, and other regulated occupations) to collect national average application approval times from other states and calculate a standard for their own processing timelines. Boards must use this national average as their target for approving initial credentials, after approval by the Division of Consumer Affairs. If boards miss the target, they must use licensing fees to hire third-party experts to identify improvements, with follow-up reviews after six months. The law mandates initial data collection within six months of enactment, followed by annual accuracy reviews to ensure boards meet the standardized timelines.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey law to expand exemptions for apartment complex swimming pools from certain safety requirements. Apartment complexes that restrict pool access to tenants and their invited guests are now exempt from mandatory lifeguard and first aid personnel rules. If they choose not to provide lifeguards, they must prominently display a 3x4 foot sign at the pool entrance stating: "No lifeguard on duty. Persons under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. No swimming alone." The exemption applies only to apartment complexes meeting the defined access restrictions, directly affecting their operational requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Family Development to base state child care subsidy payments to licensed providers and registered family day care centers on the number of enrolled children (counted on October 15 and April 15 annually), not on actual attendance. It directly affects child care providers serving low-income families who receive state and federal subsidies. The bill prohibits payments from being calculated on children present at any given time, aiming to provide more stable funding amid enrollment fluctuations. It also mandates the Commissioner to seek necessary federal waivers to maintain funding eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A3465) clarifies who can join foreclosure proceedings when someone acquires property interest below fair market value. It specifies that a property buyer (transferee) may become a party in foreclosure cases if: (1) the seller provides a certified appraisal of the property's fair market value, or (2) the seller knowingly waives the right to an appraisal before selling below market value. Currently, only family relationships or judicial sales were exceptions; this bill adds the appraisal certification pathway. The change applies to cases where property was transferred for less than fair market value after a foreclosure complaint was filed. It does not alter foreclosure rules but clarifies procedural eligibility for certain buyers.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A-582) upgrades penalties for recruiting individuals into criminal street gangs in New Jersey. It makes gang recruitment a crime with escalating penalties: a fourth-degree offense for general recruitment, third-degree for threatening victims twice in 30 days, and second-degree for causing significant injury or recruiting minors (with a mandatory minimum 5-year prison sentence for general offenses and 7 years for recruiting those under 18). The law also establishes accomplice liability for recruiters and requires consecutive sentencing for those violating these provisions while in official detention. It directly affects individuals who recruit others into gangs, particularly targeting minors and actions occurring on school property.