Asm. Yvonne Lopez

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey municipalities to exclude environmentally sensitive and flood-prone land from being counted as available for affordable housing construction. It specifically excludes land regulated by agencies like the Highlands Water Protection Council, flood hazard areas under the Flood Hazard Area Control Act, and wetlands protected by the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act. The law changes current policy by removing the requirement that development must be "prohibited" on such land - now regulated land automatically qualifies for exclusion. This affects municipalities obligated to provide affordable housing under New Jersey's Fair Housing Act, preventing them from using these lands to meet their housing quotas.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey State colleges to close on Election Day for general elections, meaning no academic classes may be held on that date. It directly affects State colleges (such as Rutgers, NJIT, and others) and their students, faculty, and staff who would otherwise have classes scheduled. The key provision mandates that election days be treated as official academic holidays on college calendars, with no classes permitted. The law would take effect in the first full academic year following its enactment. This is a procedural bill focused solely on scheduling changes, not on voter access or election administration.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 2486) requires the Division of Taxation to create and maintain a free, online training program specifically for small and micro-businesses. The program will teach how to file and pay state taxes, including corporation business tax, gross income tax, and sales tax. It must be updated as tax laws change and made available on the Division's website. The bill directly affects small and micro-business owners who need help navigating state tax filing processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey municipalities to submit quarterly reports to the Department of Community Affairs about affordable housing, senior citizen housing, and veteran housing units within their borders. The reports must include building addresses, management contacts, application status (including waitlists), and online application links. The state will compile this information into a public online directory on official housing websites (including the Department of Community Affairs, Housing Finance Agency, and Housing Resource Center) and mandate that municipalities link to these sites from their own websites. Municipalities will receive state reimbursement for costs related to gathering and submitting the data.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 1920) requires New Jersey media outlets participating in the Silver Alert System to broadcast alerts using the same protocol as Amber Alerts. Specifically, it mandates a distinctive sound tone and the phrase "This is a Missing Person Silver Alert" during broadcasts, with alerts repeated as frequently as possible for the first three hours. The alert must include a description of the missing person and contact information for law enforcement, updated as needed. Note: The bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was superseded by P.L.2025, c.344.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a pilot program to help low-income tenants with poor credit histories avoid eviction for missed rent payments. It selects 1,000 randomly chosen households from New Jersey’s State Rental Assistance Program or Section 8 voucher program (after credit counseling) to participate. If a tenant misses rent, the program pays the landlord directly but requires the tenant to repay the amount within 90 days. The program tracks default rates by credit score and reports findings to the legislature, funded by $10 million in state appropriations.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Statewide Longitudinal Data System Governing Body within New Jersey’s Department of Education to link education and workforce data. It requires collaboration between state agencies (including Education, Higher Education, Student Assistance, and Labor) to collect and share anonymized data, aiming to improve residents’ access to training, education, and employment opportunities. Key mechanisms include setting privacy standards compliant with federal law, enabling data sharing for identifying workforce gaps, and securing federal funding - while explicitly exempting the system from public records laws and open meeting requirements. The system directly affects state agencies managing education/workforce programs and New Jersey residents seeking better job outcomes through data-informed policy decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3521) allows eligible individuals convicted of certain offenses to petition courts for expungement of their records if they were victims of domestic violence or substantial abuse (physical, sexual, or psychological) that contributed to their conviction. It applies to most convictions except murder or sex offenses requiring Megan’s Law registration. Eligible people may file petitions after completing probation, parole, or incarceration, and courts must consider evidence like domestic violence reports, victim service records, or professional testimony to verify the abuse connection. The expungement process mirrors existing state procedures, removing barriers to employment and housing for survivors seeking to move past abuse-related convictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3516) clarifies and updates requirements for two key elements in New Jersey municipalities' master plans: the land use plan and housing plan. It mandates that land use plans include a climate change hazard vulnerability assessment analyzing threats like flooding and sea-level rise, plus strategies for storm resiliency and environmental sustainability. The housing plan element must now evaluate existing housing stock (including affordable units), project future housing needs over 10 years, and analyze demographic trends. These requirements directly affect all New Jersey municipalities required to maintain master plans, ensuring they address climate risks and housing affordability in their planning processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A-2360) requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to operate a telephone call center within New Jersey. The call center must provide real-time assistance during weekday hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to help residents navigate the MVC's website and complete online transactions, with services offered in both English and Spanish. The MVC must also publish quarterly performance reports online detailing call volume, wait times, call purposes, and call durations. This directly affects New Jersey residents using MVC's online services by adding a dedicated support option.