Asm. Yvonne Lopez

Maddy summaryThis bill codifies New Jersey's existing Attorney General directive to prevent state and local law enforcement from enforcing federal immigration laws. It prohibits police from stopping, questioning, or detaining people solely based on immigration status, asking about immigration status unless relevant to a crime investigation, or sharing personal information (like addresses or social security numbers) with federal immigration authorities. Exceptions apply only for serious crimes (e.g., violent offenses or recent convictions) or when required by law for criminal investigations. The law directly affects all New Jersey state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies and officers, aiming to build trust between police and immigrant communities by clarifying that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a pilot program to help hospitals maintain essential services in underserved communities when relocating. It targets hospitals moving from municipalities with specific medical underservice designations (population >30,000, single hospital, and documented healthcare access gaps), requiring them to operate a "community access location" at their original site with services like emergency care, psychiatric services, and surgical capabilities. The program provides up to $3 million in state funding to cover costs for developing/maintaining these services or community health programs. Eligible hospitals must apply to the Department of Health with financial and service plans, and the program operates under specific regulatory waivers to support integration with the new hospital location.

Maddy summaryThis resolution symbolically designates the Saturday before Thanksgiving as "National Adoption Day" and November as "National Adoption Month" in New Jersey. It does not create new policies or funding but requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation to raise public awareness about adoption services and celebrate finalized adoptions. The resolution aims to highlight the foster care system and encourage adoption, referencing existing annual events where counties finalize adoptions during this period.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A560) requires all New Jersey transportation network company (TNC) drivers - like those for Uber or Lyft - to complete an anti-human trafficking training course approved by the Attorney General. The training, which can be taken online, covers human trafficking definitions, how drivers can report it, and steps to respond to suspected cases. Drivers must certify completion to their TNC; failure to do so results in being blocked from using the app until certified. TNCs must also track and document completion in driver records within 90 days of the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination to explicitly prohibit housing and employment discrimination based on "source of lawful income." It defines "source of lawful income" to include public assistance, housing vouchers (like Section 8), disability benefits, veterans' benefits, child support, alimony, and other lawful payment methods. The law now makes it illegal for landlords to refuse rental payments based on the source of income, and for employers to discriminate against applicants or employees based on how their income is earned. This directly affects tenants and job seekers who rely on non-traditional income sources, particularly those using public assistance programs or housing vouchers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all menstrual products sold in New Jersey - including tampons, pads, discs, cups, and underwear (both disposable and reusable) - to list every ingredient on the package in descending order of quantity. The label must be clearly visible and understandable to consumers. Manufacturers who sell noncompliant products after the bill’s effective date face civil penalties of up to 1% of their annual in-state sales per package, capped at $1,000 per item, enforced by the Division of Consumer Affairs. The law applies only to products manufactured after the effective date and excludes shipping packaging.

Maddy summaryThis bill renames the Primary Care Practitioner Loan Redemption Program to the Health Care Professional Loan Redemption Program and makes several key changes to expand eligibility and improve program administration. It increases the maximum loan redemption amount from $120,000 to $200,000, allows psychiatrists and other health professionals designated by the Commissioner of Health to participate, and expands the definition of "State designated underserved area" to include municipalities where over 50% of households are at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. The program provides partial loan repayment for health care professionals who commit to working in underserved areas, with repayment amounts based on years of service at approved sites. The bill also establishes new criteria for sites to be automatically designated as approved sites and requires annual reporting on the program's impact to the Governor and Legislature.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A4175 requires the Attorney General to review and update the statewide use of force policy for law enforcement officers at least every two years. The policy must prioritize de-escalation, limit force to objectively necessary and proportional levels (with deadly force only as a last resort), and mandate duties like intervening, providing medical aid, and reporting incidents. This affects all county and municipal police departments, prosecutors, and the State Police, who must receive revised policies. The bill establishes a structured process for policy updates without altering current enforcement standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the commission managing New Jersey's State House Complex to adopt and implement an environmental sustainability plan every four years. The plan must include specific measures like energy efficiency upgrades, water conservation (including drought-resistant landscaping), adherence to green building standards, sustainable food service options (such as local produce and compostable utensils), and strategies to reduce carbon emissions. The commission must also issue annual public progress reports and establish performance metrics to track the plan's implementation. This directly affects the management of the State House Complex, mandating concrete environmental practices for its operations.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A3865) requires public schools to include cursive handwriting instruction for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. It mandates that schools provide age-appropriate learning activities and resources to ensure students can read and write cursive by the end of third grade. The bill aims to address declining cursive skills due to digital technology use and supports cognitive development benefits linked to learning cursive. It directly affects all public school students in the specified grades across New Jersey. The requirement takes effect immediately for the next full school year following enactment.