Asm. Yvonne Lopez

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 3-year pilot program requiring New Jersey counties to establish "Code Red" alerts during extreme heat events when the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory. It directly affects at-risk individuals living outdoors or in poorly insulated housing who face weather-related health risks. Counties must coordinate with municipalities and social service agencies to set up cooling centers, transportation, and outreach plans during alerts, with volunteer organizations operating under county guidance. The program includes liability protection for participants and requires a state report on the pilot’s effectiveness after three years, with counties eligible for reimbursement of administrative costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state agencies and local governments (including counties, municipalities, school districts, and public authorities) to purchase 5% of their goods and services from the Central Nonprofit Agency (CNA). The CNA distributes products made at rehabilitation facilities that employ people with disabilities. Key provisions include mandating training for purchasing agents on the CNA program, requiring quarterly reporting on compliance, and granting the CNA a "right of first refusal" for goods/services if priced within 15% of fair market value. The law aims to support employment for people with disabilities by ensuring a steady market for goods produced at rehabilitation facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates an expungement process for New Jersey residents convicted of certain offenses who were victims of domestic violence or serious physical, sexual, or psychological abuse, provided the abuse was a contributing factor to their conviction. It allows eligible individuals to petition the Superior Court to have their conviction, finding of guilt, or juvenile adjudication removed from public records, excluding murder and sex offenses requiring Megan's Law registration. To qualify, applicants must prove they were abuse victims and that the abuse directly influenced their criminal case, with courts considering evidence like domestic violence reports, therapy records, or victim services documentation. The application can be filed after completing sentences, probation, or incarceration, and may cover multiple prior convictions regardless of where they occurred.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new sentencing consideration for defendants who were victims of domestic violence or abuse when they committed a crime, and that abuse was a contributing factor to their offense. It allows courts to reduce sentences for qualifying defendants: up to 18 months for third-degree crimes, 3-5 years for second-degree, and 5-10 years for first-degree offenses. The bill also creates a resentencing process for defendants convicted before the law took effect who meet the criteria, requiring courts to consider evidence like domestic violence reports, social services records, and professional testimony. To qualify, defendants must have been victims of abuse that contributed to their crime, be incarcerated with no pending appeals, and not have previously sought this relief. The bill requires correctional facilities to notify eligible inmates about this resentencing opportunity and mandates judicial training on implementing the new provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4871) creates a new expungement process for people convicted of certain crimes who were victims of domestic violence or substantial physical, sexual, or psychological abuse, provided the conviction was substantially related to that abuse. It applies to most non-violent offenses (excluding murder or sex offenses requiring Megan’s Law registration). Eligible individuals can petition the Superior Court to have convictions, findings of guilt, or juvenile adjudications erased after completing their sentence, with courts required to review evidence like court records, abuse reports, and professional testimony. The process allows applicants to include prior convictions in a single petition, regardless of where they occurred. This policy change directly helps victims of abuse who were convicted due to trauma from their situation, clearing legal barriers to employment and housing.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new sentencing factor for New Jersey courts to consider when sentencing defendants who were victims of domestic violence or abuse at the time they committed a crime, and for whom the abuse was a contributing factor to the crime. It allows courts to reduce sentences, with specific ranges (up to 18 months for third-degree crimes, 3-5 years for second-degree, 5-10 years for first-degree). The bill also creates a process for defendants convicted before the law's effective date to petition for resentencing, requiring them to demonstrate they were victims of abuse that contributed to their conviction. To qualify, defendants must be incarcerated, have no pending appeals, and meet specific eligibility criteria including evidence of abuse from sources like domestic violence incident reports, protective orders, and professional testimony.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Female Incarcerated Person's Rights Protection Act" for New Jersey, requiring the Department of Corrections to implement gender-responsive policies for women in state prisons. Key provisions include creating a Division of Women's Services to address trauma, parenting needs, and child reunification; mandating annual staff training on gender-responsive practices and sexual assault prevention; and providing doula services, parenting classes, and family reunification programs for incarcerated mothers. The bill also creates a Special Victim's Unit to investigate sexual assault allegations and requires all female inmates to receive information about reporting sexual abuse and accessing support services. These changes directly affect all women incarcerated in New Jersey state facilities and the correctional staff responsible for their care.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 4101) requires social media companies with at least five million global users to provide New Jersey residents a free, 24-hour toll-free phone number to report fraudulent account activity, such as unauthorized access. Social media companies must publish this number in security emails sent to New Jersey users and on their platform’s homepage or help page. Non-compliance would violate existing consumer protection laws, potentially leading to penalties. The law directly affects New Jersey account holders and major social media platforms operating in the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises membership requirements for New Jersey's Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage, which advises the state on cultural and educational programs. It removes the prior requirement that certain appointed members hold a Master's degree in Latino/Hispanic studies or culture, and eliminates the specific need for members to have served as leaders of community organizations. Instead, it requires all public members to have "knowledge and experience in Latino or Hispanic studies or education." The change affects how the Governor, Senate President, and Assembly Speaker appoint the 19 public members to the 21-member commission, while maintaining that at least half must be of Latino/Hispanic descent.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates tiered retirement benefits in New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), moving all current non-retired members to the "Tier 1" benefit level previously available to members who joined before July 1, 2007. It requires public employers to enroll eligible employees (earning above minimum salary but not meeting hour requirements) into PERS within 60 days, and automatically transfers service credit from the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) to PERS for DCRP participants - without transferring their contributions - unless they opt out within six months. Disability recipients under long-term insurance become eligible for disability retirement benefits if they apply within two years. Changes apply only to retirement applications processed after the bill's effective date.