Asm. Yvonne Lopez

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes all New Jersey state, county, and municipal law enforcement officers to access crime scenes and evidence under their agency's jurisdiction. It directly affects officers (who gain clear access rights) and anyone who obstructs them (including federal officers), making such obstruction a violation punishable under existing law. The key provision requires officers to access evidence only within their agency's responsibility, while prohibiting interference with this access. The Attorney General must issue implementation guidelines, and the law takes effect four months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill imposes a 50% tax on gross receipts from contracts between private companies and public entities for operating carceral facilities in New Jersey (e.g., private jails or detention centers). It directly affects private businesses running such facilities, requiring them to pay the tax annually based on their prior year’s revenue from these contracts. All tax revenue must be deposited into a new "Immigrant Protection Fund," which the state will use exclusively to fund immigration-related services. The fund is non-lapsing, meaning money stays available for future appropriations without annual renewal.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey SNAP retailers (stores that accept SNAP benefits) to install technology on all checkout terminals to prevent card skimming - where criminals illegally steal payment card details. Starting January 31, 2027, retailers must equip terminals with anti-skimming features approved by the Department of Human Services. The department can inspect stores, impose fines up to $5,000 per violation, and exclude repeat offenders from the SNAP program after four violations. The law directly affects SNAP retailers and aims to protect customers' payment information.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state agencies, counties, municipalities, school districts, and other local government entities to purchase at least 5% of their goods and services from the Central Nonprofit Agency (CNA), which supports rehabilitation facilities. It grants the CNA a "right of first refusal" for any goods/services typically bought through cooperative purchasing catalogs, provided they can match prices within 15% of fair market value. The bill also mandates that the Division of Purchase and Property create training protocols for all purchasing agents to ensure awareness of the CNA program, with annual reporting on compliance by all affected entities. These requirements apply to all state and local government bodies authorized to make purchases.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires drivers to stop at least 25 feet from school buses loading/unloading children or individuals with developmental disabilities on undivided highways, and to slow to 10 mph on divided highways. It establishes that violations captured by school bus monitoring systems (like cameras) will result in a $300 civil penalty instead of criminal charges or license points. The law directly affects drivers near school buses, school bus operators, and enforcement agencies. Key provisions include standardized stopping distances, speed limits for divided highways, and shifting penalties for monitored violations to a civil fine system. This changes enforcement by prioritizing evidence from monitoring systems to reduce penalties for documented violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Education to partner with a nonprofit to create a free, public online registry of tutors and tutoring organizations. It allows eligible participants - including certified teachers, retired educators, college students, industry professionals, and relevant organizations - to list their contact details, subject expertise, and availability without charging students for services. All registrants (except certified teachers with prior background checks) must undergo a criminal history check, and the registry will include a disclaimer noting the information hasn't been verified or endorsed by the state. The registry will be accessible on the Department of Education's website to connect students with free tutoring support.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds a new sentencing consideration in New Jersey for defendants who were victims of abuse. It allows courts to weigh whether a defendant was subjected to substantial physical, sexual, or psychological abuse (including domestic violence) that contributed to their crime, applying to most offenses except murder or certain sex offenses requiring registration. The court must consider evidence of the abuse presented during trial or plea proceedings - even if the defendant didn’t raise it as a defense - and may reduce sentences or order resentencing for eligible individuals. This change aims to account for trauma-driven criminal behavior in sentencing decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires every New Jersey state cabinet department to create a dedicated division focused on removing barriers for people with disabilities. The division must develop an access plan aligned with federal disability law, implement communication strategies (like sign language interpretation and translations), and ensure physical accessibility for both department employees and service recipients. Departments must also submit annual public reports detailing progress in improving access. The law applies directly to all state agencies with cabinet-level structure, aiming to promote full inclusion through concrete accessibility measures.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires housing providers of age-restricted senior units (for residents 55+) to provide application forms by mail or email upon a prospective resident's request. It directly affects seniors who face barriers with online applications or in-person submissions, ensuring they can access required forms in their preferred format. The key provision mandates that providers must send copies of all necessary forms via mail or email when requested, complying with federal fair housing rules for senior housing. The Commissioner of Community Affairs will create implementing rules, and the law takes effect two months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Jersey's voter registration system to more efficiently remove deceased voters. It allows next of kin, veterans' healthcare directors, nursing home administrators, and funeral directors to submit a notarized form with a death certificate to county election officials, who must then move the voter to the death file. Additionally, it requires the Secretary of State to annually match the statewide voter database with the Social Security Administration's deceased persons database by October 1 each year. These changes directly affect county election officials and the Secretary of State's office, ensuring voter records are updated more reliably and promptly after a person's death.