Asm. Yvonne Lopez

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to issue special license plates for alumni of the state's four-year public colleges and universities (such as Rutgers or Rowan), featuring each school's emblem and slogan. Alumni would pay a one-time $50 application fee and a $10 annual renewal fee, with funds (after covering costs) deposited into a dedicated fund for the school's alumni association to support its programs. The program requires the alumni association to cover initial costs (up to $25,000) and provide 500 applications before plates are issued, ensuring no public funds are used for startup expenses. The Motor Vehicle Commission would administer the program in consultation with each school's alumni association.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires regular structural inspections for certain residential condominiums and cooperatives to ensure building safety. Covered buildings must undergo an initial inspection within 15 years of receiving a certificate of occupancy (with special timelines for older buildings), followed by inspections every 10 years or after observable damage. The bill also mandates that condo and co-op associations conduct capital reserve studies to ensure adequate funding for maintenance and establishes procedures for funding necessary repairs through assessments or loans. These requirements apply to approximately 100,000 residential buildings in New Jersey that are classified as "covered buildings" under the bill's definition.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Assembly Bill A2276 establishes a domestic violence prevention program within the Department of Health (DOH) to help health care providers identify and support patients experiencing domestic violence. The program requires health care professionals - including doctors, nurses, and other licensed providers - to undergo training on screening patients for domestic violence signs, documenting concerns, and connecting victims with local resources. It also mandates the development of educational materials for both providers and patients, along with data collection to evaluate the program's effectiveness and annual reporting to the legislature. This initiative directly affects health care providers treating patients in New Jersey and aims to improve early intervention for domestic violence victims.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires any New Jersey general hospital licensed to deliver newborns to complete the Leapfrog Hospital Survey accurately for each reporting period. The survey, conducted by the nonprofit Leapfrog Group, evaluates hospitals on safety and quality metrics including maternity care, infection rates, medication safety, and surgical care. Hospitals meeting this requirement must submit data covering these specific performance areas as part of their reporting. The law takes immediate effect upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2958) would require New Jersey's Commissioner of Human Services to request federal authorization allowing SNAP (food stamp) benefits to cover delivery fees for online grocery orders. Currently, SNAP funds cannot pay for delivery charges, even though New Jersey participates in a USDA pilot program enabling online grocery purchases through retailers like Amazon and 17 participating stores. The bill directly affects SNAP recipients who use online grocery delivery services, as it seeks to expand their benefit usage to include delivery fees. The request would be made to the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, which administers the federal SNAP program.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs $2.5 million in existing federal pandemic relief funds (from the CARES Act or American Rescue Plan) to New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (EDA) to provide grants to veteran-owned businesses in the state. The EDA will award these grants to businesses that are independently owned, based in New Jersey, and at least 51% owned and controlled by veterans. The EDA may use up to 5% of the funds for administrative costs. This funding aims to support veteran-owned businesses responding to the public health crisis.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires age-restricted community associations (like 55+ or 62+ housing developments) to permit property owners to sell or transfer their homes to buyers of any age, without the association blocking the sale based on the buyer’s age. It mandates that sellers provide a certification confirming the new owner will comply with federal "housing for older persons" rules (requiring 80%+ residents to meet age thresholds), but associations cannot refuse the transfer solely due to the buyer’s age. The Commissioner of Community Affairs can enforce this by penalizing associations that block valid transfers or buyers who allow non-compliant occupancy. It directly affects property owners seeking to sell and community associations managing age-restricted properties.

Maddy summaryAJR 68 designates May 17 of each year as "Menstrual Empowerment Day" in New Jersey, honoring the birthday of Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner, a Black inventor who patented a sanitary belt in 1957. The resolution asks the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials, organizations, and citizens to observe the day through awareness activities. It aims to recognize Kenner's overlooked contributions to menstrual hygiene and align with global efforts to address period poverty and stigma. The bill does not create new laws or funding but formally designates an annual observance day.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Children and Families (DCF) to include an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in contracts with organizations providing child and family services. The COLA, calculated using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the previous year (October 1 to September 30), will be announced by DCF each October 1. It applies to organizations contracted by DCF - including those partially or fully funded by the State Medicaid program - to ensure their payments keep pace with inflation. The adjustment aims to cover rising operational costs, including staff compensation, for organizations delivering essential services to children and families.

Maddy summaryThe New Jobs for New Jersey Act creates a refundable tax credit for small private employers (with 100 or fewer full-time employees) who hire unemployed workers after April 1, 2021. Employers receive a credit equal to their payroll taxes for each new full-time hire, but only for the net increase in full-time employees compared to their average from 2020. Employers can claim this credit for tax years 2021-2023, and if approved for one year, may continue for up to four additional years. The program requires employers to apply and provide employee data, with annual reports on program impacts due through 2027.