Asm. Yvonne Lopez

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2257) allows counties and municipalities in New Jersey to create revenue-sharing agreements with private vendors who hold concessionaire permits to sell alcoholic beverages in public venues owned or operated by the local government. It directly affects county/municipal governing bodies and private concessionaires (like those running food service at parks, arenas, or community centers). The key provision amends state law to permit these local governments to agree on a fixed percentage of revenue from alcohol sales, rather than receiving only fixed fees or no revenue share. This changes how local governments can generate income from alcohol sales at public facilities without altering the permit process for vendors.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2152) expands New Jersey’s existing pilot program to authorize grants for qualified nonprofit veterans’ organizations to purchase and rehabilitate abandoned homes specifically for homeless veterans. It requires veterans to be low-income or have a disability (or both), and grants up to $400,000 per organization annually must include a 50% matching contribution. The program allocates $1 million yearly for five years, prioritizing organizations serving high-need communities and requiring energy-efficient upgrades where cost savings exceed 10%. It directly affects homeless veterans (defined as living in shelters, motels, or unsafe conditions) and qualified 501(c)(3)/501(c)(19) veterans’ nonprofits statewide.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a permanent unit within New Jersey's Office of Emergency Management to specifically support residents with access and functional needs during disasters. It directly affects people with disabilities, older adults, those with limited English proficiency, limited transportation access, or limited financial resources for disaster preparedness and recovery. The unit will assess needs before, during, and after emergencies; identify statewide resources; ensure access to those resources; and coordinate with local emergency offices to implement best practices across North, Central, and South Jersey. The unit will consist of one full-time supervisor and three full-time planners to serve these populations statewide.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to share domestic violence central registry records - tracking individuals with restraining orders, charges, or violations - with licensed health care practitioners (such as doctors, nurses, and therapists) who have a legal duty to warn and protect potential victims. Currently, these confidential records are only shared with law enforcement, courts, or child protection agencies under specific circumstances. The bill adds health care professionals to the list of authorized recipients when they are legally obligated to warn a patient about domestic violence, expanding access to better support victims. Unauthorized disclosure of these records remains punishable by up to 18 months in prison or a $10,000 fine.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Pilot Program Review Board to evaluate state pilot programs created by law. The board, consisting of nine members appointed by the Governor, legislative leaders, and experts in areas like program evaluation and cost-benefit analysis, will review pilot programs within a year of their completion. It assesses whether programs meet goals, gathers public input through regional hearings, and recommends to the Governor and Legislature whether to expand or make programs permanent. The board operates independently of the Department of the Treasury, with implementing agencies required to develop performance measures before launching pilots.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all domestic and foreign corporations operating in New Jersey to include demographic details - such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and veteran status - for their board members and senior executives in annual reports filed with the State Treasurer. It amends existing statutes to add these specific data points to required reporting forms. The State Treasurer must publish a detailed report every four years starting February 1, 2024, aggregating this demographic data across all covered corporations. The report will show trends over time and overall representation patterns for corporate leadership in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill codifies New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination (LAD) to explicitly prohibit "disparate impact" discrimination, meaning policies that seem neutral but disproportionately harm people based on protected characteristics like race, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation. It formalizes existing court rulings (such as *Gerety v. Atl. City Hilton Casino Resort*) that already recognized this protection, making it part of statute rather than relying solely on case law. The law directly affects individuals facing discrimination in employment, housing, or services due to such policies - for example, a neutral rental policy that disproportionately excludes people with disabilities. This update ensures clear legal recourse for those harmed by policies with unintended discriminatory effects.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes New Jersey's unemployment benefits rules for workers who leave one job to accept another, but the second job offer is rescinded through no fault of the employee. It allows these workers to receive unemployment benefits in this situation, which was previously uncertain under the law. The bill increases the allowable time period between leaving the first job and the start of the second job from seven days to ten days. This change codifies a 2019 court decision (McClain v. Bd. of Review) that established this right for workers facing rescinded job offers. The bill directly affects workers who experience job offer rescissions without their own fault.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the Commission on Human Trafficking’s existing duties to specifically address trafficking affecting women and children of color. It requires the commission to study racial disparities in trafficking vulnerability, identify prevention strategies for these groups, and improve support services for victims. The commission must then make legislative recommendations based on these findings. The bill does not create new programs but directs the existing commission to prioritize these issues in its annual work.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey emergency homeless shelters to provide at least 72 hours of shelter without conditioning it on enrollment in any assistance programs, such as housing or job training services. After the initial 72 hours, shelters may ask individuals to begin applying for programs, but if they comply, shelters must continue providing shelter for a minimum of 90 days. The bill does not change a shelter’s licensed capacity limits or prevent refusals for other legally authorized reasons, such as overcrowding. It directly affects homeless individuals seeking emergency shelter and the shelters that serve them.