Asm. Yvonne Lopez

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Bill A3436 creates a 15-member Task Force on Child Care Deserts within the Department of Children and Families. The task force will study areas where over two-thirds of children cannot access licensed child care (defined as "child care deserts") and examine factors like geographic access, family demographics, funding gaps, and infrastructure needs. It will review existing research and develop policy recommendations for eliminating these deserts. The task force must issue a report to the Governor and Legislature within six months of organizing, with the group dissolving 30 days after the report is issued. This bill directly affects families in underserved urban and rural communities lacking child care options.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3453) requires New Jersey's Corrections Ombudsperson to review criminal investigations conducted by correctional facilities to ensure they were accurate, unbiased, and thorough. It directly affects inmates who may report concerns about investigations, the Department of Corrections (which must provide investigation details), and the Ombudsperson's office (which gains this specific review duty). The key provision adds a requirement to the Ombudsperson's existing responsibilities, mandating they assess the quality of criminal investigations - without investigating alleged criminal behavior themselves - to protect inmates' rights. This change is part of broader oversight duties under existing laws and aims to improve accountability in correctional facility investigations.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey courts from basing child custody or visitation decisions solely on factors like a parent's disability, age, health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, or ethnicity. It requires courts to provide detailed written justifications if they consider these factors in custody cases involving otherwise fit parents. The law does not ban considering these factors entirely but ensures they cannot be the sole basis for rulings, while maintaining that the "best interests of the child" remains the primary standard. The bill applies to all parents in custody proceedings and aligns with New Jersey's existing focus on parental rights and child welfare. The bill is currently pending in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3484) requires New Jersey courts to consider the results of a domestic violence assessment before dissolving certain domestic violence restraining orders. It directly affects defendants seeking to dissolve an existing order and the courts reviewing those requests. The key mechanism mandates that if a defendant is subject to two or more restraining orders under P.L.1991, c.261, they must undergo a domestic violence assessment (paid by the defendant), and the court must consider the assessment findings alongside other specified factors when deciding whether to dissolve the order. The assessment findings are confidential and become part of the court's consideration process.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3508) requires New Jersey's commissioner to establish maximum development costs per housing unit for projects funded by the state's Affordable Housing Trust Fund. It mandates these cost standards be comparable to federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program limits. The commissioner must adopt implementing rules within five months of the bill's enactment. This directly affects developers seeking funding through the Trust Fund, ensuring projects adhere to specified cost limits for affordability.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Chief Accountability Officer position within the Governor's Office, appointed by the Governor with Senate approval for five-year terms. The officer directly oversees 16 state oversight roles - including ombudsmen, comptrollers, and inspectors across departments like Transportation, Education, and Human Services - to ensure their audits, investigations, and reviews coordinate effectively and follow state and professional standards. The officer must hold regular meetings with these supervisors to avoid duplicated work, optimize resources, and prevent public fund waste. Annual reports on these efforts will be submitted to the Governor and Legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes minimum hourly Medicaid reimbursement rates for private duty nursing (PDN) services provided in home settings. It sets a $60 minimum rate for registered nurses and $48 for licensed practical nurses, replacing current maximum rates of $40 and $28 that were deemed insufficient to cover service costs. The law requires the Commissioner of Human Services to seek federal waivers within 180 days to implement these changes and secure matching federal funding. It directly affects nurses providing home-based care for Medicaid beneficiaries, aiming to ensure sustainable reimbursement for these services.

Maddy summaryAJR 111 designates November 25 each year as "Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in New Jersey." The bill requires the Governor to issue an annual proclamation urging public officials and citizens to observe the day with awareness activities. It directly affects New Jersey residents by establishing a formal day for community education and advocacy efforts focused on preventing violence against women. The resolution aligns with the UN's International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, using symbolic recognition to promote awareness of domestic violence issues highlighted by state data (e.g., 63,420 domestic violence offenses reported in NJ in 2016, 74% involving female victims).

Maddy summaryThis bill reschedules New Jersey's 2025 primary election from June 3 to June 10, 2025, to avoid conflict with a religious observance. It establishes a permanent rule requiring the Secretary of State to move primary election dates to the first Tuesday after a religious observance that significantly burdens in-person voting. The law mandates that election officials and the public be notified within seven days for the 2025 change and by January 1st for future years. It applies to all primary elections for delegates to national conventions and general elections statewide, ensuring adjustments to all related deadlines. The bill defines "religious observance" as days when religious practices substantially prevent voting in person.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Blue Acres Buyout Fund within New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), appropriating $25 million from the General Fund. The fund will provide relocation assistance to homeowners and tenants displaced by Blue Acres property acquisitions, cover the state's costs for purchasing flood-prone lands under the Blue Acres program, and pay for program administration (limited to 5% of annual funds). It directly affects residents in flood-prone areas who may be relocated due to these acquisitions. The fund operates as a nonlapsing, revolving account managed by the DEP.