Asm. Claire Swift

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public employers - including state agencies, counties, municipalities, and school boards - that offer deferred compensation retirement plans to also provide a Roth contribution option. It mandates that employees can make after-tax contributions to their retirement accounts through payroll deductions, with earnings and withdrawals being tax-free in retirement. The bill does not create new retirement plans but adds Roth options to existing deferred compensation programs, which currently may not offer this feature. It applies to all public employees participating in such plans across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A335) eliminates the $10 recreational shellfish license fee for New Jersey resident veterans (including honorably discharged service members) and active duty military personnel. It directly affects eligible veterans and active duty service members who are New Jersey residents and wish to harvest shellfish recreationally. The exemption applies to all shellfish covered under the license, including clams, oysters, and mussels, without changing other existing fee structures or exemptions (such as for seniors or children under 14). The policy change takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures that certain school districts sending students to Atlantic City School District can maintain representation on its school board even if their student enrollment drops below the usual percentage threshold. It specifically applies to sending districts that held board representation during the 2022-2023 school year. The law creates an exception for these districts to retain voting rights on Atlantic City’s board, which receives special state aid, without requiring them to meet the standard enrollment percentage. The bill takes effect immediately and affects only the Atlantic City School District.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A294) establishes the "Commission on People with Disabilities" in New Jersey. The commission, consisting of 25 members (13 voting with disability representation requirements and 12 non-voting ex-officio state agency representatives), will advise the state government on policies affecting people with disabilities. Its key duties include suggesting legislation, serving as a government contact point for disability needs, coordinating with state agencies on service delivery, and preventing employment discrimination. The commission must submit an annual report to the Governor and Legislature. (Note: This is a procedural bill creating a body, not a policy change.)

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3052) requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to provide all vehicle and licensing services at a location in every county. Specifically, it mandates that each county must have either a separate vehicle agency (handling registration and plates) or a single agency offering both vehicle services (registration, ownership certificates) and licensing services (driver's licenses, ID cards). The bill directly affects all New Jersey residents who need MVC services, eliminating the current system where some counties lack full-service MVC offices. It takes effect three months after enactment.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A343 would change how heroin-related offenses are graded by requiring courts to consider both the weight and number of dosage units involved in a crime. Currently, these offenses are graded solely by weight, creating an imbalance since a single dosage unit of heroin weighs much less than a single dosage unit of cocaine. The bill defines "dosage unit" as either the smallest discrete unit of distribution (like a pill or packet) or the typical amount consumed at one time, whichever results in more units. This change would align heroin offense grading more closely with cocaine offense standards, potentially increasing penalties for certain heroin distribution cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill would reduce New Jersey's gross income tax rates by 10% over three years, applying a 3.33% reduction each year for taxable years beginning in 2013, 2014, and 2015. It would affect all New Jersey residents who pay state income tax by lowering their tax liabilities across all income brackets. The bill amends N.J.S.54A:2-1 to implement these rate reductions, maintaining the full 10% reduction for future taxable years after 2015. The reduction applies to all filing statuses, including single filers, married couples filing jointly, and heads of household.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's official definition of anti-Semitism based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition adopted in 2016. It requires state agencies, educational institutions, and others reviewing discrimination complaints to use this definition when determining if an act was motivated by anti-Semitic intent. The definition explicitly states that criticism of Israel similar to criticism of any other country does not constitute anti-Semitism. The bill clarifies it does not override First Amendment rights or existing state/federal anti-discrimination laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates new offenses to protect election workers and officials in New Jersey. It makes it a disorderly persons offense to intimidate, threaten, or interfere with election workers or officials while they perform duties, and to knowingly share their personal information online when it poses an imminent safety threat. Election workers (including county/municipal clerks and election staff) can request the Division of Elections to remove their personal information - such as home addresses, phone numbers, or photos - from public internet records if they provide evidence of a safety threat. The bill also establishes a presumption of safety risk if law enforcement issues a warning for election workers. These changes directly affect election workers who handle voting operations and seek protection from harassment.

Maddy summaryMichelle's Law requires New Jersey health insurance plans to cover mammograms when recommended by a healthcare provider, regardless of the patient's age. This expands current coverage, which only requires mammograms for women 40 and older or younger women with specific risk factors like family history of breast cancer. The bill also mandates coverage for additional testing like ultrasounds or MRIs after a mammogram if recommended by a provider. This affects health insurance companies, requiring them to cover these services without prior authorization when recommended by a healthcare provider.