Asm. Annette Quijano

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to create and run a single online portal where educators can submit one application to apply for teaching jobs across all public schools in the state. The portal must be operational within 90 days of the bill's enactment and aims to help educators connect with job openings more easily while increasing information sharing about available positions. It mandates strong data privacy and security standards for applicant information. School districts can still use their own application systems alongside this portal and may request additional materials from applicants.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state agencies - including departments, commissions, public authorities, and other government entities - to make their websites fully accessible to people with disabilities and compatible with mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. It mandates compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA standard (or newer versions) for all agency websites. State agencies must obtain certification from the Chief Technology Officer within two years of the bill's effective date, with recertification required every two years thereafter. The law applies to all existing and new government websites, ensuring they can be navigated, viewed, and accessed by people with disabilities across all devices.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's public colleges and universities to provide students with information about food assistance programs. Specifically, institutions must include links to SNAP (food stamp) applications, NJ 211 (a state service for human services referrals), and details about campus or community food programs like pantries or meal swipes. This information must be included in initial admission offers and sent via email during each semester's registration. The policy directly affects public higher education institutions and students who may need access to food support services.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey cosmetology schools to include training on working with textured hair in their curricula for students preparing for licensure as cosmetologists, hairstylists, beauticians, barbers, and hair braiders. Textured hair is defined as hair that is coiled, curly, or wavy, and the training must cover working with various coil, curl, and wave patterns, hair strand thickness, and hair volume. The bill also mandates that the state's licensure examinations include textured hair as part of both written and practical testing components. These requirements will apply to all schools licensed under New Jersey's cosmetology regulations. The bill aims to ensure professionals receive appropriate training for serving clients with textured hair without expanding current training hour requirements.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill S 2038 requires public four-year colleges to post on their websites the average time students take to earn each bachelor's degree (from initial enrollment to graduation). County colleges must post a student outcome measure determined by the Higher Education Secretary for each associate degree. Additionally, all public institutions must publicly post annual fiscal reports, audits, and a clear summary of this financial data on their websites. The law aims to increase transparency about student outcomes and institutional finances for the public. The bill is currently pending in the Assembly after passing the Senate unanimously.

Maddy summary# Summary of the Bill Amending Veteran Definitions to Include Discharged LGBTQ Veterans This bill amends multiple New Jersey statutes to update the definition of "veteran" to include "discharged LGBTQ veterans" and requires the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs (DMVA) to develop a review process for discharged LGBTQ veterans concerning lost benefits. The bill adds the following definition to various statutes: "Discharged LGBTQ veteran" means a veteran who was discharged less than honorably from military or naval service due to their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, or statements, consensual sexual conduct, or consensual acts relating to sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, or the disclosure of such statements, conduct, or acts that were prohibited by the Armed Forces of the United States at the time of discharge. The bill addresses a historical injustice where an estimated 100,000 LGBTQ veterans were discharged under less than honorable conditions from the start of World War II until the 2011 repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Transgender veterans continued to face discharge until the June 2016 Directive-Type Memorandum-16-005 (reversed by March 2019 Directive-Type Memorandum-19-004). These veterans lost their right to both state and federal benefits by being discharged under less than honorable conditions. The bill aims to restore state benefits for these veterans by updating the legal definition of "veteran" and establishing a process for reviewing and potentially restoring lost benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey law enforcement officers to reveal their facial identity during public interactions (e.g., stops, patrols) and present clear identification before detaining or arresting someone. Officers must show one of four acceptable forms of ID: a uniform with agency insignia, a photo ID card, a numbered badge, or verbally state their name and agency. Exceptions apply for undercover work, medical masks with physician approval, smoke protection during emergencies, or situations where revealing ID could compromise investigations, safety, or stealth operations. The law applies to all officers (federal, state, local) and directly affects members of the public during police encounters, aiming to increase transparency during interactions.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A4171) requires businesses using real-time text-based chat to communicate with customers to offer a verbatim transcript of the chat at the end of the conversation. It mandates that businesses clearly inform consumers upfront about this option, ensuring transparency during customer service interactions. Violations would be treated as consumer fraud under state law, potentially resulting in fines up to $20,000 per offense and other enforcement actions by the Attorney General. The bill directly affects businesses providing chat support to New Jersey consumers.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A2418) requires businesses to disclose the standard single-item price for merchandise advertised in "Buy One, Get One Free" or similar offers. It directly affects retailers running these promotions by mandating clear price disclosure in advertisements. The key provision prohibits advertising discounted bundles without stating the usual price of one item, preventing artificial price inflation to make deals seem more appealing. Violations are considered unlawful under New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act, with penalties up to $20,000 per offense.

Maddy summaryThe Tariff Transparency Act (A5922) requires New Jersey retail stores to disclose the portion of a product's final price caused by tariffs and import taxes. Retailers must display this information visibly on price tags, online product pages, or sales receipts, and maintain records of tariff calculations. Small businesses with under $500,000 annual revenue and products where tariffs impact less than 2% of the price are exempt. Noncompliance may result in fines up to $500 per violation, with compliance audits conducted by the Division of Consumer Affairs.