Asm. Annette Quijano

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Chief Diversity Officer to conduct a study examining whether disparities exist in the use of minority-owned and women-owned businesses when state agencies purchase goods and services. The study will assess if these businesses are utilized at rates matching their availability in the market, focusing on all state agencies, including departments, commissions, and independent authorities. After completing the study, the officer must submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature to promote greater opportunities for these businesses in state procurement. The officer will also submit follow-up reports every four years to evaluate progress on prior recommendations and request funding for future studies if needed.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Household Water Assistance Program to provide financial assistance for water, sewer, and stormwater utility costs to low-income households in New Jersey. It appropriates $75 million from American Rescue Plan Act funds to provide direct assistance, water efficiency measures, plumbing repairs, and debt relief for unpaid water bills. Eligible households include those with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, those receiving certain government benefits like SNAP or LIHEAP, or those experiencing temporary financial hardship. The program will be administered by the Department of Community Affairs with input from a newly established advisory group and will coordinate with existing assistance programs. The goal is to make water services affordable and prevent disconnections for households unable to pay their bills.

Maddy summaryThe New Jersey Safe Storage of Firearms Act requires legal firearm owners to store unloaded firearms in a locked container with ammunition stored separately when not in use, applying to most owners except active law enforcement officers (when minors are present), temporary transfers, and firearms on display for sale. Retail dealers must provide written warnings and post signs about safe storage requirements to customers. The bill appropriates $500,000 for a public awareness campaign about safe storage risks and requires the Attorney General to collect data on implementation and submit annual reports to the Legislature. This replaces previous laws specifically addressing minors' access to firearms with broader safe storage requirements for all firearm owners.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill A879 requires all public and nonpublic schools to test drinking water outlets (like fountains and faucets) for lead at least every five years, with initial testing due within 90 days of the bill’s effective date. Schools must remediate any elevated lead levels by closing affected outlets, replacing plumbing, or providing safe alternatives, and immediately notify staff and parents if lead is found. They must also publicly disclose all test results online and submit detailed reports to environmental and health departments. This applies to all schools except those already meeting federal lead standards as public water systems.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires registration and regulation of hemp-derived cannabinoid products (like Delta-8 THC) currently sold unregulated in New Jersey. It establishes the Cannabis Regulatory Commission as the oversight body, mandating registration for manufacturers and retailers, requiring age verification (proof of age 21+), and implementing detailed labeling requirements that must include THC content, health warnings, and ingredient lists. The bill also requires these products to be tested by licensed laboratories to ensure safety, with packaging restrictions to prevent appeal to minors and child-resistant packaging requirements. Retailers have one year from enactment to comply with these new regulatory requirements, which aim to ensure product safety without banning these products.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2833) requires municipal courts in New Jersey to notify applicants for public defender services about any required application fee and the process to waive it if they cannot afford the fee. It applies to municipalities that have ordinances requiring such fees (capped at $200 under existing law). The bill mandates that courts provide this notice to all applicants and prohibits charging any fee beyond the $200 limit permitted by current law (P.L.1997, c.256). It takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Healthy Soils Program to improve soil health, increase carbon sequestration, and promote sustainable farming practices across the state. It creates a grant program to cover soil testing costs for farmers operating urban agriculture sites (including community gardens, rooftop farms, and backyard plots), with testing required to cover pH, nutrients, and contaminants like lead and heavy metals. The program will be funded through the Urban Agriculture Site Soil Testing Fund, which receives two percent of the Global Warming Solutions Fund. This initiative directly supports urban farmers and gardeners in addressing potential soil contamination and improving soil quality for food production.

Maddy summaryThis bill would raise the minimum age to obtain a firearms purchaser identification card (required for purchasing rifles and shotguns) from 18 to 21 years old. It would not affect the existing requirement that handgun purchasers must be at least 21 years old. Under the bill, people under 21 could still possess firearms for specific purposes like hunting with a valid license and safety certification, military training, or target practice under supervision. Active duty military members, reservists, and National Guard members would remain eligible for the card before age 21. Those who already had the card before the bill's effective date could continue to use it.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's bias intimidation law by adding computer criminal activity, initiating false alarms, and cyber-harassment to the list of offenses that qualify as bias intimidation. It removes an unconstitutional provision from current law that was struck down by the New Jersey Supreme Court in State v. Pomianek. The bill establishes additional penalties for bias intimidation convictions, ranging from $250 to $2,000 depending on the severity, with these funds going to a new "Bias Crime Prevention Fund" to support investigations, community response, and educational programs about bias crimes. It also creates a mechanism for victims to receive treble compensatory damages if they prove harm was caused by bias intimidation.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes New Jersey's firearms regulations by requiring that firearms purchaser identification cards be valid for four years (expiring on the holder's birthday in the fourth year after issuance), rather than indefinitely as under current law. It also requires applicants to complete a firearms safety training course approved by the State Police within four years prior to application (with exemptions for law enforcement and veterans). Additionally, the bill revises inheritance procedures for firearms, requiring heirs or legatees to possess a valid firearms purchaser identification card or permit to purchase a handgun before taking possession of inherited firearms, with specific procedures for transferring firearms to law enforcement if the heir doesn't qualify for a permit.