Asm. Annette Quijano

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill would add height and weight to the list of protected characteristics under the state's Law Against Discrimination, prohibiting discrimination based on these traits in employment, housing, and public accommodations. The legislation amends existing civil rights laws to ensure that individuals cannot be treated unfairly due to their physical size, while allowing legitimate distinctions that apply equally to all people. It expands the authority of the Division on Civil Rights to enforce these protections and ensures that affected individuals can seek legal remedies for discrimination. The bill directly impacts employers, landlords, and businesses by requiring them to treat people equitably regardless of their height or weight.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey school boards to offer chess instruction to students in grades two through eight who are enrolled in gifted and talented or special education programs. The legislation amends existing state law to authorize these educational opportunities while permitting the Department of Education to create guidelines for implementation. The bill does not mandate chess programs but rather provides schools with the option to include chess as part of their curriculum for specific student populations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Children and Families to create policies for providing security services, equipment, or technology to licensed child care facilities to ensure safe environments for enrolled children. The Department must annually meet with facility owners to discuss available funding and agree on specific security measures, with the Commissioner having final decision-making authority if an agreement cannot be reached. Child care facilities and their employees are granted immunity from civil liability when providing these security services, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Department must also develop a list of allowable expenditures for security-related items and adopt rules to implement these requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes state funding for transportation services for preschool students in New Jersey. It amends existing education laws to require the state to calculate and report the average cost of providing transportation to preschoolers, which will be used to determine aid amounts for school districts. The funding formula adjusts transportation aid based on factors like student counts, distance traveled, and special needs, while also including preschool students who qualify for full-day preschool programs. School districts receiving this aid will see financial support specifically allocated to cover the costs of transporting preschool-aged children to and from school.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill prohibits automobile insurance companies from raising rates for drivers who are determined not to be at fault in car accidents. The law requires insurers to file their underwriting rules with state regulators for approval and prevents them from using a driver's involvement in a non-fault accident as a reason to increase premiums. Additionally, the bill mandates that insurers apply their rating rules uniformly across the state and establishes a schedule for assigning points to various driving violations and accidents.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires county mosquito control agencies and commercial pesticide operators in New Jersey to notify residents at least five days before conducting mosquito spraying applications. The notification must be sent via telephone or regular certified mail and must include the date and time of the spraying as well as the specific chemicals that will be used. This change directly affects residents living within or adjacent to areas where mosquito control spraying is planned, giving them advance notice of when and what substances will be applied. The law takes effect immediately upon passage, overriding any existing rules that might have allowed for less notice.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires every municipality in New Jersey to either operate or partner with a nonprofit to run an emergency shelter for homeless individuals within its borders, or alternatively contribute a fee based on population to a county fund that supports existing shelters. Municipalities choosing the fee option would pay $5 per resident according to the latest census data, which the county would then distribute annually to shelters based on the number of homeless people each facility serves. The legislation also mandates that all required shelters use a state system to provide real-time information on bed availability and allows towns to use existing occupancy fees to help cover the new costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts with high schools to partner with local union apprenticeship programs to create career exploration programs for students in grades 11 and 12. The partnerships must develop informational materials about available career pathways and a structured program with at least 25 hours of instruction, including orientation sessions and hands-on trade skill training. School districts must ensure that at least two percent of their graduating 12th-grade class completes the program and submit annual compliance reports to the Commissioner of Education. Funding for implementation may come from state aid, grants, workforce development funds, or private sponsorships, with the Commissioner of Education requesting necessary budget allocations annually.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Jersey's legal definitions for abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults, specifically clarifying who qualifies as a vulnerable adult and what constitutes a caretaker. It directly affects county adult protective services providers, healthcare professionals, and individuals caring for adults aged 18 and older with physical or mental conditions that limit their decision-making capacity. The key provision revises the definition of a vulnerable adult to include those living in community settings who lack sufficient understanding to make decisions about their well-being, while explicitly excluding individuals receiving only spiritual healing as a reason for needing protective services. The bill also refines terms like "community setting" to distinguish private residences from licensed facilities, ensuring clearer guidelines for when protective services should be provided.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all sexual assault forensic evidence in New Jersey to be kept for at least 10 years from the date it was collected, or 10 years after a minor victim turns 18, regardless of whether the case was reported or the victim released the evidence. It applies to law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, courts, healthcare facilities, and crime laboratories, which must notify victims within 30 days of collection that the evidence may be discarded after the 10-year period. County prosecutors or the Division of Criminal Justice may authorize destruction after the retention period, with provisions for transferring custody to the state if needed. The law also allows custodians to contract with other entities to ensure proper storage of the evidence.