Asm. Michele Matsikoudis

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A4830 bill authorizes the Division of Gaming Enforcement to join a national self-exclusion program, allowing individuals who wish to voluntarily exclude themselves from gambling to register once for exclusion across multiple states. The bill requires the Division to create forms enabling self-excluders to select which states they want to join and prohibits sharing their information without explicit consent. This directly affects gamblers seeking to avoid casino access and requires casinos to verify exclusion status and deny services to self-excluded individuals. The policy change streamlines the process for multi-state self-exclusion while maintaining privacy protections for participants.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the responsibilities of New Jersey's Commission on Human Trafficking to specifically promote coordination among state and local law enforcement agencies in addressing human trafficking cases. The commission, currently composed of 15 members including officials from law enforcement, victim services, and advocacy groups, will now be required to foster collaboration between agencies like the Attorney General's office, county prosecutors, and local police to improve investigations and prosecutions. This change builds on the commission's existing duties of evaluating anti-trafficking laws and reviewing victim services, adding a clear focus on interagency coordination. The bill does not alter the commission's structure or funding but mandates this new coordination role as part of its annual reporting to the governor and legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides a New Jersey gross income tax credit for licensed child care staff and registered family day care providers. Eligible workers must have been employed for six continuous months in their current role, with credit amounts varying by income level ($25,000-$45,000) and the age group of children they serve (birth-30 months or 30+ months). For those earning under $45,000, the credit is refundable - if it eliminates tax liability, they receive the remaining amount as a cash payment. The credit does not count as income for other state benefit programs and requires at least 50% of work time to be spent directly providing child care services.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $250 annual gross income tax deduction for eligible New Jersey educators and paraprofessionals for unreimbursed classroom supply expenses. It directly affects K-12 teachers, counselors, principals, and school aides (working at least 900 hours yearly) employed by public or private NJ schools. The deduction covers expenses like books, computers, software, and classroom materials, excluding nonathletic health/PE supplies. The policy applies to taxable years starting after the bill's enactment date.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Cyber Security Reserve Corps, a volunteer program within New Jersey's Office of Information Technology, to develop cyber security expertise and assist during critical cyber incidents. Volunteers must have at least two years of information security experience, hold a security certification, pass technical tests and background checks, and commit to 10 days of annual training; they serve without pay but are reimbursed for necessary expenses. The Corps will be headquartered in Atlantic City with two full-time staff, and will coordinate with state agencies, counties, municipalities, and school systems through formal cooperation frameworks. The bill appropriates $500,000 from the General Fund to fund recruitment, training, equipment, and operations of the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a permanent commission to study inconsistent statutory definitions of "veteran," "disabled veteran," and "service-disabled veteran" in New Jersey law. The commission, appointed by the Governor and legislative leaders, will analyze over 20 existing definitions that cause confusion for veterans seeking benefits like tax deductions, educational aid, and business incentives. It will identify restrictive or unclear requirements and recommend clearer, more uniform definitions to improve eligibility access. The commission must issue annual reports to the Governor and legislature, starting within 12 months of its formation, to inform potential future changes. This directly affects New Jersey's 330,000+ veterans who currently face eligibility barriers due to fragmented definitions.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a separate disorderly persons offense for individuals who wear masks to conceal their identity while committing another crime or offense in a public place with other masked people. It specifically prohibits this behavior unless the mask-wearing falls under key exceptions, such as for Halloween celebrations, religious head coverings, weather protection, or medical reasons. Violating this provision is punishable by up to six months in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both, and the conviction cannot be merged with the underlying crime for sentencing purposes. The law applies only when someone is already charged with another offense under New Jersey's criminal code.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey high school students to complete a one-semester financial literacy course as part of graduation requirements for a State-endorsed diploma. It mandates that the course cover budgeting, savings, credit, debt, banking, taxes, college financial planning, and behavioral economics - excluding business/entrepreneurship-focused content. The instruction must be taught by teachers with specific endorsements in business, finance, social studies, or related fields. School districts must implement this by the 2027-2028 school year for students entering 12th grade that year, building on existing middle school financial literacy requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to create special "Mental Health Awareness" license plates for motor vehicles. Vehicle owners who choose these plates would pay a $50 application fee and a $10 annual renewal fee, with all additional fees (after covering costs) deposited into a dedicated fund. The fund supports mental health research and services statewide through annual appropriations to the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Implementation requires at least 500 initial applications and private funding of up to $25,000 to cover startup costs, with the program activating within 13 months of enactment or expiring if requirements aren't met.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires group homes for individuals with developmental disabilities to install electronic monitoring devices (EMDs) in common areas when all residents and their authorized representatives consent. It also permits residents to install EMDs in private rooms with the consent of roommates in double occupancy rooms. The bill specifies that EMDs must be unobstructed and recording at all times, with common area footage retained for 90 days. Group home licensees must develop internal policies for EMD use, and residents can access footage related to incidents of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The bill aims to balance resident safety with privacy rights through voluntary, consensual use of EMDs.