Asm. Linda Carter

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill prohibits colleges and universities from paying online program management companies (OPMs) commissions, bonuses, or tuition-based fees for recruiting students, except when targeting international students. It requires institutions to submit all OPM contracts to the state education secretary within 20 days (or 30 days for existing contracts) and mandates governing boards to review and reject agreements that allow OPMs to control curriculum, admissions, faculty hiring, or institutional branding. Annual reports must detail OPM spending across categories like marketing and instruction, and institutions must publicly disclose program costs, financial aid options, and OPM relationships on their websites. Violations carry $10,000 fines per incident or the value of prohibited payments, whichever is higher.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey law to extend the cancellation period for home improvement contracts from three to five business days for consumers aged 65 or older. It requires contractors to include a clear, conspicuous notice in contracts detailing the five-day window for seniors (and the existing three-day window for all consumers) and the written cancellation process (via registered mail or in-person delivery). If canceled within the timeframe, contractors must refund all payments within 30 days and cancel related credit agreements without penalty. The change specifically aims to provide additional time for senior citizens to review contracts, reflecting their potential need for more consideration.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill ensures that district and county election boards, not judges, make the initial determination on whether ballots with unclear markings should be counted. The boards will use their judgment to decide if marks were intended to vote for a candidate (counting the ballot) or to identify the ballot (rejecting it). Currently, such decisions often required judicial review, but this bill shifts that authority to the election boards directly. This change affects how election results are finalized for ballots with ambiguous marks, streamlining the counting process without altering the criteria for ballot validity.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the time teachers can be away from service while maintaining membership in New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF). It increases the standard discontinuance period from two to seven years, and extends the return-to-service window to 25 years for teachers who were laid off or voluntarily left with 10 or more years of service. Teachers returning within these extended timeframes will be re-enrolled in the TPAF at their previous tier with no additional contributions required. The changes apply to all current and future TPAF members who meet the specified conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school districts to include instruction about the history and contributions of Latino and Hispanic Americans in Social Studies and English Language Arts curricula for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It mandates that school boards integrate this content as part of their existing implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. The Commissioner of Education must provide sample lesson resources and activities to support schools, developed with input from the Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage. The law takes effect immediately for the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThe "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act" (S 3309) requires used car dealers to check for open recalls on vehicles before sale using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website and provide prospective buyers with printed recall information if any are found. Dealers cannot sell vehicles subject to stop-sale or do-not-drive notices issued by NHTSA. The bill mandates dealers to report vehicles with unresolved recalls (for which repairs remain uncompleted six months after initial notice) to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission every 180 days, prompting the Commission to send notices directly to vehicle owners. For vehicles with unavailable parts for recalls, dealers receive monthly compensation equal to 1.75% of the vehicle's value until repairs are completed.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1682) requires New Jersey public school districts to include instruction on labor history in social studies curricula for students in grades 6 through 12. It mandates teaching four specific topics: the history of organized labor, notable historical strikes, unionization drives, and the collective bargaining process with workplace legal protections. The Commissioner of Education must provide age-appropriate lesson resources to help schools implement this requirement. The policy applies to all school districts under the state's existing social studies learning standards, beginning with the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new requirements for school counselors in New Jersey. It mandates that school counseling programs at colleges must incorporate the American School Counselor Association's model and include training in social-emotional learning and career planning. School counselors (defined as those with a NJ certification and endorsement) must provide services addressing students' academic, career, social, and emotional needs, and complete required professional development in areas like mental health awareness, trauma-informed practices, and cultural competency. The bill also creates a new State School Counselor Liaison position within the Department of Education to support school districts and advance comprehensive counseling services. These changes directly affect school counselors, school districts, and higher education institutions offering counseling certification programs.

Maddy summaryS 3944 allows New Jersey nonprofit theaters to obtain special alcohol licenses by clarifying that "disregarded entities" (like single-member LLCs treated as part of their parent nonprofit for tax purposes) qualify for these licenses. It applies to art-house movie theaters or performing arts venues with seating capacities of 50-1,000 people (for smaller venues) or 1,000+ people (for larger venues), operated by tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations. The license permits alcohol sales during specified times: two hours before, during, and two hours after performances (with a 15-performance annual limit for smaller venues). This change directly affects nonprofit theaters seeking to sell alcohol to support their operations, without counting toward other liquor license limits. The bill clarifies existing law to expand eligibility for these specialized licenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies New Jersey's Cultural Arts Incentives Program by expanding eligibility to include organizations with at least some cultural enrichment mission, and by allowing National Park Service and partner developers to operate facilities without requiring the institution to own or operate them. It removes a provision allowing tax credits for operating reserves, permits limited pre-application construction (for maintenance, repairs, and environmental work), and changes the application process from competitive to rolling basis. The bill also repeals the Community-Anchored Development Program that was scheduled to begin in 2026 with a $1.2 billion funding cap.