Asm. Dawn Fantasia

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to allow any member who participated in 9/11 World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations to qualify for accidental disability retirement benefits if they develop a disability linked to that work. It presumes that health conditions from 9/11 exposure (like respiratory illnesses or PTSD) resulted from their duties if they worked at least eight hours at the site, or if they had a documented injury preventing further participation. Members who later retire on ordinary disability or service retirement can also seek recalculated benefits if they develop qualifying 9/11-related disabilities. The policy change applies to all PERS members, regardless of when they joined the system, removing previous restrictions that limited eligibility to specific roles like emergency medical technicians.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public and nonpublic schools to have at least one FDA-registered portable anti-choking device (a suction device for clearing airway blockages) placed in accessible locations like cafeterias and nurse offices during school hours and events. Schools must display clear signage marking device locations and develop policies requiring staff training in airway management and device use. The state Department of Education will reimburse schools for device costs and provide annual training opportunities for school nurses and staff. The law takes effect 180 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey state funds from being used to provide legal assistance or services to immigrants facing immigration detention or deportation. It bans direct state funding, contracts, or grants to public agencies or nonprofits offering such legal help, targeting support for individuals based on immigration status. The bill references past budget language that allocated up to $2.1 million for legal services to immigrants in detention/deportation cases. It takes immediate effect and applies to all state funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A410) requires New Jersey public school districts to provide vouchers to parents who withdraw their child from public school due to objections about curriculum materials or activities they deem "harmful." The voucher covers 75% of the nonpublic school's tuition and fees, calculated based on the district's per-pupil spending and prorated for remaining school days. It specifically defines "harmful" objections to include conflicts with parental beliefs about sex, sexuality, gender identity, religion, or morality. The bill applies to parents of students enrolled in public schools who choose to enroll in nonpublic schools for these reasons.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 20) is a symbolic statement opposing President Biden’s current border policies and urging him to reinstate specific border measures from the prior administration. It specifically calls for the return of policies including the border wall, Title 42 expulsions, the "remain in Mexico" program, and Safe Third-Country Agreements with Central American nations. The resolution does not change any laws but expresses New Jersey’s position and will be sent to President Biden, Congress, and New Jersey’s federal representatives. It directly addresses the federal executive and legislative branches, not state residents or local policies.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A1554 requires proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration when applying for or renewing a driver's license, ID card, or other motor vehicle services at the MVC (Motor Vehicle Commission). It mandates the MVC Chief Administrator and Secretary of State to conduct an initial audit of all voter registrations processed through MVC since May 1, 2021, followed by annual audits of newly registered voters. These audits must be completed 30 days before each primary election, with reports submitted to the Governor and Legislature. The bill directly affects voters registering via MVC services and ensures registrations meet eligibility requirements under state law.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a permit program allowing New Jersey dairy farms to sell raw milk directly to consumers at the farm, subject to strict health and safety requirements. To obtain a permit, farmers must comply with dairy laws, undergo inspections, avoid growth hormones, and conduct regular bacterial testing to ensure milk meets limits for bacteria (10,000 colonies/mL), coliform (10/mL), and somatic cells (300,000/mL). All raw milk containers and farm signage must display a clear warning that raw milk is unpasteurized and may contain harmful organisms. The Department of Agriculture, with input from the Department of Health, will set permit fees to cover program costs and enforce testing, labeling, and cooling standards (milk must cool to 40°F within 2 hours of milking). Failure to meet testing standards twice in one year results in permit revocation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to implement safeguards to prevent ineligible individuals from registering to vote through automatic voter registration during driver's license or ID card applications. Specifically, it mandates the MVC to provide separate application forms for people who do not meet voting eligibility requirements (such as citizenship or residency), which cannot include voter registration options. The bill also requires clear notices about voter eligibility rules and disqualifications, including penalties for false registration, and ensures applicants can decline automatic registration. These changes aim to protect the integrity of voter registration by preventing ineligible applicants from accidentally registering to vote.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new third-degree crime for knowingly filing false reports or providing false information to law enforcement with the purpose of implicating an officer in a crime, offense, or professional misconduct that would lead to disciplinary action. It directly affects individuals who make such false reports against police officers, potentially facing up to 5 years in prison or a $15,000 fine. The law establishes this as a separate offense that does not merge with existing crimes for falsely incriminating others (third degree) or filing fictitious reports (fourth degree). The bill amends New Jersey Statute 2C:28-4 to clarify this new provision, which would apply immediately if enacted.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 57) urges New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to impose an immediate moratorium on sonar testing and wind turbine mapping activities off the New Jersey coast. It is prompted by the unexplained deaths of at least 12 whales (including 8 humpbacks) and 5 dolphins recorded near offshore wind development areas since December 2022. The resolution calls for pausing these activities to allow for scientific study of potential links between sonar/mapping technologies and the marine life deaths. As a resolution, it does not create law but formally requests federal and state agencies to halt related operations pending investigation.