Asm. Mike Inganamort

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A5055, the "Students with Communication Disabilities' Bill of Rights," requires school districts to ensure students with communication disabilities (such as those with hearing, vision, or speech impairments) can fully participate in education using their preferred communication methods. Key provisions mandate schools to provide trained communication assistants familiar with each student's primary method (like sign language, AAC devices, or speech-generating tools), include communication plans in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans, and offer early screenings and ongoing assessments of communication needs. The law also ensures students have full access to all school activities - including extracurriculars, lunch, and announcements - using their preferred communication method. The bill clarifies it does not expand rights beyond existing federal protections under the ADA, IDEA, and Section 504.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey local government agencies from hiring employees who are currently on paid leave from another local government agency in a different county or municipality. It directly affects local government employers and employees who might hold positions across multiple local governments. The law specifically bans full-time or part-time employment while an individual remains on paid leave from a comparable position elsewhere, aiming to prevent potential conflicts of interest under the Local Government Ethics Law.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow restaurants and licensed alcoholic beverage retailers (including bars, wineries, breweries, and distilleries) to operate in designated outdoor spaces adjacent to their business premises, including on public sidewalks. It creates a "premises expansion permit" process requiring applications to either the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (for licensed businesses) or municipal zoning officers (for restaurants without alcohol licenses), with requirements for security plans and property descriptions. Municipalities may regulate hours of operation but must allow outdoor service outside specific hours (10pm-11am on Sundays-Wednesdays, and 12am-11am on Thurs-Sat), and cannot prohibit outdoor service for businesses already operating under legal or disciplinary restrictions. The bill specifies that State-owned rights-of-way require separate approval from the New Jersey Department of Transportation, with setback requirements for roads intersecting state highways.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for assaulting law enforcement officers, making it a second-degree crime when bodily injury occurs (previously a third-degree crime). It expands protection to include firefighters and emergency medical personnel who are assaulted while performing their duties. The bill requires offenders to provide a blood or biological sample for testing for communicable diseases, with any positive results shared with the victim. It also prohibits plea bargains for assault on law enforcement officers and prevents convictions from merging with other offenses. The bill takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies requirements for condominium and cooperative associations managing 3-story or taller residential buildings to protect structural integrity. It expands timeframes for associations to build adequate reserve funds: for large annual fee increases (over 10%), the period extends from 10 to 20 years, and for smaller increases, from 2 to 4 years. The bill clarifies that these rules apply only to covered buildings (3+ story condo/co-ops) and exclude single-family homes, non-condo buildings, and certain structural types. Associations must conduct reserve studies every five years to assess funding needs for structural repairs of primary load-bearing systems.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $106.5 million from the Property Tax Relief Fund to provide Emergency Supplemental Aid to New Jersey school districts affected by reduced state funding. Eligible districts must have received less than their required funding level (based on 2024-2025 aid) and less than or equal to $19,000 per enrolled student, with specific adjustments compared to the prior year’s funding. Aid amounts are calculated as $250 multiplied by each district’s resident pupil count as of October 16, 2023. The aid targets districts negatively impacted by P.L.2018, c.67 (the "S2" school funding law), which has caused budget shortfalls leading to staff cuts, reduced programs, and school closures in over 290 districts statewide.

Maddy summaryAJR 60 is a joint resolution declaring New Jersey a "Purple Heart State" to honor veterans and active duty military members from the state who have been awarded the Purple Heart Medal. The Purple Heart is a military decoration given to service members wounded or killed in action while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. This resolution joins three existing "Purple Heart States" (West Virginia, Virginia, and Washington) and takes effect immediately, recognizing New Jersey's existing connections to the "Purple Heart Trail" - a network of roads, bridges, and monuments honoring recipients. It serves as a symbolic tribute without creating new programs, funding, or legal obligations.

Maddy summaryThis resolution urges the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA) to amend its definition of "grooming and hygiene products" to exclude oral healthcare items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouthwash. Currently, these products are taxed at New Jersey's 6.625% sales tax rate under the SSUTA's existing definition. The resolution requests two specific changes: (1) removing oral care products from the "grooming" category, and (2) creating a new "oral healthcare products" category to allow states to exempt these items from sales tax. As a non-binding resolution, it seeks to enable future tax exemptions for these essential health products by modifying the multistate SSUTA agreement, not by directly changing New Jersey law.

Maddy summaryThis resolution commemorates the 45th anniversary of the U.S. Taiwan Relations Act (passed in 1979) and the 35th anniversary of New Jersey’s sister-state relationship with Taiwan. It symbolically recognizes the longstanding diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties between New Jersey and Taiwan, including $723 million in annual trade and over 200 Taiwanese companies operating in New Jersey. The resolution has no binding effect - it is purely ceremonial, expressing support through formal acknowledgment without creating new laws or policies. It does not alter U.S. or New Jersey government actions toward Taiwan.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey Assembly Resolution (AR 165) urges the U.S. federal government to create legislation providing proportional property tax relief for veterans with service-connected permanent disabilities. It proposes that veterans receive tax relief based on their U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs disability rating (e.g., 30% disability would yield 30% tax relief), limited to their primary residence and veterans earning under $200,000 annually. The resolution highlights that New Jersey currently offers full property tax exemptions for veterans with 100% service-connected disabilities, but this federal standard would extend similar proportional benefits to veterans nationwide. It does not create new state law but calls for federal action to ensure consistent support for veterans across all states.