Asm. Aura Dunn

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits mobile service providers and app developers from sharing customers' GPS location data with third parties without explicit consent. To obtain consent, app developers must provide a clear, bold notice requiring users to actively agree ("I agree to allow my location data to be disclosed"). Exceptions apply for legal requirements like law enforcement requests, and third parties accessing the data cannot sell it or share it beyond the purpose of the consent. Violations would violate New Jersey's consumer fraud law, potentially resulting in fines up to $20,000 per offense. The bill is pending in the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's correctional facilities' Special Investigations Division to submit two types of reports to the Department of Corrections and facility administrators: (1) an executive summary of any inmate sexual abuse complaint within 48 hours of receipt, and (2) a monthly report by the 10th day summarizing all sexual assault investigations from the prior month, including status updates for ongoing cases. It directly affects correctional facilities and their investigations teams by mandating faster, more transparent reporting on inmate sexual abuse allegations. The key mechanism is establishing strict deadlines for both initial complaint summaries and monthly comprehensive updates to improve accountability. This procedural bill focuses on reporting requirements, not on changing penalties or creating new legal standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill would provide $615,000 in additional state funding to the NJ 2-1-1 Partnership, a statewide service that connects residents to human services like food assistance, housing support, and mental health resources through a free 24/7 phone hotline. The funds would be allocated within the Department of Human Services' budget specifically for the Partnership's ongoing operational costs to maintain its 2-1-1 service. Since 2002, the NJ 2-1-1 Partnership has been the sole provider of New Jersey's 2-1-1 dialing code, serving all residents statewide. This is a routine budgetary measure to sustain an existing community resource, not a new policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to obtain legislative approval for any plan, program, or project costing over $1 million that isn't already in its approved annual budget. Before proceeding, the BPU must submit a detailed written explanation including the project outline, cost estimate, objectives, and justification for extra funding. The legislature must then pass a concurrent resolution to approve or deny the funding; if no resolution is passed by year-end, the project is automatically denied. Emergency projects related to federally declared disasters are exempt from this requirement but must be reported to the legislature within 30 days of implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new second-degree crime for animal cruelty that demonstrates "extreme indifference to the value of an animal's life," specifically targeting abuse of domestic companion animals. It elevates penalties for severe cases where cruelty causes death, serious injury, or involves prior offenses, moving them from fourth-degree to second-degree crimes. Offenders must also complete up to 30 days of community service with animal welfare organizations and pay restitution for veterinary costs, animal replacement, or investigation expenses. The law directly affects owners or caretakers who cause such severe harm, with penalties including fines, imprisonment, and mandatory community service.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new state occupational safety standards for toilet facilities at New Jersey construction sites. It requires employers to provide at least one separate toilet facility for each gender per 20 employees (or fraction thereof), with exceptions for sites with four or fewer workers. The law mandates clean, well-maintained facilities with privacy, handwashing supplies (or sanitizer if water isn't available), and proper lighting for night work. These standards, which exceed current federal recommendations, apply to all construction employers - including state agencies - and take effect once New Jersey's proposed state OSH plan is approved by the federal government.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) rules to allow temporary state employees at psychiatric hospitals or correctional facilities to qualify for accidental disability benefits. It specifically covers injuries sustained after January 2003 while working temporarily at these facilities (before becoming a PERS member), making such injuries eligible for PERS benefits once the employee gains membership. The key change deems these pre-membership injuries as occurring "during membership" if the employee joins PERS without interruption in the same job. This expands eligibility beyond current rules, which only provided workers' compensation for such injuries before PERS membership.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a four-year pilot program for up to 15 New Jersey school districts to create confidential mental health assistance programs for students in grades K-12. The programs will identify students facing mental health challenges (including those related to family, school, or personal issues), provide voluntary counseling and support services, and connect students with community resources - all while maintaining strict confidentiality. Districts must apply with funding plans, and participating schools will track student participation and outcomes. After the pilot, the state will evaluate the program’s effectiveness and recommend whether to expand it statewide.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3825) amends New Jersey's affordable housing law to require the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) to count certain existing affordable housing units as *two units* toward a municipality's fair share obligation. It directly affects municipalities that have built or rehabilitated qualifying low- and moderate-income housing units between April 1, 1980, and December 15, 1986. The key provision allows these units to be credited at a 2:1 ratio (instead of 1:1) when calculating whether a municipality meets its state-mandated affordable housing requirement. This change aims to reduce the housing obligation for municipalities that already developed qualifying affordable units during that specific timeframe.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey state agencies (like the Department of Community Affairs, Environmental Protection, and the Board of Public Utilities) from requiring buildings to use electric heating or water heating systems as the sole or primary method until a specific report is issued. It directly affects building owners, developers, and utilities by delaying mandatory electric system requirements, though it does not stop voluntary adoption or private use of electric systems. The key mechanism requires the Department of Community Affairs to hold six public hearings across the state within 18 months (covering costs, environmental impacts, and worker effects) and submit a report to the Governor and Legislature within 24 months. After the report is published, the prohibition on mandates expires, allowing agencies to proceed with rules based on the findings.