Asm. Chris Barranco

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A531, the "Parents' Bill of Rights," establishes specific rights for parents of minors regarding education, health decisions, and school information. It requires written parental consent for medical procedures or prescriptions for minors (with limited exceptions for married or pregnant minors), mandates schools to provide clear information about curriculum and health education content, and allows parents to withdraw children from sex education or gender-related instruction upon written request. Schools must develop parental involvement policies detailing access to records, course materials, and school choice options, and must provide this information electronically within 10 days of a written request. The bill does not override existing medical exceptions, prohibits schools from coercing minors to withhold information from parents, and explicitly preserves parental rights without limiting them unless required by law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey electric utilities (like Jersey Central Power & Light) to create a plan for sharing outage information via social media and text messages they already use. The plan must include locations and hours for warming centers, device charging stations, and where potable water and ice are available during outages. Utilities must provide specific details like addresses and operating times for these resources. Emergency management agencies can also share this information through their own social media or websites. The law takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows electric utilities in New Jersey to legally agree with private property owners to pre-position power restoration equipment on their land before major weather events or disasters that could cause prolonged outages (defined as affecting 10% of customers or triggering a state emergency declaration). It directly affects utilities seeking to improve response times and private property owners who would grant access to their land. The key provision creates a new legal framework for these pre-outage agreements, requiring utilities to determine the equipment placement themselves. The bill takes effect immediately but remains inactive for 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 51) formally adopts four articles of impeachment against Robert Asaro-Angelo, the Commissioner of New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD). It cites his failure to address the state's unemployment crisis, including delaying the reopening of in-person service centers (One-Stop Career Centers), backlog of unpaid claims, and lack of timely communication. The resolution, passed by the Assembly, impeaches Asaro-Angelo and directs the Speaker to submit the articles to the New Jersey Senate for consideration. It does not create new laws but initiates the constitutional impeachment process against the commissioner.

Maddy summaryAJR 55 designates March 16 each year as "Paws Healing Heroes Day" in New Jersey to recognize service dogs that assist veterans with conditions like PTSD, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, and seizure disorders. The resolution directly affects veterans, service dog organizations (such as Paws Healing Heroes in Glassboro), and the public by raising awareness of these animals' role in veteran support. Its key mechanism is an annual designation requiring the Governor to issue a proclamation encouraging public observance. This is a ceremonial resolution, not a law with funding or regulatory changes, and it takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the State Planning Commission to create and adopt model buffer ordinances that specify regulatory rules for siting warehouses near zoning district boundaries, including design standards and setbacks. Municipalities can then update their local master plans and zoning ordinances to align with these state model rules. The bill defines "warehouse" broadly to include distribution centers, flex-warehouses, and any facility storing goods for later retail or wholesale distribution. This provides standardized options for local governments to manage warehouse development while maintaining zoning consistency.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits the Governor's authority to declare states of emergency or public health emergencies in New Jersey. It requires state of emergency declarations to automatically end after 60 days unless the Legislature approves an extension with a majority vote (and future extensions require a similar majority). Public health emergency declarations are capped at 60 days total (initial 30 days plus one 30-day renewal by the Governor). The bill also mandates the Governor notify the Legislature 7 business days before seeking an extension, and gives the Legislature the power to terminate any emergency declaration with a two-thirds vote in both chambers. Existing emergency declarations related to the pandemic or other ongoing emergencies will automatically terminate on the bill's effective date unless the Legislature immediately authorizes an extension.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public schools to create written policies for emergency use of nasal seizure rescue medication and manual vagus nerve stimulators on students with seizure disorders. School nurses must develop these policies with training for designated staff, obtain parental written consent and liability waivers, and ensure hospital transport after emergency use. Schools must also provide age-appropriate epilepsy education at least once between kindergarten-third grade and grades six-12. The policy takes effect 12 months after enactment to allow time for training development.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey colleges and universities to maintain naloxone nasal spray in residence halls for opioid overdose emergencies and permits licensed campus medical staff and trained resident assistants to administer it in emergencies. Institutions must store naloxone securely but accessibly, develop policies for its use (including mandatory hospital transport after administration), and ensure staff receive required training on overdose response. The law provides liability protection for good-faith actions by medical professionals, resident assistants, and pharmacists following its provisions. It directly affects campus health protocols, student safety, and institutional emergency response procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1507) prohibits most entities - including state/local governments, schools, childcare centers, and colleges - from requiring COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of attendance or services. It exempts healthcare workers at licensed facilities who must vaccinate to work with vulnerable patients, aligning with existing healthcare worker vaccine requirements. The bill also creates a reimbursement program through the New Jersey Department of Health to cover out-of-pocket costs for healthcare workers who pay for the vaccine themselves when insurance doesn’t cover it, require employer reimbursement, or face undue financial burden. To qualify, workers must certify specific eligibility conditions, and false claims carry penalties including repayment and fines up to $1,000.