Asm. Jay Webber

Maddy summaryThis bill allows students at New Jersey public colleges and universities to be excused from health, family life, or sexual education classes if those classes conflict with their conscience, moral beliefs, or religious views. Students must submit a signed statement to school officials, and the institution must excuse them from the conflicting instruction without penalizing them for credit or graduation requirements. The policy mirrors an existing law for K-12 schools and applies only to institutions that do not offer substitutions for these classes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires telemarketers making sales calls to display their actual name and phone number on caller identification (caller ID) services. If their own details aren't available through their phone company, they may instead show the seller's name and customer service number. Telemarketers cannot block, misrepresent, or circumvent caller ID displays. It directly affects telemarketing companies and aims to increase transparency for consumers receiving sales calls.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $10 million annually from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues for grants to support lake management activities focused on recreation and conservation. The Department of Environmental Protection will administer the program, prioritizing projects in the Highlands Region and Pinelands area that improve water quality and increase recreational access, including efforts to prevent harmful algal blooms. Qualified entities, including the Greenwood Lake Commission and Lake Hopatcong Commission, will receive guaranteed minimum annual grants of $750,000 each, with additional funding available for local government units. The grants can fund stormwater management and pollution control to enhance lake use for recreation and conservation purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows property owners or tenants to legally enter adjacent land for necessary repairs or improvements without the neighbor's permission, under strict conditions. To qualify, they must first request permission (and be denied), notify local law enforcement, post a $1,000 bond to cover potential damage, and limit work to no more than eight hours per day or 30 days total per year. The owner must also work carefully to avoid damage, restore the land to its original condition, and avoid storing materials on the neighbor's property. It directly affects property owners needing urgent repairs that require access across boundaries, while protecting neighbors through the bond and time restrictions. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $2.5 million from the state General Fund to the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Foundation to expand its memorial and Vietnam Era Museum. It provides $500,000 immediately for the expansion project and $2 million to a dedicated memorial fund, with annual $500,000 payments starting in the next fiscal year. The funds are specifically designated for physical expansion of the memorial site and museum facilities. The legislation directly affects the foundation and its ability to enhance the existing memorial and museum, which serves as New Jersey's only museum dedicated to preserving Vietnam War history.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits local government employees in New Jersey (excluding school districts) from receiving terminal leave compensation for accrued administrative leave, vacation, sick leave, or longevity benefits upon retirement. It also bans the use of six or more consecutive sick days within 12 months of retirement eligibility without written medical verification from a physician. Employers must verify medical necessity, may require a physician examination, and can deduct improperly used sick days from retirement compensation calculations. The law applies to counties, municipalities, fire districts, and similar entities that have adopted New Jersey’s civil service rules.

Maddy summaryThe "Improved Suicide Prevention, Response, and Treatment Act" (A1536) requires psychiatric facilities, outpatient mental health providers, and suicide hotlines in New Jersey to maintain 24/7 access to trained suicide prevention counselors who conduct standardized risk assessments and provide ongoing counseling to at-risk patients. The bill mandates "warm hand-offs" to appropriate care during transitions, requires law enforcement officers to complete annual suicide response training focused on de-escalation, and requires health insurance to cover suicide prevention assessments and counseling services. It prohibits discharging at-risk patients into homelessness or having them arrested unless they pose an uncontrollable risk to others. The law aims to improve coordinated care for people experiencing suicidal crises across health, emergency, and law enforcement systems through standardized protocols and accountability measures.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires NJ Transit to provide at least two weeks' notice before routine maintenance or significant service reductions (like major route closures or rail line disruptions). The notice must be delivered in writing to affected municipalities, schools, and institutions; posted at transit facilities; sent via NJ Transit's mobile app; and included on their website, with details on alternative transit options. This applies to all rail lines, light rail lines, and motorbus routes, and requires ongoing updates until service resumes. The law aims to improve rider transparency without changing NJ Transit's service policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school districts serving grades 9-12 to include instruction on the risks of compulsive gambling within their Comprehensive Health and Physical Education curriculum. The instruction must cover gambling addiction dangers, financial risks of gambling, and probability concepts. The state education commissioner must provide schools with sample lesson materials and develop mandatory teacher training on identifying gambling issues and treatment resources. Implementation is delayed until the school year following the next state curriculum review, not immediately. The bill directly affects all high school students and school districts in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits using fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions for any research purposes and bans using any fetal tissue (regardless of source) for cosmetic research. It amends New Jersey law to make these uses illegal, with violations punishable by fines up to $50,000 per offense. The bill does not restrict research using fetal tissue from miscarriages or stillbirths, nor does it affect existing rules about donating unused embryos from fertility treatments or genetic testing for health reasons. This policy change directly impacts researchers and institutions seeking to use such tissue for the banned purposes.