Asm. Alixon Collazos-Gill

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates tiered retirement benefits in New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), moving all current non-retired members to the "Tier 1" benefit level previously available to members who joined before July 1, 2007. It requires public employers to enroll eligible employees (earning above minimum salary but not meeting hour requirements) into PERS within 60 days, and automatically transfers service credit from the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) to PERS for DCRP participants - without transferring their contributions - unless they opt out within six months. Disability recipients under long-term insurance become eligible for disability retirement benefits if they apply within two years. Changes apply only to retirement applications processed after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits pet shops in New Jersey from selling cats, dogs, or rabbits, repealing the previous "Pet Purchase Protection Act." It establishes a $500 fine for violations and allows pet shops to sell other animals or pet supplies, while enabling collaboration with shelters to showcase adoptable animals without exchanging payment. The bill defines "unfit for purchase" for animals and specifies that an animal's death within 14 days of sale (except by accident) would be considered evidence of being unfit. It also prohibits animal rescue organizations, shelters, and pounds from obtaining animals from breeders or brokers in exchange for compensation. The law does not affect pet dealers (not pet shops) or consumer rights for animals purchased from them.

Maddy summaryThe "John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey" requires all voting policies to be interpreted in ways that maximize voting access for all eligible voters, particularly members of racial, color, and language-minority groups. It prohibits voting practices that burden protected class members and mandates language assistance for limited English proficient voters. The bill creates a preclearance process for voting changes in jurisdictions with a history of voting rights violations and establishes the New Jersey Voting and Elections Institute to maintain public voting data. These provisions aim to ensure equitable access to voting and protect against voter suppression and vote dilution.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the enrollment window for newborn infants in health benefits coverage from 60 to 90 days after birth. It directly affects newborns and their parents or guardians who must enroll infants in existing health plans. The key change modifies existing law to require that notification of a birth and required payment must be submitted within 90 days (previously 60 days) to maintain coverage beyond that period. The policy change provides families with additional time to complete enrollment paperwork without losing coverage for their newborn. This applies to both family-type and non-family-type health benefit contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4193) requires licensed healthcare providers offering prenatal care in New Jersey to offer and provide, upon request, screening for postpartum depression to pregnant patients with a history of depression. It directly affects pregnant patients who have experienced depression and the healthcare professionals treating them. The key provision adds a new requirement to existing law, mandating that providers screen these specific patients during prenatal visits when requested. This expands current policies that already require education about postpartum depression and postnatal screenings for all new mothers. The law aims to improve early detection and support for at-risk patients.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish an Alzheimer's disease public awareness and education program. The program must develop public campaigns about symptoms, early detection, and safety; create accessible educational materials for health providers; and train emergency responders, judicial staff, and social services personnel. DHS must consult with the Alzheimer's Association and make materials available online in English and Spanish. The initiative is subject to available funding and aims to improve community understanding and response to Alzheimer's disease.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 1067) requires the state's Department of Human Services to conduct a landscape analysis of mental health services accessible to deaf and hard of hearing residents. It mandates that mental health services be provided in a client's primary communication method (like sign language or speech), delivered by professionals certified in that method and trained in culturally appropriate care for the deaf community. The bill also requires the creation of a resource guide listing providers meeting these standards and defines key terms like "culturally affirmative mental health services." It directly affects deaf and hard of hearing individuals seeking mental health care across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3041 prohibits cooperatives from receiving public works contracts if any member contractor or subcontractor within the cooperative has failed to pay prevailing wages. The bill extends a three-year ban (currently applied to individual contractors) to cover entire cooperatives, meaning a cooperative cannot win contracts if one of its members violates wage laws. It defines a "cooperative" as a business with collective ownership and long-term member control, and includes a process for affected cooperatives to request a hearing if they believe the ban is wrongly applied. The prohibition applies to all cooperative entities with a member on the prevailing wage violation list, lasting three years from the date of listing.

Maddy summaryThis bill reassigns $350,000 currently allocated to the City of Perth Amboy for "Borinqueneer Park Improvements" to the Borinqueneers Park Education Alliance, a New Jersey nonprofit. The funds remain unchanged within the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations act, with no new funding added. The nonprofit is established to support a memorial honoring the 65th Infantry Regiment (nicknamed "The Borinqueneers"), a segregated Puerto Rican unit awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2016. The change only shifts the recipient of existing funds, directly affecting the nonprofit's ability to advance the memorial project.

Maddy summaryThis bill redirects $350,000 in existing state funding for Borinqueneer Park improvements from the City of Perth Amboy to the Borinqueneers Park Education Alliance, a New Jersey nonprofit. The change modifies the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations act to reassign the specific line item from the city to the nonprofit entity. The bill does not increase overall funding but shifts the recipient of the current $350,000 allocation. The nonprofit is focused on supporting a memorial for the 65th Infantry Regiment ("Borinqueneers"), a historically significant Puerto Rican unit.