Asm. Rosy Bagolie

Maddy summaryThis bill adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism as an educational resource for New Jersey state agencies, schools, and law enforcement. It defines antisemitism as hatred toward Jews, including specific examples like Holocaust denial, harmful stereotypes (e.g., conspiracy theories about Jewish control), and double standards applied to Israel. The definition is explicitly non-binding and must be used while protecting constitutional rights like free speech. New Jersey lawmakers cite the state's high rate of antisemitic incidents - including ranking third nationally in 2023 - as the basis for this measure.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires veterinarians to provide clear, written disclosures to pet owners before rabies testing on dead companion animals. It mandates that veterinarians give owners a standard notification form detailing testing reasons, body handling protocols, and disposal rules (including that heads may not be returned after testing), along with a pamphlet explaining rabies vaccines and testing procedures. The pamphlet must be provided to owners when a rabies vaccine is administered, and veterinarians must display a related poster in their offices. The law applies to pet owners and veterinarians, with penalties for non-compliance, while also establishing optional mental health training for veterinary staff.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Out-of-School Time Advisory Commission to review before-school, after-school, and summer programs statewide. The 22-member commission - including state agency heads, legislative appointees, and representatives from child care organizations, schools, and advocacy groups - will assess current programs, develop statewide standards, examine funding sources, and evaluate program quality across urban, suburban, and rural districts. It must issue an interim report within one year and a final report within two years of forming, including recommendations for improving accountability and quality. The commission expires 30 days after submitting its final report, with no immediate funding or program changes enacted by this bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1685) reinstates automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for retirement benefits paid to members of New Jersey's state-administered retirement systems, including teachers' pensions. It directly affects current and future retirees in these systems by ensuring their benefits automatically increase each year to match inflation, rather than requiring separate legislative action for each adjustment. The key mechanism is amending existing law to restore the automatic COLA provision that was previously removed, linking benefit increases directly to the Consumer Price Index. This change simplifies the process and provides predictable income growth for retirees without requiring new votes for each adjustment. The bill is sponsored by Assemblywomen Reynolds-Jackson and Speight and co-sponsored by multiple legislators.

Maddy summaryThis bill gives consumers the right to cancel certain home improvement contracts (over $500) within 3 business days, or up to 5 days if aged 60+ or with an intellectual disability. For consumer goods contracts over $500, seniors and individuals with intellectual disabilities may cancel within 3 business days. Contractors must include a clear cancellation notice in contracts and refund all payments within 30 days of cancellation. The law applies to home remodeling and similar goods but excludes real estate transactions.

Maddy summaryThe Safe Communities Act requires New Jersey's Attorney General to develop model policies ensuring safety and accessibility at key community locations like schools, hospitals, places of worship, shelters, and courthouses. These policies must be adopted by relevant state agencies (including education, health, and corrections departments) within 180 days of the law's enactment, with institutions required to post them visibly. The law aims to prevent residents from avoiding essential services or gatherings due to safety concerns, focusing on maintaining open access to public services and religious spaces. It applies directly to all covered facilities and their visitors across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill upgrades penalties for cyber-harassment targeting public servants or their family members, making it a third-degree crime (up from fourth degree under current law). It establishes the Office of Cyber-Harassment Support within the Department of Law and Public Safety to provide victim assistance, develop educational programs, and coordinate with law enforcement and social media platforms. The office will create accessible reporting systems, offer counseling, promote cyber ethics in schools, and train law enforcement on investigating cyber-harassment cases. The bill appropriates state funds to implement these provisions, directly affecting public servants, their families, and victims of online harassment.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey school districts that have moved their annual school election to November to submit separate proposals for additional funding for either the current budget year, the following year, or both. Currently, districts that move elections to November must implement funding increases during the school year when the election occurs, creating budgeting challenges. The bill provides these districts with greater flexibility by enabling them to delay implementing tax levy increases for approved proposals until the subsequent school year. It specifically prevents districts from using "banked" tax levy amounts for the subsequent year if they approve a separate proposal for that year. This change helps districts better plan for initiatives like expanding educational programs, as they can time funding implementation to align with their budget cycles.

Maddy summaryThis bill upgrades cyber-harassment targeting public servants or their family members to a third-degree crime (up from fourth-degree), increasing penalties. It establishes the Office of Cyber-Harassment Support within New Jersey’s Department of Law and Public Safety to provide victim assistance, develop educational programs, and coordinate with law enforcement and social media platforms to prevent such harassment. The office will create accessible reporting systems, offer counseling and legal aid, promote cyber ethics education in schools, and train law enforcement on handling cyber-harassment cases. The bill appropriates necessary funds from the General Fund to implement these provisions.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A2946) makes it a crime to keep money received by mistake through digital payment apps like Venmo or Zelle after being notified of the error. Specifically, if someone receives an incorrect electronic payment from another person and fails to return the funds within 30 days of proper notification, they commit theft under state law. The law directly affects individuals using peer-to-peer payment services who accidentally receive more money than intended. It adds a clear 30-day deadline for returning erroneous payments and defines "payment processor" to cover these digital transactions. This is a specific amendment to existing theft statutes, not a broad policy change.