Asm. Shanique Speight

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey law to allow individuals with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status to work as law enforcement and corrections officers. It replaces the existing requirement that officers must be U.S. citizens with a new standard permitting those granted DACA relief under federal immigration law. The change applies to all state and county correctional officers, police departments, and juvenile corrections roles, without altering other existing requirements like English proficiency, high school diplomas, background checks, or moral character standards. This directly affects DACA-eligible individuals seeking public safety careers in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey nursing homes to hire a full-time or part-time patient advocate who is a health care professional or social worker with prior nursing home experience. The advocate must represent residents' interests upon request, negotiate with the facility on their behalf, and notify the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman if a nursing home violates resident rights. It directly affects licensed nursing homes (excluding hospitals, assisted living facilities, or state-run institutions) across New Jersey. The law takes effect immediately upon passage, with health and human services commissioners tasked to create implementing rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's Medicaid application process to better handle incomplete applications and exempts asset transfers of up to $500 per month during the look-back period from affecting eligibility for long-term care services. The look-back period is the standard 5-year review period used to assess asset transfers when determining Medicaid eligibility for nursing home or long-term care benefits. These changes directly impact New Jersey residents applying for Medicaid, particularly those seeking long-term care, by preventing denial due to small, regular financial transactions like monthly support payments. The bill does not alter overall asset limits but creates a specific exception for modest monthly transfers during the eligibility review.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's prostitution statute (N.J.S.2C:34-1) to strengthen penalties for crimes involving minors under 18. It specifically makes promoting prostitution of a child under 18 a first-degree crime and engaging in prostitution with a minor a second-degree crime, with no defense allowed for mistakenly believing the minor was 18 or older. The law directly affects individuals who exploit children in prostitution by eliminating a common defense used in court. It aims to provide clearer legal protection for minors through stricter criminal penalties, without including provisions for referrals or social services as suggested by the bill's title.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires licensed healthcare providers in New Jersey to give an informational pamphlet about perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause to female patients aged 40 or older during their annual physical examinations, starting 180 days after the law takes effect. The Department of Health must create and publish this pamphlet on its website within 90 days of the bill's effective date. The law directly affects healthcare providers who conduct annual physicals for eligible female patients and aims to provide standardized educational materials. It takes effect immediately upon enactment but implements the pamphlet distribution requirement 180 days later. The bill focuses on mandating the distribution of existing, state-prepared educational content during routine healthcare visits.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires public school districts to teach artificial intelligence (AI) to students in grades K-12 as part of computer science and design thinking curricula. It mandates instruction on basic AI concepts, foundational user skills, and responsible ethical use, with the state providing age-appropriate teaching resources. Public colleges and universities must also offer AI certificate and degree programs, with the Secretary of Higher Education developing model curricula for these programs in consultation with education and workforce agencies. The model curricula must include course sequences, career pathways, and student outcome standards, taking effect in the first full school and academic year after enactment.

Maddy summaryACR 118 is a non-binding resolution urging New Jersey's Governor to declare a public health emergency due to the federal "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (HR1). The resolution claims this federal law includes over $1 trillion in cuts to healthcare and social programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and WIC, which New Jersey relies on to support low-income residents. It also highlights that New Jersey paid approximately $68 billion more in federal taxes than it received in federal aid during the 2024 fiscal year. As a concurrent resolution, it does not create law but formally requests the Governor take action to address these impacts on state residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination to explicitly state that sexual harassment and sexual assault are forms of unlawful discrimination based on sex. It directly affects employees and employers by clarifying that workplace sexual misconduct falls under existing sex discrimination protections. The key change is adding "sexual harassment and sexual assault" to the list of prohibited discriminatory practices in employment (Section 11). This provides clearer legal grounds for victims to file claims under the current law without requiring new legislation. The amendment does not change penalties or create new procedures - it only clarifies the scope of existing protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Director of Homeland Security to create and maintain a statewide stockpile of N95 protective masks for first responders within 180 days. The stockpile must be stored in a central location, regularly maintained, and distributed during emergencies like terrorist attacks, wildfires, or other events involving hazardous air pollutants or toxic gases. First responders - including police, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians - will directly benefit from this stockpile. The bill mandates consultation with emergency response organizations during planning and establishes a system for mask replacement and statewide deployment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a pilot program allowing New Jersey municipalities and state agencies to pool publicly-owned assets (like buildings or land) into a "Urban Wealth Fund." The program would contract private firms to manage these assets to increase revenue, with the extra income directed toward minority business support, infrastructure, education, or property tax cuts. Participating municipalities must identify underused public assets, undergo valuation, and apply through the Economic Development Authority. The pilot aims to test if better management of public assets can generate new revenue for community priorities.