Asm. Heather Simmons

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4265) creates a program to pay monetary awards to whistleblowers who report tax law violations by employers in New Jersey's construction industry. Whistleblowers providing specific, credible information that leads to enforcement actions (like penalties or settlements) can receive 15-30% of the money collected, or up to 10% if the information came from public sources like media or government reports. It excludes current Treasury employees and individuals who planned the violations they reported, and protects whistleblowers from retaliation under existing law. The award amount is based on how much the information contributed to the case outcome.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination to explicitly protect individuals from discrimination based on membership in a labor organization. It expands the definition of "labor organization" to include any group formed for collective bargaining or mutual aid among employees, and adds membership in such organizations to the list of protected characteristics. This means employers, labor organizations, and others cannot discriminate against employees or job applicants based on their membership in a labor union or employee representation committee. The law already protects people from discrimination based on characteristics like race, gender, and disability; this bill extends that protection to include labor organization membership.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits unauthorized drone operations near schools in New Jersey. It makes it a disorderly persons offense to fly a drone below 250 feet over school property for surveillance, to hover over school grounds without permission, or to use school buildings/grounds as a drone takeoff or landing site. School administrators must provide written authorization for any drone activity within this zone. Violations carry penalties of up to six months in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. The law specifically exempts authorized public employees and first responders operating drones for official duties.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Educator Evaluation Review Task Force to study and evaluate the state's current teacher and administrator evaluation system under the TEACHNJ Act. The 12-member task force, including educators, principals, and education organization representatives, must report findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by September 30, 2024. It temporarily pauses new student growth data collection for the 2024-2025 school year, requiring schools to use existing data instead - except for new, non-tenured, or first-year teachers who must set new objectives during that year. Starting in 2025-2026, school districts will implement updated data collection guidelines based on the task force's final recommendations. The bill directly affects all public school teachers, principals, and administrators in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides $2 million in state funding to New Jersey's Department of Labor to support county prosecutors in enforcing wage payment laws. It requires each county prosecutor's office to assign a dedicated assistant prosecutor to investigate and prosecute cases where employers fail to pay wages or violate wage-hour laws. The funding covers both financial resources and training for prosecutors to handle these cases more effectively. This directly affects workers who are owed wages and county prosecutors who will now have dedicated staff and resources for wage enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis bill would impose annual registration fees of $300 for passenger electric vehicles and $450 for commercial electric vehicles, starting in 2025, while reducing gasoline and diesel fuel taxes by about one-third (to 7 cents and 9 cents per gallon, respectively). It requires the Department of Transportation to conduct a study on alternative revenue sources for transportation funding, including mileage-based fees and carbon taxes, with a report due by August 2026. All revenues from these fees and tax changes would be directed to the Transportation Trust Fund, which supports transportation infrastructure projects. The study aims to address potential revenue shortfalls as electric vehicle adoption increases and fuel consumption decreases.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 15-member Interagency Council on Menopause within New Jersey's Department of Health. The council includes 3 Department of Health officials (ex officio) and 12 public members appointed by the Governor, such as individuals with menopause experience, healthcare providers, researchers, and advocates. Its key duties include promoting evidence-based menopause care, creating multilingual educational resources for health providers, supporting research, and developing state-supported treatment services. The council must report annually to the Governor and Legislature on its findings and recommendations regarding menopause care access and quality. This bill directly affects New Jersey residents experiencing menopause and the state's healthcare system.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a $1 million pilot program through New Jersey's Office of Planning Advocacy to reimburse municipalities for specific costs related to warehouse development planning. It directly affects local governments that update zoning ordinances or conduct mitigation studies for warehouse projects, requiring them to adopt warehouse-specific zoning consistent with state guidelines. Municipalities can apply for reimbursement for expenses like reexamining master plans or studying impacts of pending warehouse sites, with priority given to those needing financial assistance most. The program expires after the Office submits a report on its effectiveness, detailing how the funds were used and whether it should become permanent.

Maddy summaryAJR 124 designates October 18 of each year as "Postmenopause Day" in New Jersey. This ceremonial resolution aims to raise public awareness about postmenopause - the period after menopause (typically beginning after 12 months without periods, average age 51) - and its associated health risks, such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular issues. It references existing World Menopause Awareness Day (October 18) and encourages the Governor to issue an annual proclamation promoting educational activities. The bill has no regulatory or funding provisions; it solely serves to highlight health considerations for postmenopausal women.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires healthcare providers to give women aged 35-39 a pamphlet about menopause-related conditions during their annual physical exams, starting 180 days after the bill takes effect. The pamphlet must cover premature menopause, early menopause, and primary ovarian insufficiency, as created by the Department of Health. The Department of Health must publish this resource online within 90 days of the bill's effective date. The law applies specifically to licensed health care professionals conducting these annual exams on eligible patients.