Asm. Avi Schnall

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) to reserve a portion of its funding specifically for households that cannot access federal Section 8 housing assistance because they are taking time off work for pregnancy or newborn care (within six months). It directly affects low-income families experiencing pregnancy or infant care needs who are currently ineligible for federal Section 8 due to lack of exemption for parental leave. The key mechanism adds a new funding reservation under SRAP, ensuring state funds are available as an alternative support option when federal program participation is blocked by this specific circumstance. The policy change modifies existing state law to address a gap in housing assistance for this group.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey State to cover transportation costs exceeding the average per-pupil cost for certain homeless students. It applies to two groups: (1) homeless students attending school in their district of residence while temporarily living elsewhere, and (2) students displaced by terrorism or natural disasters who remain in their original district for up to two years. Under current law, school districts pay for transportation, but this bill shifts responsibility for costs above the average per-pupil amount to the State. The change takes effect for the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's bias intimidation law to specifically include Sikhism as a protected class, making it illegal to commit hate crimes against Sikhs based on their religious identity. It appropriates $100,000 annually for three years to fund Sikh awareness educational initiatives, including law enforcement training on Sikh identity features like turbans and religious symbols to prevent misclassification of hate incidents. The bill requires the Office of Attorney General to develop public awareness campaigns and educational programs about Sikhism for public schools, and mandates that all public entities incorporate anti-Sikh hate into their bias intimidation policies and diversity programs. These changes directly affect Sikhs in New Jersey (who are the second-most targeted religious group for hate crimes) and all public institutions across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey employers to develop heat safety plans to protect workers from heat-related illness and injury. The plans must include access to cool water, shaded rest areas, regular breaks, and training on recognizing heat illness symptoms. Employers must follow these plans when temperatures reach 90°F outdoors or 87°F indoors, and must review their plans annually. The Department of Labor will enforce these requirements with fines or stop-work orders for violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's mandatory school transportation policy by reducing the required mileage distance from 2 miles (elementary) and 2.5 miles (secondary) to 1.5 miles for all students. It directly affects public school districts, which must now provide transportation to students living beyond 1.5 miles from their school, while also establishing rules for transporting students to nonpublic schools within 20 miles if no closer in-state option exists. The bill includes cost limits ($675 per pupil annually, adjusted for inflation) and allows parents to waive transportation services via written consent. Districts may also offer optional transportation for students living within the new 1.5-mile threshold, with costs shared by families if they choose this service.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 130) urges New Jersey's Governor and Legislature to create programs supporting social work education. It specifically addresses the high student debt burden faced by social work students (average $26,500 for bachelor's degrees and $48,000 for master's degrees) and low median salaries ($50,390), which deter individuals from entering the field. The resolution proposes initiatives like scholarships and loan redemption programs to incentivize social work careers and strengthen the state's workforce. It directly affects prospective and current social workers pursuing degrees in New Jersey. The resolution is non-binding and serves as a formal request for action.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4103) expands eligibility for New Jersey's disability parking permits to include individuals diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or Crohn's disease, as certified by specific licensed medical professionals. It amends existing law to add these conditions to the definition of "person with a disability" for parking purposes, allowing affected individuals to obtain disability license plates, identification cards, and placards. The bill directly affects New Jersey residents with these chronic digestive conditions who experience mobility challenges or urgent restroom needs during flare-ups. Certification must come from a physician with a plenary license, military physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner licensed in New Jersey or a bordering state. The bill was introduced in the Assembly on April 4, 2024, and referred to the Transportation Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill, "The Voter Convenience Act," allows New Jersey voters to cast ballots at any polling place within their municipality on election day, rather than being restricted to their assigned polling location. It requires the Secretary of State and county election officials to develop uniform guidelines enabling electronic poll books to verify voter eligibility and provide the correct ballot for their election district at any municipal polling site. The law amends election statutes to update sample ballots with all available polling place locations and adjusts district board staffing rules to support this system. It directly affects all registered voters in New Jersey municipalities that choose to implement the policy, streamlining the voting process without changing voter eligibility or ballot content.

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 amends New Jersey law to increase penalties for false public alarms targeting places of worship. It defines a "place of worship" as a building seating over 50 people used permanently for religious services by a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Violations involving such locations become a second-degree crime (previously third-degree) and trigger a minimum $5,000 civil penalty - double the standard $2,000 penalty - plus reimbursement for emergency response costs. The law also requires annual reports from law enforcement on these offenses to the state's Office of Emergency Management.