Asm. Barbara McCann Stamato

Maddy summaryThis bill allows restaurants and licensed alcohol beverage retailers and manufacturers to expand their operations into designated outdoor spaces adjacent to their business locations, including public sidewalks. Businesses must apply for a "premises expansion permit" with their municipal zoning officer and the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, providing detailed plans for outdoor space design, sanitation, and safety measures. Municipalities can set reasonable operating hour limits (generally allowing most hours except late-night on Sundays-Wednesdays and early morning on Thurs-Saturdays), but must follow state requirements for permit renewal. Restaurants without alcohol licenses must renew their outdoor permits annually, while those with alcohol licenses renew with their main business license. The bill specifies that municipal ordinances on sanitation, noise, and other matters still apply unless specifically modified by the municipality.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act, prohibits state and local government agencies from collecting immigration status information unless strictly necessary for service eligibility and from assisting federal immigration authorities. It requires government entities to adopt policies protecting sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, and shelters from immigration enforcement activities, ensuring immigrants can access public services without fear. The law mandates law enforcement training on these restrictions, prohibits detaining individuals based on immigration status, and requires annual reporting on interactions with federal immigration authorities. It also establishes a public awareness campaign to inform immigrants of their rights under the law.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the circumstances under which New Jersey's local governments, school districts, and county colleges can use competitive contracting (instead of public bidding) for specialized services. It specifically permits competitive contracting for services including renewable energy projects, data processing, maintenance, food services, and energy conservation training. The bill sets a maximum contract term of five years for these services and outlines a formal process for soliciting proposals, evaluating vendors, and awarding contracts. This change affects local contracting units, school boards, and county colleges by providing more flexibility in how they procure certain specialized services while maintaining oversight requirements.

Maddy summaryAJR 203 is a commemorative resolution designating November 21 of each year as "Urinary Tract Infection Awareness Day" in New Jersey. It does not create new laws or policies but aims to raise public awareness about urinary tract infections (UTIs), particularly their impact on vulnerable groups like older adults and women. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging New Jersey residents and officials to observe the day through educational activities. It focuses solely on awareness, not on medical guidelines or healthcare changes.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A4936 requires all public school districts to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) instruction into K-12 curricula, covering AI concepts, foundational skills, and ethical use. The bill mandates the Commissioner of Education to provide age-appropriate teaching resources to support this requirement. Additionally, it requires public colleges to offer AI certificate and degree programs, with the Secretary of Higher Education developing standardized curricula for four-year colleges and county colleges. These model curricula must ensure academic quality, include course sequences, career pathway materials, and align with accreditation standards. The law takes effect in the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryBill A4887 requires people under 17 to wear helmets while operating bicycles, scooters, or motorized scooters in New Jersey, expanding current helmet requirements that previously applied only to bicycles. The bill mandates businesses selling or renting these devices to post warning signs and provide helmets to minors who don't have them, with civil immunity for compliant businesses. It exempts certain areas like trails or closed roads from the helmet requirement but applies when operating on public roads or paths. This bill amends existing laws to cover additional personal mobility devices with the goal of increasing safety.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires licensed child care centers in New Jersey that already have video or audio surveillance systems to keep all recordings for 180 days. It mandates that the Department of Children and Families or a designated third party must review these recordings before they can be deleted. The law does not require centers without existing systems to install new surveillance equipment. It applies specifically to centers licensed under Title 30 of New Jersey law and takes effect 90 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey law to allow taxicabs, limousines, and transportation network companies (like Uber and Lyft) to provide paratransit services for a two-year period. Currently, paratransit services - transportation for people with disabilities that are not fixed-route bus services - are legally excluded from being provided by these companies, but the bill removes that exclusion. The change modifies the definition of "paratransit service" in state law to include these providers, expanding potential service options. This directly affects transportation companies and people with disabilities who rely on paratransit services, without altering the core requirements for such services.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Second Chance Program within New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development to connect formerly incarcerated individuals with employment opportunities through labor organizations. The program requires labor unions to identify job pathways in their trades and develop plans for hiring returning citizens, directly benefiting individuals recently released from prison who face high barriers to employment. It aims to reduce recidivism by addressing a key factor cited in the bill: the lack of viable jobs for this population, which correlates with higher reoffending rates. The program operates under the State Employment and Training Commission and mandates consultation with labor organizations to create sustainable career opportunities. The bill takes immediate effect upon passage.

Maddy summaryAJR 112 designates the calendar week beginning Sunday that includes September 10th each year as "Suicide Prevention Week" in New Jersey. This symbolic resolution does not create new laws or services but encourages statewide awareness and community activities around suicide prevention. It requests the Governor annually issue a proclamation to recognize the week and promote existing resources like the NJ Suicide Hopeline. The bill directly affects all New Jersey residents by fostering community engagement with the state's ongoing suicide prevention efforts. It is procedural, focusing on recognition rather than policy changes.