Asm. Katie Brennan

Maddy summaryThis bill requires property owners of hotels and multi-unit buildings with two or more floors (excluding small owner-occupied homes) to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities during elevator outages. Specifically, owners must restore elevator service within two hours or provide alternative access (like evacuation chairs, ramps, or stairlifts) if elevators are out longer. Owners must also immediately notify residents of outages and estimated repair times. Violations carry daily penalties up to $2,500 for ongoing issues, with a grant program available to help cover costs for accessibility equipment.

Maddy summaryThis bill mandates that all students in grades six through twelve in New Jersey public and nonpublic schools undergo a specific physical examination that includes a cardiac component. To ensure this requirement is met, the physical must be performed by a licensed healthcare professional who has completed specialized training to recognize signs of heart disease and abnormalities. Schools are required to keep a signed form from the provider confirming that this specific training was completed before the student can participate in school activities. The law takes effect immediately and applies to the 2023-2024 school year, expanding upon existing rules that already require similar exams for student athletes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires corporations in New Jersey that file combined tax returns to calculate their total income on a worldwide basis rather than limiting calculations to income generated within the state. The law mandates that companies include the full net income of all their foreign branches and subsidiaries, adjusting these figures to align with U.S. accounting standards and converting them into U.S. dollars. It also updates how partnership income is counted within these groups and clarifies rules for foreign corporations with existing tax treaties to ensure consistent reporting across all entities in the group.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Hope Card Program in New Jersey to give victims of domestic violence a free, wallet-sized card that summarizes their restraining order details. The card is designed to help victims quickly show law enforcement and other authorities the protections they have when they are in danger. Courts must issue these cards within ten business days of finalizing a restraining order, and the card itself does not replace the legal order but serves as a convenient reference. The legislation also updates the state's central registry rules to allow the Hope Card information to be shared with authorized agencies for safety investigations.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the SLUMLORD Act, aims to strengthen habitability protections for residential tenants in New Jersey by increasing oversight of landlords. It defines 'habitability' to include conditions that ensure living spaces are safe, healthy, and fit for human use, while also establishing who qualifies as a 'beneficial owner' of a rental business. The legislation requires landlords to designate a 'principal agent' to handle tenant complaints and mandates that rental units comply with state construction and safety codes. To support these enforcement efforts, the bill appropriates $5 million for the Department of Community Affairs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A-1950) requires all general and special hospitals in New Jersey to adopt evidence-based protocols for early sepsis recognition and treatment. The protocols must include distinct guidelines for adult and pediatric patients, covering screening, treatment goals, infection source identification, and antibiotic timing, while specifying cases where treatment isn’t appropriate (e.g., palliative care). Hospitals must train relevant staff, submit protocols to the Department of Health for approval within 120 days of enactment, and annually report data to track adherence and mortality rates. These protocols aim to improve outcomes for sepsis patients, a condition that causes over 28% of deaths in New Jersey and is the eighth-leading cause of death in the state.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill prohibits the use of Green Acres funds to purchase, install, or replace artificial turf fields at schools, municipalities, and state agencies. The legislation restricts these specific expenditures by directing that money instead be used for natural grass playing fields, citing concerns over harmful chemicals and environmental impacts associated with synthetic turf. By banning the use of these state funds for artificial surfaces, the bill aims to prevent the purchase of fields containing rubberized pellets and microplastics while promoting organic maintenance practices for natural grass.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "New Jersey Holistic Representation Model" statewide within the Office of the Public Defender to expand a pilot program that previously operated in three counties. The law requires each regional office to form teams for eligible clients that pair a public defender attorney with a non-attorney client services specialist. These specialists are tasked with connecting individuals to resources for mental health, substance abuse, housing, employment, and other life challenges while attorneys focus on legal defense. The act also mandates the creation of databases to track community resources and requires all team members to maintain client confidentiality.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill prohibits payment card networks from charging interchange fees based on a percentage of transaction amounts for both credit and debit cards. The law specifically targets fees that include taxes or tips, preventing networks from calculating charges on the total gross amount rather than just the base purchase price. Additionally, the bill sets strict limits on fees charged for charitable donations, allowing only very small fixed percentages for such transactions. These rules directly affect payment processors, banks, and merchants by restricting how interchange fees can be structured and calculated.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) to identify and publicly post on its website employment opportunities with minimal entry barriers for people returning to work after incarceration. It directly affects formerly incarcerated individuals who face employment challenges like employer stigma and lack of educational opportunities. The key mechanism is DOLWD's ongoing duty to list jobs that have low barriers to entry and high demand. The bill aims to improve reintegration into the workforce by making accessible job listings available to this population, without specifying how employers will be engaged or how success will be measured.