Asm. Gabe Rodriguez

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public agencies receiving state funds for public work to publicly post on their websites a monthly breakdown of how much of those funds was used for contracts with minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses versus other businesses. If an agency lacks a website, it must submit the data to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, which will post and update it monthly. The Department of Labor must also annually summarize this information in a report to the Governor and Legislature. The requirement applies to all state and local government entities, including departments, boards, and public institutions, but excludes contracts for goods or products.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution declares September 22-28, 2024, as "Diaper Need Awareness Week" in New Jersey. It urges state government agencies to organize diaper drives and requests the Governor to issue a proclamation encouraging public awareness and donations to diaper banks. The resolution does not create new programs or funding but aims to highlight that one in three mothers experience diaper need, which can affect infant health and childcare access for low-income families. It is a non-binding awareness measure focused on community action, not policy change.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey municipalities and counties to establish civilian review boards to examine police conduct and operations. These boards would consist of at least seven community members appointed by local officials, with members required to complete training within six months of appointment. The boards could only investigate complaints about excessive force, abuse of authority, discourtesy, or offensive language, and would recommend policy changes or discipline consistent with civil service laws. The bill appropriates $600,000 from the General Fund to fund the training program for these review board members. All records maintained by the boards would remain confidential during investigations and permanently unavailable to the public.

Maddy summaryAJR 106 establishes a 15-member task force to address the underreported crisis of missing and murdered Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) women and girls in New Jersey. The task force, appointed by legislative leaders and the Governor with representation from impacted communities, will develop cultural competency training for first responders, create prevention materials for BIPOC communities, collect and analyze data on missing BIPOC women, identify abduction hotspots, and launch a public awareness campaign. It must submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within 18 months of its formation. The task force will use existing state agency resources and report on strategies to improve response systems and data collection for this specific population.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 15-member Task Force on Child Care Deserts within New Jersey's Department of Children and Families. The task force will study areas with very few or no child care options (defined as locations where over two-thirds of children cannot access care) and examine factors like geographic access, tuition rates, public funding, and infrastructure gaps. It must issue a report with findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within six months of forming. The task force expires 30 days after submitting its report.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's "Menstrual Hygiene Products Program" to provide free tampons and sanitary napkins to low-income residents through participating food pantries. The Department of Agriculture will award annual grants (up to $10,000 per pantry) to food pantries for purchasing these products, and must list participating pantries with operating hours on its website. The program requires coordination with pharmacies and health departments to improve product access, and includes funding for educational materials about menstrual hygiene. It appropriates $200,000 from the General Fund to support the initiative, which must be implemented within six months of the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a pilot program in Union City, Trenton, and Camden to address open cockloft spaces between buildings through weatherization and energy efficiency improvements. It appropriates $30 million from American Rescue Plan Act funds ($10 million to each city) to cover the costs of installing fire-rated separations and other energy efficiency measures. Low- and moderate-income homeowners will receive these improvements at no cost, while other property owners may pay through a 10-year property tax special assessment. The program requires municipalities to conduct building inventories, implement safety measures, and report annually on the program's effectiveness to the legislature. The initiative aims to reduce energy costs, improve fire safety, and evaluate the feasibility of a broader statewide program.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Health to establish a Parkinson's disease public awareness and education program using available funds. The program will develop public outreach campaigns covering disease causes, symptoms, treatment options, and safety concerns; create accessible educational materials for patients and providers; and train healthcare workers, law enforcement, emergency responders, and judicial staff to recognize symptoms and respond appropriately. It mandates the Department of Health to maintain a list of specialized treatment providers with disclaimers about current research limitations, and to publish plain-language information in English and Spanish on its website after consulting with the American Parkinson Disease Association and Rutgers medical experts. The initiative directly affects Parkinson's patients, their caregivers, and public safety and healthcare professionals across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A475 requires insurance companies selling homeowners, renters, excess liability, or personal liability policies in the state to offer firearm liability insurance as an optional coverage. This coverage must protect against legal liability for bodily injury, death, or property damage caused by firearms carried in public, with minimum limits of $100,000 per person, $300,000 for multiple people, and $25,000 for property damage per incident. The law applies to all insurers authorized to sell these specific policy types and takes effect immediately upon enactment. It directly affects insurers and policyholders by adding this coverage option to standard policies without mandating purchase.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2239) requires publicly traded corporations with their principal executive office in New Jersey to have board of directors that reflect the state's racial and gender diversity by December 31, 2021. Corporations must use the most recent U.S. Census data to measure diversity and file annual reports with the Secretary of State listing all directors and their terms. Failure to comply results in civil penalties: $100,000 for a first violation and $300,000 for subsequent violations. The Secretary of State must also annually report compliance status, corporate headquarters moves, and changes in publicly traded status to the Governor and Legislature.