Asm. Gabe Rodriguez

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a presumption of pretrial detention for individuals charged with reckless vehicular homicide (when driving under the influence) or strict liability vehicular homicide (driving while intoxicated). It directly affects defendants convicted of these specific vehicular homicide offenses, requiring courts to detain them pretrial unless they can prove by a preponderance of evidence that release conditions would reasonably assure their appearance in court and community safety. The bill amends New Jersey law to extend the existing pretrial detention presumption, which currently applies to murder and life imprisonment offenses, to these vehicular homicide cases. It also includes provisions for vehicle forfeiture (unless hardship is proven) and allows courts to suspend or revoke drivers' licenses in these cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1069) requires New Jersey school districts hosting high school college or career fairs to notify all registered apprenticeship programs in their county about the event. School districts must provide the fair's date, time, location, and registration instructions for apprenticeship programs to participate. The law directly affects school districts organizing such fairs and registered apprenticeship programs seeking to attend. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Assembly Bill A2276 establishes a domestic violence prevention program within the Department of Health (DOH) to help health care providers identify and support patients experiencing domestic violence. The program requires health care professionals - including doctors, nurses, and other licensed providers - to undergo training on screening patients for domestic violence signs, documenting concerns, and connecting victims with local resources. It also mandates the development of educational materials for both providers and patients, along with data collection to evaluate the program's effectiveness and annual reporting to the legislature. This initiative directly affects health care providers treating patients in New Jersey and aims to improve early intervention for domestic violence victims.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that mail-in ballot application forms, which voters return by mail, include prepaid postage paid by the State. It directly affects voters who apply for mail-in ballots using the physical form (as opposed to the electronic option starting in 2026) by eliminating the need for them to purchase postage. The key mechanism mandates that the Secretary of State’s application forms must include prepaid postage, ensuring voters can return their applications without cost. This change streamlines the process for mail-in ballot applicants without altering eligibility or voting procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires most residential landlords in New Jersey to provide a written or email receipt for each cash rent payment made by a tenant. It expands the requirement to cover all landlords renting properties for at least one month (excluding hotels, motels, or transient housing), removing previous exemptions for small landlords like those managing two-unit properties or owner-occupied homes with three units. The receipt must include the payment amount, date, purpose, and names of both landlord and tenant. Landlords who fail to comply face escalating penalties starting at $100 per violation, with higher fines for repeat offenses within five years.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Mental Health Access Act (A555), increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain behavioral health services in New Jersey. It requires Medicaid to pay providers at least the Medicare rate for evidence-based outpatient counseling services (individual or group), provided the service is listed in the federal National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs or meets state-approved criteria. The policy directly affects licensed substance abuse treatment facilities and health professionals (under Title 45) who provide these services and bill Medicaid. The change applies to services provided on or after the effective date, which is four months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A564) amends New Jersey law to explicitly include "emergency, transitional, and permanent housing" as a permitted use of the "Domestic Violence Victims' Fund." The fund, which is administered by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, currently receives civil penalties ($50-$500) imposed on domestic violence offenders and other designated funds. This change ensures that housing assistance for domestic violence victims is directly funded through this dedicated source, alongside existing services like shelter, legal advocacy, and transportation. The bill applies to all domestic violence victims in New Jersey receiving services through the Department of Children and Families.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a statewide mobile crisis response system to provide immediate services to adults with disabilities (including intellectual/developmental disabilities or mental illness) experiencing behavioral health crises. Mobile crisis response teams must provide up to 72 hours of services per episode, with the option to temporarily place individuals in licensed temporary stabilization units for up to seven days when needed. The bill creates a 9-8-8 trust fund through a monthly fee on mobile service users to support the system, and requires training for direct care staff in group homes on crisis recognition and response. The goal is to stabilize crises in the least restrictive environment while preventing inappropriate hospitalizations or residential placements.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey Assembly Resolution (AR 63) is a non-binding request urging the U.S. President and Congress to pass federal legislation granting amnesty and creating an 8-year path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. It directly addresses the approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., citing their economic contributions and current lack of legal status. The resolution emphasizes that such legislation would improve economic outcomes, reduce exploitation, and integrate immigrants into society - referencing the 1986 Immigration Reform Act as a historical precedent. It does not create new law but formally calls on federal lawmakers to act.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires each New Jersey state cabinet department to create a dedicated office focused on language and disability access. It directly affects state departments, employees, and people with disabilities who receive state services or work for the state. The office must develop an access plan aligned with federal disability law, implement communication support (like interpreters and translations), ensure physical accessibility, and submit annual public reports on progress. The office head must be fully dedicated to this role and qualified by experience. The law takes effect six months after enactment, giving departments time to prepare.