Asm. Carmen Morales

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a system to reimburse residents for damage to homes and property caused by rock quarry blasting. It requires quarry operators to maintain insurance or a self-insurance fund and creates a dedicated "Rock Quarry Blasting Contingency Fund" financed through a tax on quarry operations. Eligible residents within a defined "blast impact zone" can seek reimbursement for costs to repair structural damage, water supply issues, or other direct harms caused by quarry blasting. The bill mandates pre- and post-blasting property assessments to document damage and ensures quarry owners bear financial responsibility for remediation. It shifts the burden from affected residents to quarry operators and the new compensation system.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts, receiving schools, and nonpublic schools to train all employees - including substitutes - on school safety protocols, including how to report threats. It mandates that school employees immediately notify principals about threats involving potential death or serious injury, prompting principals to alert law enforcement. If law enforcement confirms a credible threat, principals must notify students, parents, staff, and place the individual on a restricted access list shared with all schools in the district and neighboring districts. The training must address accessibility needs for students with disabilities and align with state safety guidelines.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A-2578 creates an independent Office of the Economic Development Inspector General (EDIG) within the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA). The EDIG will investigate fraud, waste, or abuse in the EDA’s economic development incentive programs, which provide financial benefits like tax credits, grants, and loans to businesses and developers to stimulate local economic growth. The Inspector General, appointed by the Governor, has authority to subpoena documents, interview staff, and recommend disciplinary actions, while reporting annually to the Governor, Legislature, and Attorney General. This oversight office operates separately from EDA leadership to ensure accountability in how state incentive funds are distributed and managed.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1407) upgrades penalties for prostitution-related offenses in New Jersey and creates two new specific crimes: "leader of a prostitution network" and "participant in a prostitution network." It directly affects individuals involved in organizing or participating in commercial sex operations, including those who manage or facilitate such networks. Key mechanisms include classifying leadership roles as first-degree crimes (with mandatory prison terms) and participants as second-degree crimes (also with mandatory minimum sentences), while strengthening existing penalties for promoting prostitution involving minors or vulnerable individuals. The bill also modifies definitions of "prostitution" and "house of prostitution" to clarify these new offenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school districts to appoint a mental health specialist for student-athletes. The specialist must conduct three mental health screenings per season using approved tools (with parental consent), provide ongoing support for injured athletes, and develop a school mental health policy for coaches and staff. It also mandates the creation of a state registry for aggregated, non-identifiable data collected from screenings. The bill directly affects all public schools with athletic programs and aims to integrate mental health support into student-athlete participation.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3349) amends New Jersey law to explicitly include "emergency, transitional, and permanent housing" as a funded service for domestic violence victims through the existing "Domestic Violence Victims' Fund." The Fund, managed by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, is financed by civil penalties ($50-$500) from domestic violence convictions and other designated moneys. It directly affects victims of domestic violence by ensuring these housing needs are covered alongside existing services like shelter, food, utilities, and legal assistance. The change clarifies that housing must be funded from this dedicated account, not other general funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts certain public school teachers from New Jersey's requirement to live in the state by allowing school districts to hire teachers who don't reside in New Jersey for up to two years. School districts must prove they advertised the position for six months, made good-faith efforts to hire a New Jersey-resident teacher, and that the candidate is properly certified. A five-member committee reviews exemption requests, and teachers hired under this exemption must establish New Jersey residency within two years or face termination. Failure to meet residency requires the district to re-advertise the position and hire a New Jersey-resident teacher.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill A 2513 requires school meal providers (including school districts and contracted food service companies) to prioritize purchasing food from farms or food producers located within New Jersey state borders or within 100 miles of the school. This applies to all schools participating in federal school meal programs like the National School Lunch Program. The law mandates that at least 20% of food purchased for school meals must come from these local sources, aiming to support regional agriculture. The bill amends existing school meal procurement rules to establish this geographic preference requirement.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill A3871 requires public and nonpublic schools with lunch programs to gradually expand free lunch eligibility over five years, ultimately providing free meals to all students regardless of income or federal eligibility. It uses existing federal reimbursement mechanisms like the Community Eligibility Provision to allow schools to serve universal free meals without individual income applications. The bill directly affects all participating schools in the state’s National School Lunch Program, eliminating income verification for students. This policy change shifts school meal funding toward universal provision, building on federal program structures.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Department of Early Childhood within New Jersey's Executive Branch to oversee early childhood programs. It transfers specific responsibilities from the Department of Education (covering preschool through grade 3 programs like teacher licensing and Title I services) and the Departments of Human Services and Children and Families (including child care programs, home visiting initiatives, and early intervention services) to this new department. The department will be led by a commissioner appointed by the governor, who will manage all programs for children from pregnancy through age eight. The law establishes the department's structure, authority, and administrative procedures to consolidate early childhood services under one agency.