Asm. Carmen Morales

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey state agencies to provide certified business enterprises with up to 10% of a contract’s value as an advance payment before work begins. It directly affects certified small, minority/women-owned, LGBTQ+, veteran, and disadvantaged-owned businesses that bid on state contracts but lack upfront capital. Contractors must request the advance in their bid, share it proportionally with certified subcontractors within 60 days, and repay if they fail to start or complete the work. The Division of Revenue Business Certification Program in the Treasury Department determines eligibility for these certifications.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4744) requires six New Jersey authorities (NJTA, SJTA, EDA, CRDA, PANYNJ, and DRPA) to consider and prioritize minorities and women in hiring decisions and to consider and prioritize minority-owned and women-owned businesses when awarding contracts. The bill defines "minority" to include Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and American Indian/Alaskan Native individuals, and specifies detailed criteria for minority and women-owned businesses. Each authority must publish demographic data about their employees and contractors on their websites, including counts by gender, race, and ethnicity with average salary and contract values, updating this information quarterly. The provisions for PANYNJ and DRPA will only become effective after New York and Pennsylvania pass similar legislation.

Maddy summaryAJR 197 designates May of each year as Haitian Heritage Month in New Jersey. This symbolic resolution directly affects New Jersey residents, particularly the state's fourth-largest Haitian-American community (nearly 69,000 people), by formally recognizing Haitian cultural contributions. The bill requires the governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public observance through events and educational activities. It highlights Haitian history, including the Haitian Revolution and global influences, without creating new laws or funding. As a procedural resolution, it serves to honor cultural heritage rather than implement policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4720) requires New Jersey's Chief Diversity Officer in the Department of Treasury, working with the Business Action Center and the Economic Development Authority, to host regular outreach events, training workshops, and educational programs for certified minority and women-owned businesses. It directly affects these businesses by providing access to technical, managerial, financial, and marketing support - including project management and technology assistance - to help them compete for state contracts. The bill mandates these activities be conducted virtually and statewide, focusing on increasing awareness of these businesses in state contracting and improving their capacity to secure contracts. The requirement takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to create a state policy governing student cell phone and social media use during school hours, on school buses, and at school events under staff supervision for all K-12 students. The policy must include age-appropriate rules for limiting phone use, exceptions for emergencies or health needs (with medical documentation), guidance on phone storage options like lockers, and methods to restrict social media access. School districts must adopt a policy consistent with this state guidance, though the Commissioner may grant exemptions upon request. The policy must be developed within 90 days and take effect for the next full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the next Educational Adequacy Report (due September 1, 2025) to include a comprehensive review of school funding components, developed through consultation with school administrators, staff, students, parents, and community members. It also mandates that the Governor and Commissioner commission school finance experts to recommend revisions to the methodologies used for calculating key funding factors, such as base per-pupil amounts, preschool funding, special education costs, and transportation/security aid coefficients. The goal is to ensure these funding levels adequately support students meeting New Jersey's core curriculum standards. The report will update the parameters determining state aid to school districts for the following three fiscal years.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) to ensure its child abuse reporting hotline provides callers with information about available support resources for victims and their families. The hotline, which currently handles abuse reports, will now also share details on community services such as counseling, parenting programs, and substance abuse treatment. This change mandates that all hotline interactions include referrals to these assistance programs, directly helping families seeking immediate support after reporting abuse. The amendment applies to the emergency hotline maintained by DCPP and takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4752) prohibits businesses in New Jersey from charging different prices for substantially similar products or services based on gender, targeting the "pink tax" where items marketed to women cost more than identical products for men. It defines "substantially similar" products as having no significant differences in materials, function, or design (color or packaging alone doesn't justify price differences). Businesses like tailors, salons, and dry cleaners must clearly display written pricing in 14-point bold type and post a visible 24-point sign stating gender-based price discrimination is illegal. Violations could result in fines up to $20,000 per offense under New Jersey's consumer fraud law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4579) requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to create a Regional Hospital System Program to improve emergency preparedness across the state's hospitals. It mandates that DOH assign all licensed hospitals and local health departments into geographic regional coalitions, each led by a designated hospital coordinator. The program requires coalitions to develop annual emergency plans addressing response coordination, surge capacity, staffing, and service continuity, which DOH must review and approve. Additionally, DOH must conduct annual surveys of hospital readiness and provide grants to hospitals identified as deficient in emergency preparedness. The bill directly affects all New Jersey hospitals and local health departments under the state's licensing system.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits wholesale dealers in New Jersey from engaging in price gouging when selling physical goods, such as food, beverages, or medical supplies used for personal or household purposes. It directly targets businesses that sell goods wholesale (e.g., to retailers), making it illegal to unreasonably raise prices without justification like inflation or supply disruptions. Violations could result in fines up to $20,000 per offense, cease-and-desist orders, or treble damages. The Division of Consumer Affairs will create rules to enforce these provisions, which align with New Jersey's consumer fraud protections.