Asm. Carmen Morales

Maddy summaryThis bill revises annual reporting requirements for New Jersey's public colleges and universities. It mandates that institutions include additional student data - such as retention rates, applicant numbers, and acceptance rates - along with demographic breakdowns by race, ethnicity, gender, family income, and first-generation status (where available). The bill also requires institutions to use this data to evaluate diversity, inform admissions policies, and guide resource allocation for equity initiatives. These changes take effect immediately for the first full academic year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3991) directs New Jersey's State Board of Education to create a new "general science" endorsement for teaching certificates. This endorsement would allow certified teachers to teach any high school science course (grades 9-12), rather than being restricted to specific subjects like biology or chemistry. To qualify, teachers must hold a science-related degree (biology, chemistry, physics, or equivalent), maintain a 3.0 GPA, pass basic skills and subject matter tests, and meet other commissioner requirements. Existing science teachers with specialized endorsements (e.g., biology, chemistry) can apply for this general endorsement if they meet the new standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state, county, and private adult and juvenile correctional facilities to provide free voice, video, and electronic mail services to incarcerated individuals, eliminating all fees for calls or messages. It prohibits facilities from charging per-minute rates, setup fees, or any other charges to incarcerated persons or their families, and mandates that services must be provided at no cost to any party. The bill appropriates funds from the General Fund to cover implementation costs, ensuring facilities can provide these services without financial burden. As a result, incarcerated individuals and their families will no longer face costs previously associated with communication, such as domestic call fees up to 11 cents per minute.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides $2 million in state funding to New Jersey's Department of Labor to support county prosecutors in enforcing wage payment laws. It requires each county prosecutor's office to assign a dedicated assistant prosecutor to investigate and prosecute cases where employers fail to pay wages or violate wage-hour laws. The funding covers both financial resources and training for prosecutors to handle these cases more effectively. This directly affects workers who are owed wages and county prosecutors who will now have dedicated staff and resources for wage enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all operators and riders of low-speed electric bicycles and scooters in New Jersey to wear a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet meeting state safety standards. It directly affects anyone using these vehicles for transportation, including those riding in attached seats on e-bikes. Violations carry a $25 fine for a first offense and $100 for subsequent offenses. The law takes effect four months after enactment, aiming to reduce head injuries linked to e-bike/scooter crashes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a "Substance Use Disorder and Addiction Treatment Best Practices Task Force" in New Jersey to address fragmentation in the state's addiction treatment system. The task force will coordinate oversight currently split across multiple agencies - like the Department of Health (licensing treatment centers), Department of Community Affairs (sober homes), and Division of Human Services (community services) - which the bill states causes inefficiencies. It directly affects New Jersey residents seeking addiction treatment and the providers operating in this system, aiming to improve service coordination and address issues like fraud identified in a state investigation. The task force will develop best practices to streamline care and protect individuals accessing treatment.

Maddy summaryThis bill would protect New Jersey residents from losing their homes due to unpaid medical bills. It creates a homestead exemption allowing any person aged 18+ living in the state to shield one primary residence (real property, condo, cooperative, or manufactured home with land) from being seized or sold to satisfy a court judgment for medical debt. The exemption applies specifically to medical debt judgments, not other debts, and limits each person to one exempt property at a time. The law would take effect 90 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey legislative resolution (AJR 146) urges the U.S. Congress to pass legislation granting statehood to Washington, D.C. It directly affects D.C. residents, who pay federal taxes but lack voting representation in Congress despite having a population comparable to small states like Vermont and Wyoming. The resolution cites D.C. residents' 86% referendum support for statehood in 2016 and notes they share full U.S. citizenship responsibilities without full voting rights. It calls on Congress to enact the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, which would grant D.C. two Senators and one House member, mirroring the rights of states.

Maddy summaryThe "Used Car Buyers' Bill of Rights" prohibits dealers from selling used vehicles as "as is" without clear disclosure and requires them to offer a 2-day contract cancellation option for vehicles under $40,000, with fees capped at $75-$250 or 1% of the purchase price. It mandates written inspection reports, prohibits misleading terms like "certified" for vehicles with odometer issues, flood damage, or salvage titles, and establishes minimum warranty periods based on mileage (90 days/3,750 miles for vehicles under 40,000 miles). Dealers must include cancellation option notices in contracts and display them prominently in their business locations. The bill does not apply to vehicles over $40,000, salvage vehicles, total loss vehicles, or motorcycles.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $70 million in federal pandemic recovery funds to New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (EDA) to support arts and culture organizations negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The EDA, in consultation with the State Council on the Arts, will distribute $50 million in grants for financial recovery (including $10 million specifically for arts education programs in schools and after-school settings) and $20 million for placemaking projects like public art installations, park beautification, and educational signage. Qualifying organizations - covering both non-profits and for-profit businesses - can use funds to offset pandemic-related revenue losses or build cash reserves for future disruptions. The funding comes directly from New Jersey's allocation of the federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund established under the American Rescue Plan Act.