Asm. Carmen Morales

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a five-year pilot program in New Jersey to fund workforce readiness activities for youth aged 12 to 19. The $5 million appropriation will be distributed through competitive grants to community-based organizations and partnerships that offer out-of-school time programs, such as after-school or summer activities. These programs aim to provide education and training that help young people develop the skills needed for employment while also engaging local employers in addressing workforce needs. The legislation defines eligible partners as nonprofit groups with proven expertise in career pathways and data tracking to measure student progress.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs to investigate complaints alleging excessive or discriminatory rent increases in affordable housing units. It defines excessive rent as charges that exceed legal limits, rise by more than 10 percent without justification, or conflict with approved rent schedules, and allows tenants and housing officials to report such issues. Upon receiving a complaint, the Division must investigate within 30 days and issue a determination within 90 days, while owners found guilty of violations face civil penalties ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 per offense and must pay restitution to affected tenants. Additionally, the law prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenants who file complaints and mandates an annual report on the number of investigations and violations found.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) to identify and publicly post on its website employment opportunities with minimal entry barriers for people returning to work after incarceration. It directly affects formerly incarcerated individuals who face employment challenges like employer stigma and lack of educational opportunities. The key mechanism is DOLWD's ongoing duty to list jobs that have low barriers to entry and high demand. The bill aims to improve reintegration into the workforce by making accessible job listings available to this population, without specifying how employers will be engaged or how success will be measured.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Family Development to maintain a waiting list for income-eligible applicants whose child care assistance applications cannot be processed immediately due to limited funding. It mandates the division to create procedures for adding applicants to the list, notify them when funding becomes available (including via website), and publish an annual report tracking key metrics like applications received, approvals, and those placed on the waiting list. The law directly affects low-income families seeking state child care assistance who face funding delays. The report must be published online and submitted to the Governor and Legislature annually.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires school districts receiving specific preschool grants to partner with licensed child care providers and Head Start programs to offer free preschool services. The law limits the number of preschool classrooms a district can operate in a single building to two, with any additional spots provided through these community partnerships. Districts must use a competitive bidding process to select partners and must meet high-quality standards set by the Department of Education. The bill also directs the state to provide technical assistance and funding to help these providers meet quality requirements, with priority given to those in underserved areas.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution urges the U.S. Congress to reject the SAVE America Act, a proposed federal law that would require voters to provide specific citizenship documents and photo identification matching their birth records. The bill directly addresses concerns that these new requirements could disproportionately affect women who have changed their names due to marriage or divorce, as well as other groups facing barriers to accessing in-person registration offices. By transmitting this resolution to federal leaders, New Jersey lawmakers are formally expressing their opposition to measures they believe would restrict voting access and undermine historical progress in women's suffrage. The measure serves as a statement of policy rather than a law that changes state statutes, focusing instead on influencing federal legislative action.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill establishes criminal and civil penalties for caretakers who perform invasive grooming, such as shaving or waxing, on vulnerable adults without proper authorization. The law defines "vulnerable adults" as individuals over 18 who lack the capacity to consent due to illness, disability, or incapacity, and requires both written permission from a legal guardian and a physician's certification of medical necessity for such procedures. Penalties escalate based on severity, ranging from a third-degree crime for causing minor distress to a first-degree crime if the act involves sexual gratification, repeated abuse, or recording the incident. Additionally, the bill allows affected adults to sue both the individual caretaker and their employer for damages, while explicitly removing the defense that the caretaker believed the procedure was in the victim's best interest.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Mom Project oral health program within New Jersey's Department of Health to provide dental care for low-income pregnant women and new mothers. The legislation defines eligible participants as residents earning less than 300% of the federal poverty level who are enrolled in Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare, and it directs services to specific community oral health centers in medically underserved areas. A total of $3,000,000 is appropriated to fund the program, aiming to address the link between maternal periodontal disease and adverse birth outcomes such as preterm labor. The bill also includes findings on the health disparities affecting Black mothers in the state and the barriers that often prevent access to preventive dental care during pregnancy.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Office of New Americans within New Jersey's Department of Human Services to support immigrants, refugees, and their children. The office will serve as a central hub for expertise and data, providing technical assistance, training, and recommendations to other state agencies on issues affecting these communities. It also mandates that hiring decisions for the office consider candidates with lived experience or work history in New American communities. The legislation aims to improve access to services and foster successful integration for these residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state departments and agencies currently occupying offices at Riverview Plaza in Trenton to relocate to other suitable locations within the city. To facilitate this move, the legislation mandates that these agencies terminate their leases and actively cooperate with landlords to fill the resulting vacant spaces with new tenants as quickly as possible. Additionally, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority is tasked with attracting private businesses to the vacated property by offering priority consideration for state business assistance programs and providing enhanced financial incentives. The bill also authorizes the Economic Development Authority to coordinate with various other state agencies to secure necessary resources for workforce development, transportation improvements, and housing expansion to support the redevelopment of the area.