Asm. Carmen Morales

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as Elijah's Law, requires licensed child care centers and family day care homes in New Jersey to implement mandatory annual training for staff on food allergy recognition and emergency response procedures. It authorizes these facilities to keep FDA-approved epinephrine devices available for immediate use in anaphylaxis emergencies, with dosing based on the child's weight. The legislation also establishes a regulatory framework for training content and defines key terms related to allergy management and emergency preparedness.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a five-year pilot program to establish community schools in New Jersey, which are public schools that partner with local organizations to provide integrated student supports, expanded learning time, family engagement, and collaborative leadership. The program will be managed by an external nonprofit or university organization selected by the state, which will provide training, technical assistance, and site coordinators to help schools implement community school models. Each county will have one public school assigned a site coordinator to oversee services and outreach, while the program will also develop statewide criteria for school selection and share best practices through a technical assistance center. The initiative directly affects school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools by offering them resources and support to coordinate educational, health, and family services for students and families year-round.

Maddy summaryThis bill, "Used Car Buyers' Bill of Rights," prohibits dealers from selling used vehicles as "certified" or similar terms if they conceal specific issues like odometer fraud, flood damage, frame repairs, or undisclosed title problems (e.g., "salvage" or "Lemon Law Buyback"). It also requires dealers to offer buyers a contract cancellation option, allowing returns within a defined timeframe (with a minimum 250-mile allowance) for a capped fee based on the vehicle’s price (e.g., $250 for $10k-$30k vehicles). The law directly affects used car dealers and consumers purchasing vehicles under $40,000, excluding high-value, salvage, or insurance-total-loss vehicles. Key provisions include mandatory disclosures of vehicle defects and standardized return terms to reduce misleading sales practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows certain licensed breweries in New Jersey to sell alcoholic beverages made with at least 51% locally grown ingredients, known as "Jersey Fresh" products. The legislation amends existing liquor laws to create a new category of brewery licenses that permit on-site retail sales of these locally sourced drinks to consumers, both for consumption on the premises and for takeout. It also establishes specific fee structures for breweries based on their annual production volume and clarifies that sampling of these beverages may be offered at no charge or for a nominal fee. The changes directly affect brewery license holders and aim to support local agriculture by encouraging the sale of beverages made with New Jersey-grown ingredients.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the president of every public college or university in New Jersey to create a menstrual equity plan. The plan must outline how the institution will provide free menstrual products to students and staff, including estimates of need, distribution locations, costs, and a timeline for full implementation within 12 months. Once developed, the plan must be submitted to the institution's governing body, the Governor, and the Legislature. The law defines menstrual equity as ensuring equal access to menstrual hygiene products while reducing stigma around menstruation.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits electric and gas utilities in New Jersey from charging residential customers on budget billing plans for service during interruptions caused by major emergency events. It defines major emergencies as severe weather or disasters that affect at least five percent of customers or trigger a state or federal emergency declaration. The law requires utilities to waive charges for service periods when customers experience outages due to damage from these events, though they may still collect payment for services provided before the emergency began.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the operation of certain prediction markets in New Jersey while allowing athletic event markets that comply with existing sports wagering regulations. It defines restricted categories such as political markets, death markets, and catastrophic event markets, which are banned from operating within the state. The legislation also requires prediction market platforms to publicly disclose their settlement sources and establish a public awareness campaign about the risks associated with these markets.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires electric utilities in New Jersey to reimburse residential customers up to $500 for spoiled food and the full cost of spoiled medicine when service outages last more than 72 hours after a major event like a storm or natural disaster. Utilities must establish an online application system within 90 days of the bill's effective date and process reimbursement requests within 30 days of receipt. The costs incurred by utilities for these reimbursements cannot be passed on to customers through rate increases. Customers must provide itemized receipts and purchase lists for claims exceeding $250 for food or $500 for medication.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires employers in New Jersey to provide accommodations to employees who are breastfeeding, adding breastfeeding to the list of protected characteristics under state employment discrimination laws. The legislation amends existing statutes to prohibit employers from discriminating against employees based on breastfeeding status, ensuring they receive the same protections against unfair treatment as those afforded to other protected groups. By updating the Law Against Discrimination, the bill aims to support working parents by legally mandating workplace accommodations for breastfeeding needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Human Services to create a 24-hour, toll-free Mental Illness Resource Hotline for individuals seeking help with non-emergency mental health issues or crises. The hotline will be staffed by licensed professionals trained to connect callers with appropriate state and local services, resources, and healthcare providers, with a focus on regional availability and multilingual support in English and Spanish. If a caller indicates potential suicide risk, staff will immediately transfer them to the New Jersey Suicide Prevention Hopeline using a warm hand-off method that keeps the caller connected throughout the transfer. The bill also mandates a public awareness campaign targeting children and young adults, requires department websites to display the hotline number, and ensures the hotline operates separately from existing social services and mental health hotlines.