Asm. Mike Venezia

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey employers to develop heat safety plans to protect workers from heat-related illness and injury. The plans must include access to cool water, shaded rest areas, regular breaks, and training on recognizing heat illness symptoms. Employers must follow these plans when temperatures reach 90°F outdoors or 87°F indoors, and must review their plans annually. The Department of Labor will enforce these requirements with fines or stop-work orders for violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services to establish a Haitian Migrant Assistance Program for undocumented Haitian migrants who have resided in the state for at least two years. The program would provide time-limited cash assistance, help with housing and public benefits applications, job training, English literacy classes, and referrals to legal aid organizations specializing in Haitian cases. It would also include clothing assistance, budgeting education, Haitian Creole interpreters, and community orientation sessions about local services and civic processes. The state may contract with community-based or non-profit organizations to deliver these services.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) program to include eligible workforce training programs, directly affecting students seeking non-degree credentials in high-demand fields. To qualify, programs must require at least 150 classroom hours, offer industry-valued credentials, and maintain 70%+ completion and job placement rates. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority will designate participating programs, with eligibility criteria excluding degree-granting programs only if they meet these specific standards. This change broadens access to financial aid beyond traditional colleges, targeting workforce development needs identified by the state. The bill updates reporting requirements for these programs but does not alter existing TAG eligibility for degree-seeking students.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows public high school students in grades 10-12 who participate in school-sponsored sports to replace their physical education class with a study hall during their sport's athletic season. Students must get written parental approval and have their coach confirm their participation, and their athletic involvement will count toward their graduation physical education credit requirement. The bill does not affect students not in sports, younger grades, or the existing requirement for health and safety education courses. It applies starting the 2024-2025 school year.

Maddy summaryThe "Healthy and Affordable Construction for Tomorrow Act" requires New Jersey's building code to prohibit combustion of high-emission fuels (defined as substances emitting 25+ kg CO₂ per million BTU) in new construction. Starting 12 months after enactment, the ban applies to new buildings under seven stories; it expands to all new buildings 36 months later. Exceptions include emergency systems, emergency facilities, and commercial kitchens, but these must still be designed for future all-electric conversion where feasible. The bill also mandates a joint report on utility rate adjustments and subsidies within 12 months of enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires emergency departments in New Jersey hospitals to provide parents or guardians with contact information for local care management organizations when a child presents with a mental health crisis. Care management organizations are defined as county-based, nonprofit groups that offer in-person support for youth with complex needs and their families. The law aims to connect families with community resources by mandating that hospitals share this information during emergency visits.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires landlords in New Jersey to inspect rental properties for lead service lines (pipes connecting water mains to buildings) and lead plumbing within 90 days of the law taking effect. Landlords must then disclose the presence of lead pipes to current tenants and provide written notice - including health risk information - to prospective tenants before signing new leases. Failure to comply results in civil penalties of up to $500 per violation. The law directly affects landlords and tenants in rental properties across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Cannabis Regulatory Commission to monitor prices for medical cannabis products sold by cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries, and clinical registrants. If the Commission determines prices are unreasonable compared to actual costs, it must establish a six-month price cap on those entities. The Commission can adjust the price cap during the six-month period and implement multiple price caps as needed. This applies only to medical cannabis entities, not recreational cannabis businesses, and aims to ensure pricing aligns with operational costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4269) requires mortgage lenders to notify the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) within one business day when sending a foreclosure notice to a homeowner. It mandates HMFA to promptly offer free foreclosure counseling services to homeowners facing foreclosure, regardless of whether they plan to participate in mediation. The bill expands access by ensuring counseling is provided as a standard step after lenders issue foreclosure notices, rather than only as a prerequisite for mediation. This directly affects homeowners at risk of losing their homes, lenders who must send notices, and HMFA which must coordinate outreach.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 134) urges the U.S. Congress to renew funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides monthly internet discounts and device subsidies to low-income households. The ACP currently serves over 20 million households nationwide - including 335,079 in New Jersey as of January 2024 - with discounts of up to $30 monthly (or $75 for Tribal lands) and a one-time $100 device subsidy. Without congressional action, the program is set to expire in April 2024 after exhausting its $14.2 billion budget. The resolution highlights how the ACP helps households access essential services like education, healthcare, and remote work by closing the digital divide.