Asm. Mike Venezia

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits under the Pension Adjustment Act (P.L.1958, c.143) for members of New Jersey's State-administered retirement systems. It directly affects retirees and beneficiaries of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund, Judicial Retirement System, Public Employees' Retirement System, Police and Firemen's Retirement System, and State Police Retirement System. The bill reverses a 2011 provision that had eliminated these automatic annual adjustments, ensuring benefits will adjust each year to help maintain purchasing power against inflation. By reinstating COLAs, the bill prevents gradual erosion of retirement benefits' value over time. This change provides concrete financial protection for retirees as the cost of living increases.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A590 bill grants state employees an additional day of administrative leave per year for Eid al-Fitr and an additional day for Eid al-Adha, separate from their standard leave allotment. It requires public school districts to record absences for these holidays as excused, ensuring students face no academic penalties, such as missing awards or tests. The law also mandates that such absences not appear on transcripts or affect eligibility, provided a parent or guardian submits a written excuse.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill authorizes pharmacists to dispense HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) without individual prescriptions under specific conditions. Pharmacists must verify patients are HIV-negative through recent testing, provide counseling, complete required training, and document services before dispensing. Health insurance plans must cover these medications without prior authorization or step therapy requirements. Patients can receive up to a 60-day supply of PrEP without a prescription within any two-year period before needing a prescription for continued use. Pharmacists must also notify patients' primary care providers about the dispensing, unless the patient declines.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide at Rutgers School of Public Health, appropriating $500,000 to fund its operations. The center will research suicide causes, consequences, and prevention strategies - including individual, community, and societal factors - and develop evidence-based policies. It must collaborate with state agencies, train new researchers, and administer a competitive grant program for suicide research. The center will report annually to the Governor and Legislature on its work, funding, and research outcomes. The bill directly affects Rutgers School of Public Health and aims to improve statewide suicide prevention efforts through research.

Maddy summary# Summary of New Jersey Bill Replacing "Alien" and "Illegal Alien" Terminology This bill amends New Jersey statutes to replace the terms "alien" and "illegal alien" with "foreign national" and "undocumented foreign national," respectively, when referring to individuals based on their immigration status. Key provisions include: 1. **Terminology Replacement**: The bill systematically replaces "alien" with "foreign national" and "illegal alien" with "undocumented foreign national" throughout New Jersey statutes in sections related to: - Tax law (Section 23) - Income tax tables (Section 24) - Social services (Sections 16-22) - Welfare programs (Sections 17-19) - Real estate (Section 22) - Medical assistance (Section 16) - And numerous other legal contexts 2. **Agency Compliance**: Section 25 prohibits all New Jersey executive agencies from using the terms "alien" or "illegal alien" in any proposed or final rule, regulation, interpretation, publication, or other document issued after the effective date of the act, except when quoting or reproducing text from other sources. 3. **Rationale**: The bill's statement explains that the terms "alien" and "illegal alien" are offensive, ostracize immigrants, and have skewed immigration discussions. The bill aims to show respect to immigrants, recognize their personhood, and align with the principle that "the United States is a nation of immigrants." 4. **Implementation**: The bill takes effect on the first day of the third month following its enactment. The bill is consistent with similar legislation introduced in Congress by Representative Joaquin Castro in 2015, reflecting a broader movement to use more respectful language when discussing immigration.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey A602 establishes the "New Jersey Reparations Task Force" within the Department of State to study and develop recommendations for addressing historical and ongoing racial disparities stemming from slavery and systemic discrimination. The 11-member task force, appointed with representation from the Governor, legislative leadership, and civil rights organizations, will examine New Jersey's role in slavery, its legacy of racial discrimination, and potential remedies over a 24-month period. The task force must hold at least six public meetings across the state and issue an interim report within 12 months and a final report with recommendations within 24 months. This legislation directly affects Black communities in New Jersey who face significant racial disparities in housing, wealth, education, and criminal justice. The task force's work will inform potential policy changes and reparative measures to address these systemic issues.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires counties and municipalities in New Jersey to build and maintain sidewalks along hazardous walking routes near public schools. Specifically, sidewalks must be constructed within a two-mile radius of elementary schools and a two-and-a-half-mile radius of secondary schools, using existing criteria to identify hazardous routes. Local governments can fund these sidewalks using permit fees, donations, grants, or other available funds, but the requirement applies to public school routes deemed hazardous under current law. The law directly affects school districts and local governments responsible for street infrastructure, aiming to improve pedestrian safety for students walking to school.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJT) to provide Wi-Fi service on all passenger trains it owns or operates within six months of the law taking effect. It directly affects NJT and rail commuters, who would gain internet access during their train journeys. The key provision mandates NJT to install and maintain Wi-Fi on every rail passenger vehicle, without specifying cost or service quality. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryBill A952 requires New Jersey's Department of Children and Families (DCF) to create a statewide program providing therapeutic treatment, counseling, and support services for children and their families exposed to domestic violence. The bill directs DCF to award grants to treatment providers, assign staff to support program implementation across the state, and monitor participating organizations through detailed record-keeping. DCF must also collect data on program participation and effectiveness, reporting annually to the Governor and Legislature on counties/municipalities using the program, participant numbers, and outcomes. Funding for the program would come from the General Fund through annual appropriations. This bill directly affects children and families impacted by domestic violence, aiming to expand access to evidence-based support services.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1781) requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to study how artificial intelligence (AI) affects the state's economy, specifically focusing on high-skilled professions like doctors, lawyers, and data analysts. The Commissioner must consult with the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology and submit a report within one year detailing AI's predicted impact on labor markets, affected industries, education needs, emerging jobs, and economic productivity. The report will inform future policy decisions but does not create new laws or directly change current regulations.