Asm. Shavonda Sumter

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all election infrastructure vendors in New Jersey - such as companies providing voting machines, voter databases, or election management systems - to disclose any owners or shareholders with a 5% or greater stake (including parent companies or subsidiaries) to the Secretary of State before approval. Vendors must also report any known or suspected security incidents involving election systems to the Division of Elections within 10 days. Failure to comply results in civil penalties of up to $20,000 for repeated offenses. The law aims to increase transparency around vendor ownership and improve security incident reporting across all election systems used by counties or the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to create and maintain a Statewide Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Plan. The plan must include a comprehensive system for coordinating EMS resources, improving response times, expanding access to care (especially in underserved areas), and establishing performance metrics for measuring outcomes. It mandates the DOH to inventory existing EMS resources, assess current system effectiveness, develop regional plans with county health boards, and update the plan every three years - making it publicly available online. The plan directly affects all EMS providers, hospitals, and emergency dispatch centers across New Jersey, aiming to enhance patient outcomes and system efficiency.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to establish two grant programs using federal infrastructure funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The first program provides grants to small public water systems (under 500 service connections) to improve operational sustainability by reducing water loss through leak detection, infrastructure mapping, and asset management. The second program funds all public water systems to share information on water quality, infrastructure needs, and technology (including cybersecurity) via data hubs and communication initiatives. DCA must publish transparent application rules within six months and report on all grants within three years, after which the bill expires.

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 establishes a 10-member task force to examine school discipline policies in New Jersey public schools, specifically focusing on racial disparities in how discipline is applied and the effectiveness of current practices. The task force includes the Commissioner of Education, seven members appointed by the Governor (representing school boards, teachers, administrators, and public experts), and two public members appointed by legislative leaders. It will study racial impacts on suspensions/expulsions (including preschool), evaluate safety outcomes, review federal guidance on equitable discipline, and identify best practices. The task force must issue a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within 12 months of forming.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the requirement that New Jersey child care subsidy payments for licensed centers and registered family day care providers be based on the number of enrolled eligible children (not attendance) through June 30, 2025. It directly affects child care providers who receive state subsidies, requiring them to calculate staff wages and hours based on enrollment numbers rather than attendance. The law also mandates that the Division of Family Development study the cost differences between enrollment-based and attendance-based payments and report findings to the Governor and Legislature within three years. This extension provides stability for providers while ensuring subsidy calculations align with enrollment data.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new program within New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) to connect people with disabilities to job training and employment opportunities. The program requires DOLWD, working with the Department of Human Services, to partner with qualified nonprofit organizations (with at least five years of disability-related experience) to provide job training, outreach, and employment services. It mandates an online resource hub listing training providers, allowing employers to post jobs, and including state labor law information. The program must be evaluated annually through a report to the Governor and Legislature. The bill directly affects job seekers with disabilities, qualifying training organizations, and employers in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the deadline for implementing fire sprinkler systems in new townhouses from 7 to 25 months after the original law's enactment. It requires construction permit applications for new townhouses (defined as attached single-family homes with yard/public access on two sides) to include sprinkler system plans before being approved, unless the project had certain pre-existing approvals. Key exemptions include developments with prior municipal zoning approvals, affordable housing agreements, or building permits submitted before the new deadline. The bill also delays the timeline for the state to adopt sprinkler design rules from 5 to 13 months after this bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3563) establishes the "Urban Wealth Fund Pilot Program" to help New Jersey state entities and qualifying pilot municipalities identify and maximize revenue from underused public assets like buildings or land. The program directs the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to develop guidelines, select assets for inclusion, and contract with private firms to professionally manage these assets with the goal of increasing revenue. Participating entities would receive annual revenue shares to fund specific public purposes, including assistance for minority-owned businesses, infrastructure improvements, education investments, and property tax reductions. The pilot program runs for five years, with the EDA required to report to the Legislature on its effectiveness and recommend whether to extend or make it permanent.

Maddy summaryThis bill shifts administration of affordable housing marketing requirements from municipalities to the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA). It requires property owners and developers to post specific details about available affordable units - including income categories, bedroom sizes, and lottery dates - on the Housing Resource Center 60 days before lotteries or immediately when applications open. HMFA, not municipalities, will now enforce compliance, levy fines ($5,000-$15,000 for noncompliance), and deposit fines into local affordable housing trust funds. Municipalities must still cooperate with HMFA but lose direct administrative responsibility for these marketing rules.