Asm. Clinton Calabrese

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Lottery Commission to display the overall estimated odds of winning any prize on lottery tickets and the official website. For non-draw games (like scratch-offs), the odds must appear prominently on every ticket sold. For draw-based games (where numbers are randomly drawn), the odds must be available at point of sale and on the website, expressed in a standardized format determined by the Commission. The bill directly affects lottery players by making winning probabilities more transparent and targets the Commission to implement these disclosure rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires underground structural assessments before starting public highway or public transportation projects near operating or retired mines. It affects state transportation authorities like the Department of Transportation, New Jersey Transit, and the Turnpike Authority, as well as their contractors. The key mechanism requires entities to obtain guidance from the Department of Labor's mine safety section, conduct assessments if needed, and submit results within 10 business days. For high-risk sites, it mandates post-construction monitoring using techniques like elevation scans and ground-penetrating radar. The goal is to prevent subsidence-related damage, ensure public safety, and avoid infrastructure disruptions.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A1211) upgrades criminal penalties for stealing payment card data and requires merchants to prevent such theft. It increases penalties for using scanning devices to steal card information: first-time use becomes a third-degree crime (up to 5 years in prison), while repeated offenses causing $50,000+ in theft become a second-degree crime (5-10 years). Merchants must implement reasonable security measures like regular terminal inspections, employee training on scanning devices, security cameras, and encryption software, as defined by the Division of Consumer Affairs. The law applies to all businesses accepting payment cards in New Jersey and takes effect seven months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill would exempt poll workers' wages from being counted toward unemployment compensation calculations. Currently, earnings from poll work could reduce or eliminate an individual's unemployment benefits. The bill amends New Jersey's unemployment compensation law to specifically exclude wages earned by members of district boards of elections from being considered "employment" for unemployment benefit purposes. This change would directly affect individuals who serve as poll workers during elections and seek unemployment benefits afterward.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to conduct unscheduled surprise inspections of school buses in addition to existing scheduled inspections. Specifically, it mandates a minimum of two annual inspections per school bus operator, with one being a surprise visit, to ensure ongoing safety compliance. School bus operators (owners or day-to-day managers) must provide access to buses and required maintenance/employment records during these inspections, with fines of $50-$500 per violation for non-compliance. The bill updates New Jersey’s School Bus Enhanced Safety Inspection Act to strengthen safety checks through unpredictable inspections, using collected fines to fund the program itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement to study which words and phrases in gambling advertisements most effectively promote responsible gambling and deter problem gambling. The study will evaluate factors like message placement, font size, and effectiveness for specific groups - including problem gamblers, self-excluded individuals, and underage persons - and must be completed within 12 months. Following the study, the Division will develop 3-10 key phrases to be included in all casino and sports betting ads (alongside the existing "1-800 GAMBLER" requirement) at an optimized frequency. The bill also restricts gambling advertisements from appearing near schools, college campuses, or in media targeting underage or prohibited individuals.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes statewide targets to reduce organic waste disposal in landfills: a 50% reduction from 2016 levels by 2027 and a 75% reduction by 2032. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) must adopt regulations within 18 months to achieve these targets, authorizing local governments to require waste generators (like businesses and residents) to divert organic waste and impose reasonable penalties for noncompliance. Local governments may also charge fees to cover costs related to implementing these rules. The DEP must report progress on these targets by July 2027, analyzing infrastructure needs, market development for recycled products like compost, and recommendations for further action.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2367) requires New Jersey's Department of Education to create a public awareness campaign about social media risks for minors, targeting parents and guardians. It appropriates $500,000 from the state General Fund to develop and implement the campaign through media channels like radio, TV, social media, and newspapers within 180 days of enactment. The campaign will share research on social media's mental health impacts (including risks linked to excessive use and harmful content) to help families promote safer online habits. The Commissioner of Education must report on the campaign's progress to the Governor and Legislature within 24 months. It directly affects parents/guardians of minors aged 13-17 and builds on the U.S. Surgeon General's 2023 advisory.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey government agencies to redact personal identifying information - including names, Social Security numbers, home addresses, driver's license numbers, and email addresses - from vehicle accident reports before releasing them to the public. Unredacted reports would only be available to individuals involved in the accident, their attorneys, auto insurance companies representing a party, and law enforcement agencies. Authorized recipients may use this information solely for legal, insurance, or investigative purposes and cannot publicly disclose personal details without written consent from all involved parties or their legal next of kin. The bill imposes escalating civil penalties ($1,000 to $5,000) for unauthorized disclosure and requires agencies to maintain logs of all unredacted report disclosures for potential investigation.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Jersey's ticket sales and resales law to increase transparency and protect consumers. It requires all ticket sellers to clearly display the full price (including all fees) before purchase, limits reseller markups (20% over face value for non-registered brokers, 50% for registered brokers), and prohibits ticket issuers from forcing resales through specific platforms. The bill also mandates refunds within seven days for canceled events, bans the use of bots to bypass ticket purchase limits, and requires non-transferable ticket systems to offer transferable options. The Division of Consumer Affairs will enforce these rules with fines up to $50,000 per violation.