Asm. Clinton Calabrese

Maddy summaryThis bill reduces the minimum required annual thoroughbred races for Monmouth Park and Meadowlands Racetrack from 50 to 25, with written consent from the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. It also shortens the time for unclaimed cash vouchers to lapse from three years to one year, with half the value going to the racetrack and half to the purse fund. Additionally, it allows simulcasting facilities to accept future wagers on races they don't broadcast anytime they're open, removing previous time restrictions. These changes directly affect racetrack operators, simulcasting facilities, and horse racing associations in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires food manufacturers selling in New Jersey to publicly disclose information about new food additives they deem "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) without FDA premarket approval. Manufacturers must submit annual reports to the New Jersey Department of Health containing scientific data, manufacturing details, dietary exposure estimates, and evidence supporting GRAS status. The Department must publish these reports on its website within six months (excluding trade secret portions of safety data), enabling public access to evaluate additive safety. Violations carry civil penalties up to $5,000 per offense, with enforcement handled by the Department of Health and Attorney General.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health care providers and insurance companies to obtain written consent before sharing a patient's medical information about reproductive health care services (including pregnancy, contraception, or abortion care). Patients must be informed of their right to withhold consent before receiving services or when disclosing previous reproductive health information. Exceptions allowing disclosure without consent include medical emergencies, legal requirements, court orders, and investigations into abuse or complaints. Violations could result in $1,000 per violation in damages plus legal fees, while explicitly maintaining existing federal HIPAA protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes legal protections for patients and healthcare providers accessing or providing reproductive and gender-affirming health care services in New Jersey. It creates a new crime for interfering with these services (including physical obstruction, intimidation, or damaging property), with penalties ranging from a disorderly persons offense to a fourth-degree crime. The bill also prevents New Jersey from extraditing people for legally protected health care activities, prohibits licensing boards from penalizing providers for services that are legal in New Jersey but illegal in other states, and protects patient privacy related to these services. It specifically ensures that a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus has no independent legal rights under New Jersey law.

Maddy summaryThe New Jersey Works Act provides tax credits to businesses that fund pre-employment training programs with educational institutions or nonprofits. Businesses can receive a tax credit equal to 100% of the financial assistance they provide for approved programs that offer at least 12 weeks of paid training at minimum wage to low- and moderate-income individuals. These programs must include training in basic skills, communication, critical thinking, and job readiness. The bill appropriates $3 million from the General Fund to implement the program and requires a two-year evaluation of its effectiveness, excluding construction businesses from participation.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4012) establishes a minimum Medicaid reimbursement rate for structured day program services provided to Medicaid beneficiaries with brain injuries. It requires that these services be reimbursed at the average rate currently paid for Day Habilitation Services Tiers D and E under the Division of Developmental Disabilities program - approximately $9.38 per 15 minutes, compared to the current $3.65 rate for brain injury day programs. The policy directly affects licensed brain injury service providers and Medicaid beneficiaries requiring brain injury treatment. The change applies to services provided on or after the bill's effective date, aligning brain injury service reimbursement with rates for comparable developmental disability services.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a specific criminal offense for financial exploitation of the elderly in New Jersey. It defines "elderly" as anyone 60 or older with age-related health conditions or mental impairments that affect their ability to make decisions about their property. The offense applies when someone in a "position of trust" (like family members, caregivers, or people with fiduciary obligations) uses fraud, false promises, extortion, or intimidation to obtain property from an elderly person. The bill upgrades penalties for this type of theft, making amounts between $200-$500 a third-degree crime (up from a fourth-degree crime) and amounts under $200 a fourth-degree crime (up from a disorderly persons offense).

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's bias intimidation law to specifically include Sikhism as a protected class, making it illegal to commit hate crimes against Sikhs based on their religious identity. It appropriates $100,000 annually for three years to fund Sikh awareness educational initiatives, including law enforcement training on Sikh identity features like turbans and religious symbols to prevent misclassification of hate incidents. The bill requires the Office of Attorney General to develop public awareness campaigns and educational programs about Sikhism for public schools, and mandates that all public entities incorporate anti-Sikh hate into their bias intimidation policies and diversity programs. These changes directly affect Sikhs in New Jersey (who are the second-most targeted religious group for hate crimes) and all public institutions across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1 million from the Property Tax Relief Fund to fund a school-based mentoring pilot program in 14 specific Bergen County school districts. The funding covers administrator salaries, program administrative costs, and stipends for staff and mentors in participating schools. The Commissioner of Education will distribute the funds through a competitive application process to the eligible districts. At the program's conclusion, the Commissioner must submit a report to the Governor and Legislature evaluating the pilot's implementation and feasibility for statewide expansion.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A3901 requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to create a program installing adaptive traffic signal technology - smart signals that adjust in real-time - at state-maintained intersections meeting specific traffic volume and speed thresholds. The DOT must develop these thresholds based on through-traffic volume and speed, determining which intersections qualify for the technology. Once an intersection meets the threshold, the smart signals must be installed during routine maintenance, repairs, or replacements of existing traffic signals. The goal is to reduce unnecessary stops, delays, and vehicle emissions while considering pedestrian safety and financial feasibility.