Asm. Ellen Park

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey School Counts County College Scholarship Program, providing up to $4,000 in tuition, book, and fee assistance to eligible high school graduates attending county colleges. To qualify, students must earn a School Counts certificate by maintaining 95% attendance, achieving a C average or higher, completing Algebra I, and meeting graduation requirements during high school. The scholarship covers costs after other financial aid is applied, requires full-time enrollment (24+ credits annually), and must be used within six months of high school graduation. County colleges can receive state matching funds if they raise private donations to support student scholarships.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits businesses receiving New Jersey state development subsidies of $25,000 or more from making campaign contributions to political candidates, parties, or committees during the subsidy period. It also bans officers, directors, key employees, or agents of these businesses from making such contributions, though candidates may contribute to their own campaigns. Violations could result in criminal fines (up to $200,000 for individuals, $500,000 for businesses) or civil penalties like losing the subsidy, future eligibility for state funding, or a five-year ban on state contracts. The prohibition applies broadly to subsidies like grants, loans, and tax credits, but excludes certain programs like affordable housing or environmental initiatives.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a three-year pilot program for Integrated Domestic Violence Courts in Camden, Essex, Hudson, and Middlesex counties. The courts will combine domestic violence cases with related family matters (like divorce and child custody) and criminal cases under a single judge to improve victim safety and case efficiency. Judges assigned to these courts must have specialized expertise in domestic violence law, family law, and criminal sentencing. The program will be monitored by the Administrative Office of the Courts, with reports due 12 months after launch and at the program’s conclusion to evaluate effectiveness.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill A1395 establishes a 23-member "Task Force on the Status of Juvenile Delinquency and Remediation" to examine recent trends in juvenile crime. The task force includes legislative members, state agency leaders (like the Attorney General and Youth Justice Commission), community representatives, and experts in juvenile justice. It will specifically evaluate causes of rising juvenile offenses, coordination of post-court services, capacity of detention facilities, and alignment with the state's Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative. The task force must submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within 18 months of its first meeting.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 481) upgrades penalties for cyber-harassment targeting public servants or their family members, raising it from a fourth-degree to a third-degree crime. It also establishes the Office of Cyber-Harassment Support within the Department of Law and Public Safety to provide victim assistance, develop educational programs, and coordinate with law enforcement and schools on cyber-harassment prevention. Key provisions include creating accessible reporting systems for victims, requiring school-based cyber ethics education, and collaborating with social media platforms to address harmful content. Note: The bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, after being superseded by enacted legislation (P.L.2025, c.303).

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Office of Information Technology to create "Go NJ," a single online hub that integrates multiple state government websites - covering business permits, tax forms, environmental regulations, grants, and health/safety information - into one user-friendly platform. It directly affects state agencies (like departments and authorities) by centralizing their existing online services and all New Jersey residents, businesses, and organizations seeking state information. The hub will allow users to search and access services across different government entities through a single portal, designed for mobile and desktop use with support for novice users. The bill specifies that this integration will not impose new regulatory or technical requirements on participating agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Student Educator Tuition Remission Program to help future teachers reduce education costs. It provides tuition remission for eligible students completing clinical practice in approved educator preparation programs at public New Jersey colleges, covering up to two academic semesters of eligible tuition expenses. To qualify, students must be NJ residents, enrolled full-time in an approved program, meet citizenship requirements, and complete necessary steps for clinical practice. The program requires repayment only if a student is dismissed from their program, disqualified from teaching due to criminal history, or loses eligibility for their teaching certificate - withdrawals due to illness or family emergencies do not require repayment. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority will administer the program with annual state funding.

Maddy summaryAJR 46 designates the first week of May each year as "Children's Mental Health Awareness Week" in New Jersey. The bill requests the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and citizens to observe the week with activities promoting awareness. This procedural resolution does not create new programs or funding but formally recognizes the week to support existing efforts addressing children's mental health. It directly affects New Jersey state officials and the public through the Governor's annual proclamation.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A1359 prohibits the non-consensual creation and distribution of deepfake pornography. The bill makes it a crime (ranging from third to fourth degree) to secretly record or share deceptive images/videos falsely depicting someone in intimate situations without consent, including deepfakes that mimic real people. It specifically targets "deceptive audio or visual media" created through technical means, imposing criminal penalties and a civil fine up to $30,000 for violations. This law directly affects individuals who produce or share such content without consent, aiming to protect people from non-consensual sexual exploitation through technology.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3350) increases penalties for domestic violence offenders in New Jersey and creates a dedicated fund for victim legal services. It adds two civil penalties: a $50-$500 fine payable immediately, and a $1,500 penalty paid over three years ($500 annually). All funds from these penalties, plus an increased $500 surcharge on domestic violence convictions, flow into the "Domestic Violence Victims' Legal Assistance Fund." The fund will directly support organizations providing legal advocacy, medical assistance, and referrals to domestic violence victims. The bill affects offenders who pay penalties and victims who receive enhanced legal services through the new fund.