Asm. Shama Haider

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A 1745 bill permits municipalities and school boards to adopt ranked-choice voting for local elections, including mayoral, council, and school board races. It allows communities to choose this voting method through local ordinances, resolutions, or voter referendums requiring at least 10% of eligible voters' signatures. For single-winner races (like mayor), it uses an "instant runoff" system where votes transfer if no candidate reaches 50%, while multi-winner races (like council seats) use a "single transferable vote" method to allocate seats proportionally. The bill does not require adoption but provides clear rules for implementation, currently pending in the Assembly State and Local Government Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state employees (including those at Rutgers and public universities) to be granted one additional paid leave day per year for observing Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, beyond their standard administrative leave. It also mandates that public school districts record absences for these holidays as excused, ensuring students aren’t penalized for missing class due to religious observance. The policy prevents such absences from appearing on transcripts or affecting eligibility for awards, tests, or graduation requirements when a parent’s written excuse is provided. It explicitly adds Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha to the list of religious holidays for which student absences must be excused. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Rider Advocacy Commission (with three appointed members) and the New Jersey Transit Office of Customer Advocate to directly represent NJ Transit riders' interests. The Office must analyze and report on proposed fare increases, service cuts, expansions, or major spending to NJ Transit's board, the Governor, and Legislature. It requires NJ Transit to share relevant documents with the Office for independent review before major changes. The Office collects public feedback through its website and monthly customer meetings, ensuring rider concerns directly inform transit decisions.

Maddy summaryThe Safe Communities Act requires New Jersey's Attorney General to develop model policies ensuring safety and accessibility at key community locations like schools, hospitals, places of worship, shelters, and courthouses. These policies must be adopted by relevant state agencies (including education, health, and corrections departments) within 180 days of the law's enactment, with institutions required to post them visibly. The law aims to prevent residents from avoiding essential services or gatherings due to safety concerns, focusing on maintaining open access to public services and religious spaces. It applies directly to all covered facilities and their visitors across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill codifies New Jersey's existing Attorney General directive to prevent state and local law enforcement from enforcing federal immigration laws. It prohibits police from stopping, questioning, or detaining people solely based on immigration status, asking about immigration status unless relevant to a crime investigation, or sharing personal information (like addresses or social security numbers) with federal immigration authorities. Exceptions apply only for serious crimes (e.g., violent offenses or recent convictions) or when required by law for criminal investigations. The law directly affects all New Jersey state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies and officers, aiming to build trust between police and immigrant communities by clarifying that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a temporary exemption to New Jersey's ban on importing woodchucks (groundhogs) specifically for Groundhog Day celebrations. It allows counties or municipalities to replace a deceased local Groundhog Day mascot by importing a woodchuck from another state, provided they first try to use a woodchuck found within New Jersey or imported from a state without certain rabies variants. The Division of Fish and Wildlife must provide guidelines for safe handling, housing, and prioritize local sources before approving out-of-state imports, with the goal of minimizing public health risks.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the delivery of electronic smoking devices and tobacco products to anyone under 21 years old. It requires that any delivery to a residence must be signed for by an adult resident (21+), with an exception for U.S. Postal Service employees under federal law. Violations by retailers or delivery services can result in civil fines ($250-$1,000 per violation) and potential license suspension for repeat offenses. The law applies to all tobacco products and electronic smoking devices, including e-cigarettes and related components, and amends existing New Jersey statutes governing tobacco sales.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) to develop a mobile application providing veterans and their families with access to key resources. The app must include information on veterans' legal rights, medical and insurance issues, education, housing, and transition support from military to civilian life - mirroring content already available on the DMVA website. It directly affects all New Jersey veterans and their families who use DMVA services. The bill amends state law (N.J.S.38A:3-6) to mandate this mobile resource, aiming to improve accessibility and user experience compared to web-based resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) to develop a mobile application that provides veterans and their families with guidance on available state and federal resources. The app would consolidate information about benefits, healthcare, housing, education, and other support services into a single accessible tool. It specifically mandates the DMVA to create this mobile resource as a new method for delivering the existing public information requirement currently covered by subsection (y) of N.J.S.38A:3-6. The bill directly affects all New Jersey veterans and their families who rely on state and federal veteran support programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Act, requires New Jersey law enforcement agencies to submit rape kits (sexual assault evidence) to a forensic lab within 10 business days of receipt and have them analyzed within six months, if staffing and resources allow. For cases collected before the bill's effective date, agencies must report unsubmitted cases within 45 days and arrange for submission within 180 days. The Superintendent of State Police must submit a plan for analyzing these cases - including a timeline and resource requests - within 120 days of the bill taking effect. Each submitted kit must include a certification stating it is for a criminal investigation.