Asm. Shama Haider

Maddy summaryThis bill reschedules New Jersey's June 2025 primary election from June 3 to June 10, 2025, to avoid conflict with a religious observance. It also establishes a permanent rule requiring the Secretary of State to reschedule any primary election (for delegates to national conventions or general elections) if it falls on a religious observance that significantly hinders in-person voting. The new date must be the first Tuesday after the observance period, with the Secretary providing notice to election officials and the public by specific deadlines. This applies to all future primary elections affected by such observances, ensuring adjustments to related deadlines and publishing updated election calendars.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires school bus personnel transporting students with disabilities to call 911 in potential life-threatening emergencies and report these calls to the Office of Special Education. It mandates that school buses carrying students with disabilities be equipped with interior video cameras, real-time GPS tracking, and two-way communication devices. The bill expands training requirements for school bus personnel to include recognizing and responding to potential life-threatening emergencies involving students with disabilities. School bus contractors and school districts that fail to comply face civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation, and video footage and GPS data must be retained for at least 180 days.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (AR 170) expresses New Jersey's opposition to New York's congestion pricing plan, which would charge drivers $9 to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street starting January 5, 2025 (rising to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031). It directly affects New Jersey commuters who drive into Manhattan, as they would pay these tolls without having input in the plan's design. The resolution states New Jersey officials believe the plan undermines longstanding regional transportation collaboration and fails to benefit New Jersey transit services like NJ Transit or PATH. As a symbolic resolution, it has no legal effect but will be sent to federal and state officials to formally record New Jersey's position.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans in New Jersey to cover home medical care for disabled or elderly individuals (defined as those 65+ or with total permanent disability). It defines home care as preventative, primary, specialty, or urgent medical care provided in a person's home when they can't visit a health facility, excluding custodial care. Insurance companies, health maintenance organizations, and other health benefit plans must provide coverage for these services to the same extent as other medical treatments. The coverage applies to all types of health insurance contracts and requires documentation by health care professionals in medical records. This policy ensures people who need home-based medical care due to disability or age have insurance coverage for those services.

Maddy summaryThe Freedom to Read Act establishes requirements for library materials in New Jersey public school libraries and public libraries, requiring school boards and library governing bodies to adopt policies that ensure access to diverse and inclusive materials. The bill defines "diverse and inclusive material" as content reflecting protected classes under New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination, materials produced by authors regardless of their protected class status, and materials containing authors' views on contemporary issues, while excluding age-inappropriate content. It creates procedures for challenging library materials, including review committees and requiring that challenged materials remain available until a final decision is made. The bill also provides legal protections for school library media specialists and librarians, granting them immunity from liability for good-faith actions and a civil cause of action against those who harass them for complying with the law.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A5078 prohibits the farming (aquaculture) of any octopus species for human consumption within the state. It also bans businesses from selling, possessing, or transporting octopus products resulting from aquaculture. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, with each continuing day treated as a separate offense. The law specifically excludes wild-caught octopus and research-related activities. This directly affects commercial aquaculture operations and food businesses handling farmed octopus.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's Family Leave Act and Temporary Disability Benefits Law to provide protected bereavement leave for employees experiencing the death of a child, miscarriage, stillbirth, unsuccessful adoption, or failed fertility treatments. It allows up to 21 days of leave for circumstances where employees wouldn't otherwise qualify for leave or benefits, or up to 7 days for circumstances where they would qualify for other leave. The leave is available to employees who are biological parents, adoptive parents, or parents through a gestational carrier agreement, as well as to their spouses, domestic partners, or civil union partners. Employers with 30 or more employees must provide this leave under the amended laws, which applies to all eligible employees in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2652 revises laws to better protect children from sexual exploitation. It creates a civil right for victims (or their guardians/advocacy groups) to sue perpetrators for three times the profits gained from distributing child sexual abuse material, holding both individuals and corporate employees personally liable. The bill also expands sex offender registration requirements to include anyone working with children in schools or jobs for over 14 consecutive days, clarifies which offenses trigger registration (like creating or sharing exploitative material), and adds a limited exception for juvenile-created nude photos under strict conditions. These changes directly affect victims of child exploitation, perpetrators, and institutions that facilitate such abuse. The law passed unanimously in 2024 (P.L.2024, c.92).

Maddy summary"Penny's Law" (A1403) requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create beach accessibility guidelines within one year for people with disabilities. The guidelines must cover specific facilities like ramps, restrooms, boardwalks, surf chairs, and parking, developed with input from disability organizations and consideration of federal standards. The DEP must publish these guidelines online and distribute them to all counties and municipalities with public beaches. Beaches meeting the guidelines may display a uniform DEP-approved label. The law directly affects disabled beachgoers and local governments managing public coastal areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's process for health insurance carriers to credential physicians seeking to join their provider networks. It requires carriers to notify applicants within 30 days if an application is incomplete (or deem it complete if no notice is given) and to review complete applications within 30 days. The bill mandates carriers to use a standardized universal application form, post clear process details online - including required documents and timelines - and reimburse physicians for services provided during the credentialing wait period if approved. It also prohibits carriers from requiring physicians to resubmit applications solely due to changing employers within the state, and gives the Department of Banking and Insurance authority to enforce these rules and handle complaints.