Asm. Shama Haider

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a four-year "VETeach Pilot Program" within New Jersey's Department of Education to help veterans become certified teachers. It directly affects veterans who served in the U.S. military on or after September 11, 2001, by providing them with a 36-month teacher preparation program at Rowan University. The program leads to a teaching certification allowing veterans to work in K-8 classrooms and certain secondary subjects, addressing teacher shortages while supporting veteran employment. Upon completion, the program requires a report on participant enrollment, hiring rates, and recommendations for potential permanent expansion.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's public colleges and universities to provide free menstrual products (tampons and sanitary napkins) in all campus buildings, including lecture halls, residence halls, and restrooms. Institutions must ensure access in all women’s restrooms, all-gender restrooms, and at least one men’s restroom, offering varied options like allergy-friendly and different absorbency levels. The state appropriates $85,000 from the General Fund to reimburse institutions for costs, and schools must also provide educational materials on menstrual health and disposal. The policy applies starting the first full academic year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1940) requires law enforcement officers to provide domestic violence victims with information about their rights in English, Spanish, and up to 10 additional high-demand languages spoken in New Jersey, as identified in the Supreme Court-approved Language Access Plan. It also mandates the Administrative Office of the Courts to create standard templates for temporary and final restraining orders in these languages for use by law enforcement, municipal courts, and Superior Court judges. These templates would be provided to both victims and defendants when restraining orders are issued. The bill aims to improve language access for non-English speaking domestic violence victims seeking legal protections across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey Transit (NJT) to expand or modify routes and hours for its motorbus, paratransit, and rail services - including light rail - within one year of the bill's effective date to better serve people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. NJT must first seek input from autistic individuals and their advocates before making any changes. The bill also mandates annual consultations with these stakeholders to assess whether current service hours and routes adequately meet mobility needs and whether further adjustments are needed. It directly affects NJT’s service planning and autistic riders in New Jersey. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey hospitals treating breast cancer patients to provide written notice about their rights to consult with and receive reconstructive surgery from a board-certified plastic surgeon of their choice, regardless of the surgeon's hospital or insurance network affiliation. The notice must be given when the patient is diagnosed with breast cancer and before they consent to surgery, including information about coverage under state and federal laws. It also prohibits insurance plans from including contract terms that block doctors from recommending outside-network plastic surgeons based on patient needs or deny coverage solely because the surgeon isn't in-network. The law applies to surgeries following treatments like mastectomy, lumpectomy, or radiation for breast cancer, the breast cancer gene, or other breast abnormalities.

Maddy summaryChiara's Law prohibits New Jersey animal shelters and pounds from euthanizing animals except for specific health or safety reasons. It requires that euthanasia must be approved by a veterinarian for the animal's health or deemed necessary for safety by the shelter operator, and must be performed humanely. Shelters must hold animals for at least seven days before adoption or euthanasia, unless the animal is suspected of rabies (requiring immediate health protocols) or surrendered voluntarily by an owner. The law also mandates that shelters cannot sell animals for experimentation and maintains existing rabies-related procedures under Department of Health oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Human Services (DHS) to conduct language needs assessments for all their offices and programs. The assessments must identify linguistic groups in service areas, track which groups request non-English materials, find unmet language needs, and determine outreach strategies. The results will guide a future joint request for proposals to hire a translation service for communities with significant unmet language needs. This directly affects DOH and DHS operations and aims to improve access to non-English materials for residents.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A1401 prohibits employers with 15+ employees in the state from asking about an applicant's gender during the initial job application process (from first contact until the first interview). It bans both written application questions and oral inquiries about gender at this stage and prevents employers from using gender in hiring decisions or taking adverse actions based on gender. Exceptions apply only for roles where gender is a bona fide occupational qualification (e.g., gender-specific roles in shelters or performances). Violations carry civil penalties up to $10,000 per offense, enforced by the Labor Commissioner. The bill affects all covered employers in New Jersey, including state agencies, but does not restrict gender inquiries after the initial application phase or for roles where gender is a required qualification.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires school bus drivers in New Jersey with a school bus endorsement to retake both a knowledge test and a skills test every five years to maintain their endorsement. Drivers aged 70 or older must retake these tests annually instead of every five years. The requirement specifically applies to school bus endorsements on commercial driver licenses and does not affect other commercial driving requirements. This amendment updates existing law to establish these periodic testing intervals for school bus drivers.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2083) requires New Jersey Transit (NJT) to ensure all interior doors providing access to train operator cabins or control compartments remain locked at all times. It directly affects NJT rail passenger vehicles, mandating this safety measure except during emergencies or when health, safety, or security needs require otherwise. The requirement takes immediate effect, aiming to prevent unauthorized access to critical train controls. The bill focuses on a specific operational safety rule without broader policy changes.