Asm. Lisa Swain

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's public colleges and universities to provide equivalent scholarships to student-athletes who lose their athletic scholarships due to serious injuries sustained while participating in intercollegiate sports. If a student-athlete is medically deemed unable to continue competing because of an injury directly related to their sport, the institution must offer a scholarship equal to the lost athletic award. The new scholarship, combined with any prior athletic scholarships, must cover up to five academic years or until the student completes their undergraduate degree - whichever comes first. Public institutions may choose to provide additional years beyond this limit, but are not required to do so.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans sold in New Jersey - including hospital service, medical service, health maintenance organization (HMO), individual, group, and employer-sponsored plans - to cover genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. It directly affects individuals enrolled in these plans by ensuring coverage for this specific cancer risk testing without cost-sharing. The law mandates that positive test results for these genes qualify as "positive genetic testing" under existing law, enabling further necessary testing. This policy change applies to all policies delivered, issued, or renewed in New Jersey on or after the effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Secretary of Higher Education to impose a $10,000 fine on any public or private college or university that fails to properly investigate a student's allegation of sexual assault committed by another enrolled student. Institutions must also take appropriate disciplinary action against the perpetrator if the allegation is proven true. The fine is enforced through summary proceedings under New Jersey's Penalty Enforcement Law. This directly affects all higher education institutions in New Jersey that receive state funding or oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $10 million from the General Fund to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) for installing highway guard rail along Route 208 in specific towns: Franklin Lakes, Wyckoff, Hawthorne, Glen Rock, Fair Lawn, and Oakland. It targets sections of Route 208 without existing guard rail, focusing on areas where installation is deemed necessary to protect motorists and residents living adjacent to the highway. The funding allows NJDOT to bypass standard 2015 Roadway Design Manual requirements for this specific project. The bill directs the funds specifically for capital construction of guard rail along the entire route segment in the listed municipalities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public utilities to provide daily updates to mayors and municipal clerks (or their designees) about service work occurring within a municipality, including emergency repairs affecting municipal buildings. The updates must cover the status of work from start to finish, with the Board of Public Utilities setting the specific format and requirements, especially for emergencies involving electric service to public buildings. It directly affects municipalities and public utilities operating within New Jersey communities, ensuring local officials receive timely information about utility activities. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey professional licensing boards to calculate the national average time other states take to approve initial credentials for each regulated profession or occupation. Boards must collect this data from other states (or national associations) within six months of the bill's effective date, then use the approved national average as their processing standard for new applications. If a board fails to meet the national average after one year, it must use licensing fees to hire a third-party expert to identify best practices for faster processing, which must be implemented immediately. The Division of Consumer Affairs reviews compliance annually to ensure boards meet the established timelines.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Police to provide the Legislature with biannual reports on sex offenders who fail to meet address verification requirements under Megan's Law. County and municipal law enforcement agencies must report to the State Police every 180 days a list of registered sex offenders who haven't verified their addresses as required. Under Megan's Law, some offenders must verify their addresses every 90 days while others must do so annually. The State Police will compile these reports and provide the Legislature with the total number of non-compliant offenders and the specific offenses that required registration. This bill directly affects the state's oversight of Megan's Law compliance and provides legislative transparency on sex offender registration enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A2301) creates a fourth-degree crime for intentionally interfering with someone else's electronic device to harass them. It directly affects individuals who tamper with devices like phones, computers, smart home systems, or security equipment with the intent to harass. The law defines "electronic device" broadly to include any device that transmits, receives, or records information electronically. Violations carry penalties of up to 18 months in jail, a $10,000 fine, or both. The bill aims to address harassment through digital interference by criminalizing specific acts with clear penalties.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for sex offenders who fail to register or update their information with law enforcement for longer than two years. Currently, such failures are a third-degree crime (3-5 years in prison, up to $15,000 fine), but this bill elevates it to a second-degree crime (5-10 years in prison, up to $150,000 fine) for violations lasting 24 months or more. It directly affects individuals required to register under New Jersey's sex offender laws who miss registration deadlines, fail to verify addresses annually, or provide false information for extended periods. The change modifies existing penalties without altering registration requirements or eligibility for termination of registration obligations.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a four-year "New Jersey STEM Scholars Grant Pilot Program" within the Department of Education to provide funding for schools. It directly affects public school districts, charter schools, and "renaissance schools" (a New Jersey term for publicly funded alternative schools) seeking to expand STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education. The program awards competitive grants for three specific areas: project-based learning (student-led STEM projects), afterschool STEM (after-class programs like clubs), and out-of-school STEM (non-classroom activities like workshops). Grants must supplement, not replace, existing STEM funding, and schools must submit detailed plans for program design, student recruitment, teacher support, and long-term sustainability. Funding comes from annual state appropriations and private donations, administered through a new "STEM Scholars Grant Fund."