Asm. Bob Auth

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4238) prohibits New Jersey school districts from banning active or retired law enforcement officers or registered security officers from carrying firearms while performing school security duties, provided those officers are authorized under state law to carry. It directly affects school districts that hire such officers (including "safe schools resource officers" or Class Three special law enforcement officers) and the officers themselves. The key provision requires school districts to allow these authorized personnel to carry firearms in school buildings or on grounds during their assigned security duties, overriding any existing restrictions. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires dental clinics affiliated with public university dental schools (like Rutgers) to give priority scheduling to 100% disabled veterans seeking oral health services. Specifically, clinics must schedule appointments for these veterans within 30 days of request. The law defines "100% disabled veterans" as those honorably discharged and certified as permanently 100% disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It applies directly to veterans needing dental care and the public dental clinics operating at New Jersey's public universities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Attorney General to establish a voting fraud task force within the Division of Criminal Justice. The task force, composed of state, county, and municipal law enforcement officers as designated by the AG, will investigate and prosecute voting fraud crimes using a coordinated strategy. It directly affects the Attorney General's office and law enforcement agencies, mandating a centralized effort to address voting fraud statewide. The bill is procedural and does not change existing voting laws or create new penalties.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A4153) creates a new license plate option featuring a militiaman image and the phrase "Protect the Second Amendment." Vehicle owners who apply for these plates pay a $50 initial fee plus a $10 annual fee, with all fees deposited into a special "Second Amendment License Plate Fund." The fund must be used exclusively to support State-owned gun ranges, as specified by the Fish and Game Council. The bill requires the Motor Vehicle Commission to design and issue the plates per state law, with initial program costs covered by private donations (capped at $25,000) rather than public funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires an automatic recount in county or municipal elections decided by a vote margin of 10 votes or less, triggered by a candidate's request within 24 hours of election certification. The state covers all recount costs, and the recount must be completed within three days of certification. It establishes three geographic regions (Northern, Central, Southern) for Superior Court judges to handle election recounts and contests, with assignments based on population and historical case volume. The bill also mandates strict timelines: initial hearings within 36 hours of filing and appeals within 24 hours, ensuring cases are resolved before elected officials assume office.

Maddy summaryThis bill excludes environmentally sensitive and flood-prone land from being counted as "vacant" for affordable housing requirements under New Jersey's Fair Housing Act. It specifically applies to land regulated by agencies like the Highlands Water Protection Council (for Highlands Preservation/Planning Areas), the Flood Hazard Area Control Act, or the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act. Municipalities must no longer count such land toward their affordable housing obligation, meaning they aren't required to use these areas for housing projects. The change clarifies that land under active state or federal environmental regulation - such as wetlands, flood zones, or conservation areas - is automatically excluded from housing calculations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4099) requires New Jersey's Medicaid program to cover validated home blood pressure monitors and cuffs, along with provider time for patient education, for pregnant Medicaid enrollees at risk for preeclampsia. Preeclampsia - a hypertensive disorder affecting 5-8% of pregnancies (approximately 5,000-8,000 people annually in New Jersey) - can lead to serious complications if undiagnosed, with Black and African American pregnant people disproportionately affected. The bill specifies that monitors must be listed in the U.S. Blood Pressure Validated Device Listing to ensure accuracy. This coverage aims to improve maternal health outcomes by enabling regular blood pressure monitoring at home, complementing in-office care. The policy directly affects pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries identified as preeclampsia risk by their healthcare provider.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the scope of practice for optometrists in New Jersey by allowing them to prescribe more pharmaceutical agents (including some controlled substances), administer certain immunizations (for coronaviruses, influenza, and varicella-zoster virus), and perform simple ophthalmologic procedures like non-invasive laser treatments. It clarifies that optometrists must complete specific training and credentialing to provide these expanded services, including evidence of competence through accredited education programs. The bill directly affects licensed optometrists in New Jersey and their patients, who will have access to a broader range of eye care services from optometrists. The legislation updates the legal definition of optometry practice to better align with optometrists' doctoral education and clinical training.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's assault law to specifically address assaults on elderly or disabled individuals. It upgrades the offense to a third-degree crime when bodily injury occurs to a person with a disability (defined as someone with a pre-existing medically determinable impairment that substantially limits physical or mental resistance) or a senior citizen aged 60 or older, and to a second-degree crime for significant or serious bodily injury. The law mandates a minimum three-year prison sentence with no parole eligibility during that term for convictions under this provision. The bill was prompted by specific incidents including the assault of a disabled man in Trenton and attacks on elderly victims in Ewing and Lawrence. This change directly affects perpetrators of assaults against vulnerable populations who meet the defined disability or age criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a misdemeanor to send unsolicited naked photos or videos via electronic means without the recipient's consent. It specifically targets individuals who knowingly transmit such material to people who did not request it or give explicit permission. If the sender knows the recipient is a child under 13 or someone with a mental condition unable to understand the sexual nature of the image, it becomes a more serious offense punishable by up to 18 months in jail or a $10,000 fine. The law directly affects anyone who sends unsolicited sexually explicit images electronically, with stricter penalties when vulnerable recipients are involved.