Asm. Bob Auth

Maddy summaryThis bill (A413) allows New Jersey local governments to provide separate service awards to volunteers who serve in multiple emergency service organizations (like fire departments or EMS) within the same jurisdiction. It amends existing law to let volunteers earn the maximum annual award ($1,150) for each organization they serve, rather than a single capped amount. Key provisions require local governments to adopt ordinances with public ratification, specify funding levels, and define how volunteer service points (e.g., training, responses) count toward awards. The change aims to support recruitment and retention by recognizing dual-service contributions without increasing overall program costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill criminalizes occupying an empty or vacant home without the owner's permission, addressing what the bill calls "squatting." It creates three specific offenses: forcibly entering a vacant dwelling (housebreaking), taking up residence without permission (unlawful occupancy), and reentering after a court-ordered eviction (unlawful reentry). All are classified as fourth-degree crimes punishable by up to 18 months in jail or a $10,000 fine. The bill presumes a person knows they lack permission unless they provide a notarized rental agreement with the owner's contact details, changing the current process where owners must seek civil court eviction.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts to permit graduating high school students to wear a military sash or stole (issued by a U.S. military branch) during graduation ceremonies. It directly affects students who have completed all diploma requirements but are not necessarily active military members - unlike the existing law, which only covered dress uniforms for active service members. The key provision expands the allowable military attire to include sashes/stoles worn atop graduation robes, without requiring active service status or completion of basic training. The change applies immediately to all public school graduation ceremonies across the state.

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 creates a program that helps New Jersey residents who volunteer as emergency responders (like firefighters, EMTs, or emergency management staff) pay down their student loans. To qualify, applicants must be New Jersey residents, have completed an in-state undergraduate degree or certificate, and provide proof of active volunteer service from their organization. The program covers up to $16,000 total in student loan repayment - $4,000 in the first year, $4,000 in the second, and $8,000 in the third - based on continued volunteer service, but never exceeding the actual outstanding loan balance. It directly affects eligible volunteer emergency responders who already have student debt from New Jersey colleges.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires mental health practitioners in New Jersey - including clinical social workers, psychologists, counselors, and therapists - to complete suicide prevention training. New license applicants must complete four hours of approved training as a condition of licensure, while currently licensed practitioners must complete four hours within one year of the bill's effective date and every six years thereafter. The training must cover suicide prevention, assessment, screening, treatment, and management in clinical settings, and must be approved by the Division of Consumer Affairs. Practitioners must submit proof of completion to their respective licensing boards.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3339, "Parents Bill of Rights Act") gives New Jersey parents and guardians the right to review and direct their child's education in public schools. It requires school districts to provide parents with a curriculum summary, allow them to review textbooks/media used, and permit opting children out of any curriculum conflicting with their conscience or beliefs - without academic penalties like grade loss or graduation delays. The law prohibits schools from interfering with these parental rights or denying requested information. It directly affects all K-12 public school parents/guardians and school districts across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new fourth-degree criminal offense for using GPS or location-tracking devices to follow a vehicle with the intent to commit an unlawful act, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, or theft. It directly affects individuals who misuse tracking technology to monitor others for harmful purposes. The key provision mandates a minimum five-year prison sentence for this offense under New Jersey's sentencing law (N.J.S.2C:43-7), which is an enhanced penalty compared to standard fourth-degree crimes. The bill aims to address technology-facilitated abuse by imposing stricter consequences for tracking used in unlawful contexts.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey local governments from authorizing noncitizens to vote in local elections, declaring any such ordinance, resolution, or rule null and void. It requires elected local officials to uphold their oath of office by not approving measures permitting noncitizen voting, as this violates their duty to "faithfully, impartially and justly perform all duties of office." The bill amends the Local Government Ethics Law to explicitly treat such violations as breaches of ethical conduct, subject to potential penalties. It directly affects all local governments (cities, towns, counties) and their elected officers, ensuring only U.S. citizens may vote in local elections under New Jersey law.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts medical marijuana sales from New Jersey's state sales and use tax. It directly affects patients prescribed medical marijuana under the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act for qualifying conditions like cancer, multiple sclerosis, or seizure disorders, who currently pay the tax on their medication. The bill amends the tax code to explicitly add medical marijuana as an exempt item - alongside prescription drugs and medical devices - by listing it as item (11) in the tax exemption rules. The exemption takes effect 90 days after enactment, applying to sales made on or after the first day of the first month of the following calendar quarter.