Asm. John Azzariti

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey Assembly Resolution (AR 136) urges U.S. House members to stop displaying foreign flags (like Ukraine's) in the House Chamber during sessions. It references an April 2024 incident where members waved the Ukrainian flag after passing military aid, calling such displays contrary to American sovereignty. The resolution non-bindingly asks the House to exclusively display the U.S. flag, military flags, and POW flags during sessions. It has no legal force and serves only as a symbolic statement to the House leadership.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all licensed hospitals and nursing homes in New Jersey to provide 24/7 interpreter services for deaf and hard of hearing patients. It mandates that services include electronic options like video remote interpreting and AI-assisted interpreting (approved by the Health Commissioner). The law applies directly to patients seeking care in these facilities, ensuring they can communicate effectively with medical staff. The bill takes effect 180 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill extends the closing time of polling places from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM for general and primary elections. It also extends early voting hours to 9:00 PM on weekdays and 7:00 PM on Sundays, and requires municipal clerk offices to remain open until 9:00 PM on election days. The bill additionally extends the hours minors aged 16-18 can work at polling places from 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM. These changes provide more flexibility for voters who may need to cast ballots later in the evening. The bill directly affects voters, election officials, and minor workers at polling locations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires physicians, dentists, and other health professionals serving as expert witnesses in New Jersey malpractice cases to hold a valid New Jersey license. It mandates that dental expert witnesses must also meet specific specialty and experience criteria, such as board certification in the relevant field or five years of focused practice. The law prohibits experts from having financial ties to the case outcome and bans contingency fee arrangements for expert testimony. These requirements apply to both expert testimony and the "certificate of merit" affidavits required to file malpractice claims. The bill directly affects plaintiffs' attorneys, defendants, and health professionals seeking to testify in such cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new expedited court process for property owners to remove unauthorized occupants who never paid rent, had no lease, or permission to live on the property. Property owners must submit a verified complaint with specific certifications (e.g., occupant never paid rent or had written permission) and provide written notice to the occupant before filing. The court must schedule a hearing within 5 business days and issue a writ of possession if the certifications are verified, requiring immediate removal by court officers. Property owners who win such cases can recover treble damages for unlawful occupancy beyond standard remedies. The process applies only to occupants without any legal basis for occupancy, as defined by the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4256) requires New Jersey's Attorney General to repeal Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive No. 2018-6. The directive currently restricts state, county, and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities in specific ways, such as providing assistance solely to enforce civil immigration law or extending detention based only on immigration detainer requests. If passed, the bill would eliminate these restrictions, allowing law enforcement to share information and cooperate with federal immigration authorities under federal law. The bill directly affects all New Jersey law enforcement agencies operating under the Attorney General's authority.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores state school aid reductions for certain New Jersey school districts by appropriating $210,135,047. It shifts $64,920,000 from existing FY2024 appropriations and adds $145,215,047 from the General Fund. The funding ensures districts that received Supplemental Stabilization Aid under prior law (P.L.2023, c.32) get their full 2023-2024 aid amount, and districts facing proposed aid cuts in 2024-2025 receive the difference between their 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 aid amounts. The bill directly affects school districts subject to state aid reductions under P.L.2018, c.67.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A4200 bill would prohibit ratepayers from being required to pay or prepay costs associated with subsidies for qualified offshore wind projects. Currently, electric utilities collect an OREC surcharge from ratepayers upfront to cover these costs, with later refunds based on revenue from selling ORECs. The bill specifically prohibits the Board of Public Utilities from requiring ratepayers to make any payments or prepayments for these subsidies, including OREC surcharges. This change would prevent ratepayers from having to pay for these subsidies before they are actually incurred.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits drivers from intentionally disabling and flooding their vehicles during storm-related flooding by operating on roadways where official flood warning signs are displayed. It directly affects drivers who ignore these warnings, imposing a minimum $2,000 fine for violations, in addition to other potential penalties. Exceptions include first responders performing official duties and cases where warning signs were not properly positioned or visible. The law applies immediately upon enactment and aims to prevent dangerous, avoidable vehicle flooding during storms.

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.