Asm. John Azzariti

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1111) requires commercial trucks over 26,000 pounds gross weight to have GPS systems that provide real-time alerts about low-clearance bridges and weight restrictions, plus route directions adjusted for the vehicle's specific height and weight. It directly affects most commercial freight haulers operating in New Jersey, excluding government vehicles, school buses, and religious/charitable transportation. The GPS must display infrastructure warnings and dynamically reroute based on the truck's size when entered by the driver. The Motor Vehicle Commission will create implementation rules, with the law taking effect 180 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A827, "Anthony Maruca's Law," requires all state law enforcement officers to carry and be trained in using epinephrine auto-injectors for emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions. The bill mandates that officers complete approved training to administer epinephrine and provides their departments with a one-dose supply per officer, to be kept in patrol vehicles or medical kits. It directly affects all permanent full-time law enforcement officers and their employing agencies across New Jersey. The law aims to ensure officers can provide immediate life-saving aid during anaphylactic emergencies, as highlighted by a case where officers were unable to assist due to lacking epinephrine.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require health insurers in New Jersey to provide coverage for mammograms starting at age 35, lowering the current requirement from age 40. It mandates one baseline mammogram for women at age 35 and annual mammograms for women 35 and older. Women under 35 with family history of breast cancer or other risk factors would still receive coverage as determined by their healthcare provider. The legislation amends multiple sections of New Jersey law to implement this change across various health insurance plans.