Asm. Cody Miller

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5282) requires all New Jersey public school districts to include instruction on the risks of social media and cell phone addiction for students in grades 6 through 12. It expands current requirements by moving this education from technology classes (grades 6-8) to the Comprehensive Health and Physical Education curriculum for all grades 6-12. The instruction must cover responsible use, cyber safety, and the negative impacts of addiction on mental health, relationships, and development. The Commissioner of Education must provide sample lesson materials to support implementation. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's public colleges and universities to readmit undergraduate students who left school due to military service, including active duty in the Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserve. Schools must reinstate these students with the same academic standing they held before their service interruption and grant readmission for the next available semester upon written request. The bill prohibits institutions from charging application or other fees for these readmission requests. It takes effect immediately, applying to the first full academic year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey Assembly Resolution (AR 158) urges generative AI companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google to voluntarily commit to protecting employees who report safety concerns. It asks companies to: establish anonymous channels for employees to raise risk-related issues with boards or regulators, prohibit retaliation for speaking out, and provide legal and technical safe harbor for employees conducting good-faith safety evaluations without fear of account suspension or legal action. The resolution directly affects current and former employees of AI companies who might want to disclose risks like misinformation, bias, or system flaws. It is not a binding law but a call for companies to adopt specific protections to enable safer AI development, emphasizing that employees possess critical knowledge about AI risks but face barriers like confidentiality agreements.

Maddy summaryS 3879 amends the lists of environmental infrastructure projects eligible for loans from the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank for FY2025. The bill updates the "Storm Sandy and State Fiscal Year 2025 Clean Water Project Eligibility List" (152 projects) and the "Storm Sandy and State Fiscal Year 2025 Drinking Water Project Eligibility List" (67 projects) by adding new projects, removing some projects, and adjusting loan amounts for certain projects. This affects local governments, public water utilities, and other project sponsors seeking funding for clean water and drinking water infrastructure improvements. The bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to provide loans for a total of 219 eligible projects for FY2025, with a total authorized loan amount of $2.47 billion (down from $2.73 billion).

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to issue special "U.S. Navy Retired" license plates for veterans who were honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy, as verified by their DD-214 form. Applicants pay a $50 one-time fee and a $10 annual fee, with proceeds funding a dedicated "U.S. Navy Veteran License Plate Fund" that supports programs for Navy veterans. The plates require design approval from the Motor Vehicle Commission and the Adjutant General, and implementation depends on securing at least 500 applications and $25,000 in private funding to cover initial costs. The program remains inactive until these conditions are met, with a 12-month deadline for implementation after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to conduct a statewide assessment of packaging recycling, composting, and reuse systems by hiring a consultant and establishing a temporary advisory council. It appropriates $500,000 to fund the assessment, which must examine current recycling rates, infrastructure needs, environmental justice considerations, and strategies to achieve optimal recycling rates by 2035 for materials like paper, plastic, glass, and metal. The DEP will select a consultant by January 2026, with the consultant submitting a draft assessment to the advisory council by December 2026. The advisory council, representing diverse stakeholders including haulers, local governments, and environmental organizations, will provide input before the final assessment is submitted to the Governor and Legislature by May 2027. The final report will include recommendations for improving New Jersey's packaging recycling system.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A4935) creates an Artificial Intelligence Apprenticeship Program within the Department of Labor to connect employers in the AI industry with apprentices focused on AI technology, data analytics, and automation. It also establishes a tax credit allowing employers to claim up to $5,000 per qualified apprentice (half of their wages, capped annually) against New Jersey’s gross income tax and corporation business tax. To qualify, apprentices must work at least 20 weeks per year in a compliant AI apprenticeship program (max four years), covering roles like AI software development or generative AI content creation. The program requires collaboration between employers, educational institutions, and the state to develop training pathways. This directly affects AI industry employers and unskilled/semi-skilled workers entering AI careers in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey law to explicitly include virtual currency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in the definition of "gift" for public officials. It prohibits state and local government employees, elected representatives, and other defined public officials from accepting these digital assets as gifts. The change updates existing gift restrictions to cover new forms of digital value, ensuring virtual currency and NFTs are treated the same as traditional gifts under state ethics laws. This is a definitional update with no new penalties or enforcement mechanisms beyond current gift-prohibition rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Attorney General to create an internet-based tracking system for rape kits (also called sexual assault forensic evidence kits). The system will allow victims, law enforcement officers, healthcare providers, and labs to monitor a kit's journey from collection at a medical facility through testing and final disposal. It mandates the Attorney General to issue guidelines for this tracking system, ensuring transparency in the chain of custody. The law, which became effective in January 2025, directly affects victims of sexual assault, healthcare facilities, law enforcement, and forensic labs handling these kits.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4475) establishes mandatory standards for court-ordered domestic violence counseling programs in New Jersey. It directly affects domestic violence offenders required by courts to participate in counseling and the counseling programs themselves. The bill requires all such programs to include four key components: risk assessments identifying escalation factors, education on power/control tactics, clear attendance tracking protocols, and regular reviews by the Department of Children and Families for funded programs. These standards ensure consistent accountability and program effectiveness for offenders mandated to attend counseling.