Asm. Dan Hutchison

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 authorizes funding to protect the safety of cooperating witnesses - individuals who testify for the government to help prosecute crimes, including confidential informants. It expands New Jersey's Crime Victim's Bill of Rights to guarantee these witnesses assistance with psychological and practical challenges of testifying, protective measures before, during, and after trials, and court procedures ensuring their safety. The bill amends existing laws to allow the Victims of Crime Compensation Office to cover relocation and safety expenses, and authorizes the Victim and Witness Advocacy Fund to provide grants to organizations offering services like emergency shelter, medical advocacy, and safety planning for these witnesses and their families. These changes directly affect witnesses who cooperate with law enforcement in criminal cases, ensuring they receive concrete support and protection while navigating the justice system.

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits of certain retired police and firefighters in New Jersey's Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS). It applies specifically to members who have been retired and receiving benefits for at least 10 years, excluding those hired after the bill's effective date, those in deferred retirement, and those with 20-24 years of service. The COLAs are tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners, with benefits up to $75,000 receiving full adjustment, while higher benefits are capped at a 1% annual increase. The $75,000 threshold will adjust annually based on inflation, and the bill requires the Legislature to appropriate funds to cover both state and local costs for these adjustments.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) to provide current non-retired members and those applying for retirement after the bill's effective date with the same benefits as members enrolled before July 1, 2007. It eliminates tiered membership by moving all current TPAF members to Tier 1, requires public employers to enroll eligible employees (earning above minimum salary but not meeting hour requirements) in TPAF, and allows Defined Contribution Retirement Program participants to transfer service credit to TPAF without transferring contributions. Participants in the Defined Contribution Retirement Program have six months to opt out of the transfer after receiving notice. These changes apply only to retirement applications processed after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A908) requires New Jersey's Attorney General to create a statewide Internet-based tracking system for rape kits (sexual assault forensic evidence kits). It directly affects victims of sexual assault, healthcare facilities that collect kits, law enforcement agencies, and laboratories that process them. The system must track kits through every step - from collection at a hospital to final disposition - allowing authorized users to monitor the chain of custody. The Attorney General must issue guidelines to implement the system, which takes effect seven months after enactment. The bill focuses on improving transparency and accountability in handling rape kits, not on changing legal standards for sexual assault cases.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution expresses the New Jersey General Assembly's support for the "Breakfast Bowl," an annual football game between Montclair State University and Rowan University designed to raise awareness about food insecurity in New Jersey. The resolution recognizes the universities' existing food insecurity initiatives, including Montclair's Red Hawk Pantry and Rowan's SHOP food pantry, which provide fresh produce and food assistance to students and community members. The winner of the game will also determine whether New Jersey's signature breakfast meat is called "Pork Roll" or "Taylor Ham" until the next year's event.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A5101 would eliminate the requirement for remote sellers and out-of-state corporations to collect sales tax or pay corporate business tax based on the number of transactions in the state. Currently, sellers must collect tax if they exceed $100,000 in revenue *or* have 200+ transactions in New Jersey; this bill removes the transaction threshold, leaving only the $100,000 revenue requirement. It directly affects online retailers and businesses selling digital products or services into New Jersey without a physical presence. The change simplifies tax collection obligations by focusing solely on revenue volume rather than transaction volume for both sales tax and corporate business tax purposes. This applies to all sales occurring after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 4148, now P.L.2024, c.103) requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education (DOE) to create and distribute informational materials about type 1 diabetes to parents and guardians of public school students. The materials must explain type 1 diabetes, its warning signs, screening recommendations, treatment planning, and school care protocols, as specified in the law. School districts must make these resources available to families through the DOE website. The law took effect immediately upon approval and directly affects all parents/guardians of students in New Jersey public schools.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4881) requires New Jersey colleges and universities to notify state education agencies when the federal government approves borrower defense loan discharge for a student. Specifically, institutions must inform the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority and the Secretary of Higher Education within a reasonable time after receiving federal notice of approved discharge. The bill also mandates that institutions report whether the student was a New Jersey resident during enrollment. This ensures state agencies are aware of discharged loans for potential state-level support or oversight, aligning with federal borrower defense rules that allow loan discharge when institutions engaged in misconduct harming students.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A5078 prohibits the farming (aquaculture) of any octopus species for human consumption within the state. It also bans businesses from selling, possessing, or transporting octopus products resulting from aquaculture. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, with each continuing day treated as a separate offense. The law specifically excludes wild-caught octopus and research-related activities. This directly affects commercial aquaculture operations and food businesses handling farmed octopus.