Asm. Dan Hutchison

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits prosecutors from negotiating plea agreements that reduce the sentence for burglary when a firearm was used during the offense. Currently, burglary involving a firearm is a second-degree crime, but the bill ensures defendants cannot receive a lighter sentence through plea deals - requiring them to face the standard sentencing for second-degree burglary as defined by law. The law defines "firearm" broadly to include items like air guns, spring guns, and other devices capable of causing injury. This directly affects individuals charged with burglary who used a firearm, eliminating the option of plea bargains for reduced penalties in these specific cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires licensed child care centers in New Jersey to provide parents or guardians with 60 days' written notice before increasing tuition rates. Centers must send the notice via certified mail (with return receipt), first-class mail, or in-person delivery to the parent's last known address, and also post it on their website and display it prominently at the center. The notice requirement applies to all tuition rate changes occurring three months after the bill's enactment. This directly affects parents of children enrolled in licensed child care centers by giving them advance warning of fee changes.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A3004) restricts how genetic testing can be conducted on DNA samples from newborns and crime victims. It requires informed consent for most genetic testing, but explicitly permits law enforcement to use crime victim/witness DNA *only* to identify the suspect in the specific investigation where the sample was collected - preventing its use to identify family members. For newborns, it limits DNA testing to authorized newborn screening programs for health conditions. The bill also requires law enforcement to obtain a warrant or court order to access DNA information, strengthening privacy protections for individuals.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides mortgage payment relief and foreclosure protection for New Jersey homeowners who received federal disaster assistance after Hurricane Ida damaged their primary residence in September 2021. It requires mortgage servicers to grant a one-year payment pause (forbearance) without fees, penalties, or credit reporting, retroactive to payments missed since September 1, 2021. Homeowners must meet income limits (≤150% of area median income) and asset thresholds (less than six months of income in bank accounts), and submit a written request. The relief ends either after one year or July 1, 2024, whichever comes first, and does not apply to federally-backed loans like FHA or VA mortgages.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require all public and nonpublic schools participating in the National School Lunch Program or federal School Breakfast Program to provide free meals to every enrolled student, regardless of their family's income or federal eligibility status. Currently, schools only provide free or reduced-price meals to students who meet specific federal income or categorical eligibility criteria (like being homeless or receiving SNAP benefits). Under this bill, all students would receive meals at no cost, with the state covering the unreimbursed costs for students who are not federally eligible. This would expand New Jersey's existing "Working Class Families" Anti-Hunger Act, which previously provided free meals to students from families earning up to 224% of the federal poverty level.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public colleges and universities to provide a replacement scholarship to student-athletes who lose their athletic scholarship due to a sports-related injury or illness that makes them medically ineligible to compete. If an athletic scholarship is rescinded or not renewed because of such an injury or illness (as determined by the institution's medical staff), the school must offer a new scholarship equal in value for the remainder of the student's undergraduate degree program or up to five academic years total - whichever is shorter. It specifically covers injuries directly related to intercollegiate athletics that prevent continued participation. The bill applies only to public institutions of higher education in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryACR 141 proposes a constitutional amendment to provide a property tax exemption for the primary residence of a surviving spouse when a first responder - such as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency medical personnel - dies while performing their duties. The exemption would apply only if the property was the first responder’s primary residence at the time of death, the surviving spouse continues to occupy it as their primary residence, and the spouse remains unmarried. It would not apply if the death resulted from the first responder’s own willful negligence or if the surviving spouse did not cohabit with the first responder under circumstances that would have justified divorce. The exemption would end if the surviving spouse remarries.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 150) formally recognizes Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey, as one of only two surviving Negro League stadiums in the U.S. and highlights its historical significance as a landmark honoring African American athletes. It specifically acknowledges the annual football rivalry game between Montclair State University and William Paterson University held at the stadium, calling it a cultural event that preserves the site's legacy. The resolution has no legal effect but serves to publicly affirm the stadium's importance through formal recognition. It directs copies to university leaders, the Governor, relevant legislators, and the New Jersey Historical Society. The resolution does not alter any laws or funding but aims to promote awareness of the stadium's role in sports history.

Maddy summaryS 1017 (now P.L.2024, c.59) requires New Jersey law enforcement agencies to notify sexual assault victims about key developments in their criminal cases, specifically regarding DNA evidence. Victims have the right to be informed whether DNA from the assault was collected, entered into forensic databases, or matched to a suspect’s DNA (with exceptions if disclosure would compromise an ongoing investigation). Victims can request written or email updates about evidence processing status, and agencies must provide this information in a timely manner upon request. This law directly affects sexual assault victims in New Jersey by ensuring they receive specific, actionable updates about their case evidence under the state’s crime victim rights framework.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's "Design Professional Self-Certification Act" (A4360, now law as P.L.2024, c.58) creates a program allowing licensed architects and professional engineers to self-certify that certain construction projects comply with building codes. It directly affects qualified design professionals who can now submit construction permit applications with self-certification forms for eligible projects (like renovations under specific size limits for residential or commercial buildings), bypassing full code reviews by local agencies. Local building departments must then conduct a simple "supervisory check" to confirm all required documents are present and issue permits - same as before - within 1-5 days. This applies only to projects not excluded (e.g., structural alterations requiring special inspections, new kitchens, or electrical upgrades over 400 amps), with the Department of Community Affairs setting qualification rules.