Asm. Al Barlas

Maddy summaryBill A1241 establishes the Code Blue Shelter Matching Grant Program within New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA). It provides matching funds to community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that offer shelter during Code Blue alerts (cold-weather emergency alerts), requiring these groups to first receive a grant from a county or municipality within the past year. The DCA will match these local grants up to $50,000 per county/municipality annually, with no cap on the total number of grants or individual nonprofit funding. Nonprofits must submit applications detailing their finances, the original grant amount, and how funds will be used, and the DCA must report program effectiveness to the Governor and Legislature within three years.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides New Jersey residents who are surviving spouses or dependent children of military personnel killed in duty with state-funded tuition coverage at public colleges. It covers tuition costs not already covered by other scholarships or aid at specific institutions like Rutgers, NJIT, Rowan University, and county colleges. Eligibility lasts eight years from the service member's death for spouses, or eight years after high school graduation for children. The state pays only the uncovered portion of tuition, supplementing existing financial aid programs without replacing other assistance.

Maddy summaryThis resolution establishes a special committee to investigate New Jersey's Veterans' Memorial Homes in Menlo Park, Paramus, and Vineland. The committee will examine how state actions, laws, and regulations have affected residents, families, and staff since March 2020, focusing on changes made after federal inspections. The committee, composed of seven members appointed by the Assembly Speaker (with no more than four from the same party), has authority to hold hearings, require testimony and documents, and issue public reports. It will provide findings and recommendations to the legislature and public regarding the homes' operations and policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a grant program to help develop shelters for homeless veterans in New Jersey's three southernmost counties: Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland. Counties must apply to the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, proposing specific locations and providing county-owned property for shelter development. Grants are subject to available funding and require counties to detail shelter sites and property contributions. The program aims to improve access to shelter services for homeless veterans in these regions by enabling state-funded shelter development on locally provided land.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1313, "Madison Holleran Proper Reporting Act") requires New Jersey colleges and universities to publicly post on their websites the total number of enrolled students who died by suicide or attempted suicide in the previous academic year. Starting with the 2019-2020 school year, institutions must update this data annually. The law applies directly to all institutions of higher education in New Jersey and mandates transparency about student mental health outcomes. It does not require detailed personal information or specify how data is collected, only the annual public posting of aggregate totals.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to offer the driver's license knowledge test in Italian. It would restore a language option that the MVC eliminated in recent years, as the current law mandates the test be available in English and the three most commonly spoken foreign languages in the state. The MVC would need to specifically add Italian to its language options for the knowledge test. This change would directly affect Italian-speaking residents applying for driver's licenses in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryAJR 55 designates March 16 each year as "Paws Healing Heroes Day" in New Jersey to recognize service dogs that assist veterans with conditions like PTSD, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, and seizure disorders. The resolution directly affects veterans, service dog organizations (such as Paws Healing Heroes in Glassboro), and the public by raising awareness of these animals' role in veteran support. Its key mechanism is an annual designation requiring the Governor to issue a proclamation encouraging public observance. This is a ceremonial resolution, not a law with funding or regulatory changes, and it takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A1056) requires the voter registration commissioner to move voters with mail-in ballots returned as undeliverable to an inactive file. If such voters fail to vote in two consecutive federal general elections, they will be permanently removed from the Statewide voter registration system and transferred to a deleted file. The commissioner must send written notices to affected voters at three key stages: when placed in the inactive file, when removal is initiated, and after removal. The bill directly affects voters who receive mail-in ballots but cannot be delivered, altering how the state manages inactive voter records.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey Transit (NJT) to install and maintain automated external defibrillators (AEDs) on every train set used for passenger service. It mandates that AEDs be kept accessible, tested regularly, and clearly marked with signs. NJT must also ensure trained staff are present on all operating trains to use the devices and provide CPR, while notifying emergency services about AED locations. The law directly affects NJT passengers, staff, and emergency responders by improving cardiac emergency response on public transit. The bill specifies liability protection for NJT and its employees using the AEDs.

Maddy summaryAJR 79 is a New Jersey joint resolution designating September 22nd of each year as "Veterans Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Day." It does not create new programs but establishes an annual observance to raise public awareness about suicide risks among veterans and active military personnel. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging state officials and citizens to observe the day with activities honoring veterans who died by suicide and supporting those at risk. This designation aims to reduce stigma around mental health treatment and highlight existing resources provided by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and other organizations. The resolution originated from a veteran's initiative to memorialize those lost to suicide, including Senior Airman Robert McRae Dean.