Asm. Lou Greenwald

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1 million from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services (DHS) specifically for transportation costs associated with the Larc Norcross School Special Needs Adult Program. The program serves adults over age 21 with disabilities who have transitioned out of school-based services, providing daily care, therapy, and social activities. The funding addresses a gap where Medicaid transportation coverage is insufficient, ensuring participants have reliable access to these services. The appropriation is a supplemental addition to the existing fiscal year 2026 budget (P.L.2025, c.74), effective immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences to collect specific data for six months on drug evidence testing conducted by law enforcement. It mandates recording details like whether field tests were performed, their results, whether lab analysis followed, and instances where field tests may have been incorrect. The Office must then issue a report to the legislature within 90 days, analyzing false positive rates and trends related to drug field test reliability. The data collection applies to all drug evidence specimens gathered during investigations of controlled substance violations. This is a data-gathering measure, not a policy change, aimed at understanding current testing practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a public database managed by New Jersey's Business Action Center (within the Department of State) listing vacant commercial properties available for small businesses to lease or purchase. The database must include specific details like square footage, included equipment, and building systems (e.g., HVAC, security). Commercial property owners are required to report vacancies or occupancy changes to the center, which will update the database monthly using input from owners, realtors, and municipalities. The database will be accessible online and promoted to business associations and local chambers to help small businesses find suitable space more efficiently.

Maddy summaryThis law makes it a crime to sell or possess parts designed to convert standard firearms into machine guns (known as "machine gun conversion devices"). It directly affects sellers and owners of these specific firearm components. The bill establishes criminal penalties for violating this prohibition, adding to existing firearm regulations. The law was enacted after being approved in P.L.2025, c.363, and is now part of New Jersey state law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3524) requires New Jersey restaurants employing 15 or more people to provide annual sexual harassment training to all staff, including new hires within 90 days and refresher sessions every five years. The training must be interactive, industry-specific, offered in English and Spanish, and include separate modules for supervisors and regular employees. Restaurants must also adopt and distribute a written sexual harassment policy. Violations could result in civil penalties up to $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for subsequent violations. The bill is pending before the Assembly Labor Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill would create a two-year pilot program in New Jersey to integrate 24-hour behavioral health services into hospital urgent care facilities. It requires managed care organizations to contract with six hospitals (two per region) to provide integrated care, including staffing with behavioral health clinicians, telehealth partnerships, and smooth care transitions like "warm hand-offs" for patients experiencing mental health crises. The program would be funded through Medicaid using a payment system tied to outcomes, aiming to reduce unnecessary emergency department visits and inpatient admissions for behavioral health issues. The pilot directly affects hospitals participating in the program, Medicaid beneficiaries seeking urgent behavioral health care, and the providers delivering these integrated services.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey taxpayers to voluntarily contribute a portion of their state income tax refund or make an additional payment when filing their tax return to support public humanities programming. The contributions would go into a new "New Jersey Council for the Humanities Fund" established within the Department of the Treasury. The state would deduct administrative costs from collected contributions before depositing the net amount into the fund. The Legislature would annually appropriate these funds to the New Jersey Council for the Humanities to provide grants for humanities programs across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey law to simplify the process for businesses to convert between entity types, such as partnerships converting to limited liability companies (LLCs) or corporations, or vice versa. It requires businesses to file a "certificate of conversion" with the Division of Revenue, including details like the original business name, conversion plan, and address for public access. The law ensures legal continuity, meaning all rights, property, debts, and liabilities of the original business automatically transfer to the new entity upon filing. This directly affects business owners choosing to restructure their operations and the Division of Revenue as the designated filing office.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates how New Jersey allocates revenue from hotel and motel occupancy fees. It sets specific percentages (e.g., 22.68% for arts funding) and minimum dollar amounts ($31.9 million annually for the State Council on the Arts) for fiscal years 2021-2026, then establishes fixed minimums ($31.9M for arts, $5.5M for history, etc.) starting in 2027. These funds directly support cultural projects, historical commissions, tourism promotion, and the Cultural Trust. The bill was withdrawn after being enacted as P.L.2025, c.393, meaning its provisions are now law.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes New Jersey's unemployment rules for workers who leave a job for another that later falls through. It extends the acceptable time window from 7 to 10 days for workers to accept a new job without losing benefits if the offer is rescinded through no fault of their own. Workers qualify for benefits if the new job's pay or hours match their previous position, and they left for a job starting within 10 days. The rule also adjusts the timeline if an employer terminates them early, starting the 10-day period from the planned departure date.