Asm. Carol Murphy

Maddy summaryThis bill allows courts to transfer ownership of a wireless phone number and its billing responsibility to victims of domestic violence or stalking who are not the account holder. Upon a victim's request and after a final restraining order is issued, the court can order the phone provider to transfer the number directly to the victim. The victim then assumes all future costs for the phone, service, and devices, and the provider must notify the court and victim within 72 hours if they cannot complete the transfer due to technical issues. The bill ensures victim contact information remains private during proceedings and requires providers to follow standard account setup procedures for the transfer.

Maddy summaryThis bill lowers the age requirement for surviving spouses to qualify for New Jersey's homestead property tax reimbursement program. Currently, surviving spouses must be 62 or older to qualify; this bill would reduce that age threshold (exact new age not specified in provided text). The change directly affects widows and widowers who were previously ineligible until age 62. It modifies the eligibility criteria in the existing law without altering income limits or residency requirements. The program helps homeowners with property tax relief, and this amendment would expand access to surviving spouses at a younger age.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) to conduct a two-year study on the effectiveness of the veteran-to-veteran peer support helpline (commonly called the "vet to vet hotline"). The study will analyze national suicide data and helpline records to evaluate how well the program prevents suicide, supports veterans in accessing mental health care, and serves those in crisis. The DVA must submit a report to the Legislature within six months of the study's completion and may propose new legislation to improve the helpline's services. The bill directly affects the DVA and the existing veteran support program, focusing on measurable outcomes rather than operational changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4130) lowers the threshold requiring businesses to file annual disclosure statements with New Jersey's Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC). It changes the requirement from businesses receiving $50,000 or more in public contracts annually to $17,500 or more. Businesses meeting this new threshold must disclose all political contributions they made during the prior year, including the recipient and details of their public contracts. This affects for-profit entities (like corporations or LLCs) that receive $17,500+ in state or local government contracts, expanding the number of businesses subject to this disclosure rule.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC) to conduct a 12-month study of cybersecurity infrastructure across public entities (state/local governments) and private businesses operating in New Jersey. During the study, these entities must report cybersecurity incidents and breaches to the NJCCIC for 12 months. Within six months of the study's completion, the NJCCIC must create cybersecurity guidelines for all covered entities, which must be implemented within one year. Failure to adopt these guidelines may result in civil penalties, with the Department of Homeland Security setting the penalty schedule.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey nursing homes licensed for long-term skilled care to establish a permanent morgue for storing deceased residents during regular times (non-emergent periods) and maintain a separate emergency morgue space for public health emergencies like epidemics or disasters. The permanent morgue must be a secure, refrigerated area, while the emergency morgue can be a mobile unit (e.g., refrigerated vehicle) or temporary facility. Nursing homes must deploy the emergency morgue space within 72 hours of a public emergency declaration and keep it operational until the emergency ends. This applies to all licensed nursing homes, including Veterans' Memorial Homes, but excludes hospitals, assisted living facilities, and other non-nursing home settings.

Maddy summaryThis bill gives individuals denied professional licenses (such as for healthcare, law, or trades) by New Jersey state licensing agencies the right to file a complaint if they believe the denial resulted from a policy or process causing disproportionate negative impact based on race or ethnicity. To pursue a claim, the person must prove by a preponderance of evidence that the denial was due to one of three specific issues: a policy with disproportionate racial/ethnic impact, inconsistent application of rules, or unrelated factors considered by the agency. The state agency can defend by showing the policy is based on legitimate, race-neutral factors like education or experience that are applied fairly and directly related to the profession. Complaints must be filed with the Division of Civil Rights or New Jersey Superior Court, following existing anti-discrimination procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to create a mobile assistance program for seniors within 180 days. The program will deploy staffed vehicles to nursing homes, senior centers, low-income housing, and community events across the state. It provides direct help with practical needs like completing applications, accessing health services, using technology, transportation, tax assistance, and legal support. The DOH must develop this using existing funds and establish necessary rules under state law. The bill directly affects seniors, particularly those in low-income housing or with limited mobility who need hands-on help with daily services.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "School District Shared Services Task Force" to study how New Jersey school districts share resources like administrative services, transportation, or programs with other districts, municipalities, or counties. The task force, composed of state education and community affairs officials, legislative appointees, and representatives from municipal, county, and school board associations, will examine current arrangements, implementation challenges, funding needs, and potential impacts on district consolidation. It must issue a final report with concrete recommendations to improve shared services efficiency within one year of its formation. The report will be submitted to the Governor and Legislature, providing data to inform future policy decisions on school district resource sharing.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to collect DNA samples from individuals convicted of specific serious crimes, including aggravated sexual assault, murder, and certain violent offenses, at key points: upon imprisonment, as a condition of probation, before parole, or before release from custody. It applies to both adults and juveniles convicted of these crimes, as well as individuals arrested for them prior to release. The law expands existing requirements, adding new offenses like endangering a child's welfare and luring children, with different effective dates for different crime categories (starting in 1995 for sexual offenses and 2000 for violent crimes). The policy change mandates DNA collection for all qualifying cases, regardless of whether the person is incarcerated or sentenced to probation.