Asm. Carol Murphy

Maddy summaryThis bill provides $2 million in state funding to New Jersey's Department of Labor to support county prosecutors in enforcing wage payment laws. It requires each county prosecutor's office to assign a dedicated assistant prosecutor to investigate and prosecute cases where employers fail to pay wages or violate wage-hour laws. The funding covers both financial resources and training for prosecutors to handle these cases more effectively. This directly affects workers who are owed wages and county prosecutors who will now have dedicated staff and resources for wage enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a misdemeanor to send unsolicited naked photos or videos via electronic means without the recipient's consent. It specifically targets individuals who knowingly transmit such material to people who did not request it or give explicit permission. If the sender knows the recipient is a child under 13 or someone with a mental condition unable to understand the sexual nature of the image, it becomes a more serious offense punishable by up to 18 months in jail or a $10,000 fine. The law directly affects anyone who sends unsolicited sexually explicit images electronically, with stricter penalties when vulnerable recipients are involved.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3174) requires New Jersey counties to specifically list all spending on veterans' services - such as transportation and employment counseling - in their annual budgets submitted to the Division of Local Government Services (DLS) within the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). It directly affects county governments, mandating they separate these expenditures from general budget items when certifying budgets. The key provision is a clear requirement for transparency in how counties allocate funds toward veteran support programs. The bill takes effect after enactment and applies to all county budgets submitted to DLS after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3730) updates civil remedies for New Jersey residents who suffer privacy violations from unauthorized recording or disclosure of sexual or intimate images. It allows victims to sue in Superior Court anonymously using a pseudonym or initials, request sealed court records to protect their identity, and seek damages. Key changes include raising the minimum liquidated damages per violation from $1,000 to $10,000 (considering factors like the actor’s age and frequency of violations) and permitting recovery of any financial gain the actor earned from the disclosure. Exceptions to liability include disclosures made to law enforcement, for medical treatment, or in reporting unlawful conduct. The bill specifically protects parents, guardians, or "consistent caretakers" from liability when disclosing a child’s image for non-harmful reasons.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Police Training Commission to study gender disparities in police employment across state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies. The Commission must examine recruitment, hiring practices, and retention policies affecting women officers, focusing on why women remain significantly underrepresented (currently only 5.6% in the State Police). Within six months of the bill's enactment, the Commission must issue a report with specific recommendations to the Governor and Legislature to improve gender representation. The study aims to address systemic barriers, such as non-job-related fitness standards, identified as contributing to low female recruitment and retention.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state-funded program to reimburse county governments for providing transportation services to disabled veterans traveling to medical appointments for service-connected conditions. It appropriates $2 million from the General Fund to the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to support this initiative. The program directly affects disabled veterans who are honorably discharged from military service and certified by the U.S. Veterans Administration as having service-connected disabilities. Counties that provide transportation services to these veterans can receive state reimbursement, reducing out-of-pocket costs for veterans needing medical care. The bill amends existing law to create this specific reimbursement mechanism for county transportation services.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to create a sexual assault prevention training program for high school athletic coaches and directors in public and nonpublic schools. The training must cover preventing sexual assault, identifying signs of assault, and connecting victims to medical, legal, and counseling services. All coaches and athletic directors must complete this training every four years, with new hires required to finish it within their first year. The program must be updated periodically to reflect current prevention practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows police officers to be present at senior residential centers or public schools serving as polling places when requested by the facility, provided officers wear plain clothes and do not interfere with voters. It requires schools to develop security plans that include a locked, separate voting area to prevent voter-student interaction during elections if the school is in session. Schools must notify the district board at least seven days before an election, triggering a chain of notifications to county election officials and the Secretary of State. The Department of Education and Secretary of State must immediately inform schools of the security plan requirement after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution establishes a 11-member "Prison Gang Violence Task Force" to study security and safety in New Jersey's state correctional facilities. The task force will examine specific areas including gang prevalence, effectiveness of Correctional Emergency Response Training (CERT), safety equipment for officers, administrative segregation use, intelligence gathering methods, and incident investigation protocols. It will be composed of appointed members including current and retired correctional officers, gang experts, and facility security specialists. The task force must report its findings and recommendations to the legislature within one year of organizing. This resolution directly affects state correctional facilities, their staff, and inmates by addressing ongoing concerns about gang violence and security vulnerabilities.

Maddy summaryBill A3717 requires the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) to partner with the National Guard Association of New Jersey (NGANJ) to create a state-sponsored life insurance program for New Jersey National Guard members and their families. The program, called the "New Jersey National Guard State-Sponsored Life Insurance Program," will offer low-cost coverage through insurers licensed in New Jersey, using the NGANJ’s existing Militia Insurance Trust. This addresses the current absence of a state-sponsored option for the 8,300+ National Guard members, while complying with federal laws (37 U.S.C. 707) and Department of Defense regulations that permit such state programs. The DMVA will coordinate implementation without adding state costs, facilitating payroll allotments through military finance offices.