Asm. Brian Rumpf

Maddy summaryThis bill (A131) provides free hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses, as well as free admission to New Jersey state parks and forests, for disabled veterans and specific military personnel. It expands current law by extending free park access to disabled veterans (previously only covered for licenses) and removing residency requirements for active military members stationed in New Jersey. Eligible individuals include disabled veterans with service-connected disabilities, active duty military members regardless of residency, members of NJ National Guard units, and retired NJ National Guard members. The bill amends existing statutes to clarify these benefits and requires the Division of Fish and Wildlife to establish documentation standards for verification. These provisions apply to both New Jersey residents and non-residents meeting the criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's workers' compensation and temporary disability laws to exclude undocumented workers from receiving benefits. It specifies that only individuals lawfully admitted for permanent residence, lawfully present for employment, or permanently residing in the U.S. under legal authority (including certain visa holders) qualify for coverage. The law removes eligibility for undocumented workers who do not meet these specific immigration status criteria at the time of injury or disability. This change aligns the state's benefit programs with federal immigration status requirements, responding to a prior court ruling that had allowed undocumented workers to access temporary disability benefits.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A1718 bill modifies Megan's Law to require county prosecutors to assess a sex offender's risk of re-offending *before* the offender is released from prison, rather than after release as is currently common. This change removes the factor of the offender's residence (previously used in risk assessments) to enable timely pre-release evaluations. Prosecutors must consider specific factors like criminal history, response to treatment, and recent behavior to determine the offender's risk level, which dictates community notification requirements (low, moderate, or high). The assessment must be completed prior to release, with the prosecutor of the offender's intended residence county determining notification methods. This policy directly affects sex offenders nearing release from incarceration in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill strengthens child pornography laws by creating two categories: "real" pornography (involving actual children) and "virtual" pornography (images appearing to depict children). It upgrades crimes like causing a child to engage in prohibited acts with knowledge of photography to a first-degree offense, and upgrades possession of child pornography to a third-degree crime. For virtual child pornography, it makes producing, distributing, or possessing obscene images that appear to depict children a crime with strict liability, defining "obscene" as patently offensive sexual acts lacking serious value. The bill also prohibits expungement of related criminal records and requires minimum prison sentences for repeat offenders.

Maddy summaryAJR 83 designates the first full week of May each year as "Teacher Appreciation Week" in New Jersey, recognizing the contributions of the state's educators. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation to encourage public observance of the week through community activities. It does not create new programs, funding, or legal requirements - only a symbolic designation aligning with the nationally recognized "National Teacher Appreciation Week" established in 1985. The bill directly affects teachers statewide by formally honoring their work, particularly highlighting their efforts during the pandemic when they adapted to remote instruction for over 1.4 million students.

Maddy summaryACR 58 proposes a constitutional amendment to increase New Jersey's veterans' property tax deduction from $250 to $2,500 over four years. It would raise the annual deduction to $1,000 in 2024, $1,500 in 2025, $2,000 in 2026, and $2,500 starting in 2027, with the amount remaining at $2,500 annually thereafter. This change directly affects honorably discharged veterans and their surviving spouses, who qualify for the deduction on real and personal property taxes. The amendment requires voter approval after legislative passage to take effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's county mental health programs to include mental health services for veterans and prohibits denying these services based solely on veteran status. It amends existing law to explicitly list veterans as a target population for state funding grants, ensuring programs receiving state funds must expand services to meet veterans' mental health needs. The bill also mandates that counties must refer veterans to the VA for eligibility assistance while waiting for VA services, and cannot deny care during this process. These changes apply directly to veterans in New Jersey who qualify for county mental health programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $450,000 from the Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction Fund - funded by fines from convicted drug offenders - to the Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs Program. The program, established by law (P.L.2012, c.46), uses fishing activities to engage youth in drug prevention efforts. The funding covers implementation costs, and the bill encourages annual appropriations from the same fund or other sources to maintain the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a special "Support Our Veterans" license plate for New Jersey residents, with the $50 initial fee (plus $10 annual fee) funding a dedicated fund. Proceeds from these fees, after covering production costs, will support services at New Jersey's Veterans Haven homeless veteran centers. The program requires 500 initial applications and $25,000 from the Veterans Haven Council to cover startup costs before implementation. If annual production costs exceed the $50 fee for two years, the license plate program may be discontinued.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows licensed organizations in New Jersey - such as charities, churches, veterans' groups, and civic clubs - to conduct a new type of raffle game called "Queen of Hearts." The game uses a board with 54 shuffled playing cards; a randomly drawn winner selects a card. If the card isn't the Queen of Hearts, the winner gets a cash prize immediately, and the game continues weekly until the Queen is chosen. If the Queen is selected, the winner receives half the prize, with the rest kept by the organization. The state's gambling control commission will establish rules for how these raffles must be run.