Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Owners’ Rights and Obligations in Shared Ownership Communities Act" to standardize rights and governance for homeowners in all shared ownership communities - including condominiums, planned communities, and cooperatives - in New Jersey. It creates a new Commission on Shared Ownership Communities to provide oversight, promote democratic governance, and offer low-cost dispute resolution. The bill requires standardized, transparent disclosures for prospective buyers about community rules and financial obligations, eliminates exemptions for smaller communities, and clarifies the separation between developer roles and association governance. It directly affects all homeowners in these communities by ensuring consistent protections and processes across all community types.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 3318 would expand eligibility for expungement (clearing criminal records from public access) in New Jersey by allowing individuals with one crime and up to three disorderly offenses, or multiple closely related crimes committed within a short timeframe, to apply. It clarifies that prior unrelated convictions do not block applications for specific offenses covered under these new scenarios. However, the bill explicitly excludes certain marijuana-related convictions - such as distributing marijuana near schools or in public areas - from expungement eligibility. This bill directly affects New Jersey residents with qualifying criminal records seeking to remove them from public view.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires municipal courts in New Jersey to inform applicants for public defender services about the $200 application fee (capped by existing law) and the process to request a fee waiver if they cannot afford it. It directly affects individuals applying for public defender representation in municipalities that require such a fee under current law. The bill mandates that courts provide this notice to all applicants, ensures no additional fees can be charged beyond the $200 limit, and reinforces that waivers must be granted if applicants demonstrate the fee would be an unreasonable burden. The notice requirement applies to all municipalities with such fee ordinances, aiming to clarify eligibility for fee waivers.
Maddy summarySenate Resolution 70 urges New Jersey residents to continue supporting "Small Business Saturday" each year - the Saturday following Thanksgiving - by shopping at local small businesses. It highlights that New Jersey has approximately 800,000 small businesses employing 1.7 million people across diverse sectors like retail, healthcare, and manufacturing, which are vital to the state's economy. The resolution references the American Express initiative launched in 2010, which provides consumer incentives (such as credit card rewards) and subsidized advertising to help small businesses attract holiday shoppers. This resolution does not create new laws but encourages ongoing community participation in supporting small businesses.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a loan program within New Jersey's Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) for state employees. It allows participants to borrow from their own retirement savings (specifically from mandatory, voluntary, or rollover contribution subaccounts) without triggering a taxable withdrawal. The program board will set loan terms, including eligibility, amounts, interest rates, and repayment schedules, with interest credited back to the participant's mandatory contribution subaccount. This change directly affects current and future state employees enrolled in the DCRP.
Maddy summaryThis New Jersey Senate Resolution (SR 67) urges the U.S. Congress to reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act, a 1933 law that separated commercial banking from investment banking. It argues that repealing this act in 1999 allowed banks to merge with investment firms, contributing to risky practices that helped cause the 2008 financial crisis. The resolution states that reinstating Glass-Steagall would strengthen the financial system by creating a "firewall" between these banking activities. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new law but formally requests congressional action.
Maddy summaryThis bill raises the mandatory retirement age for specific New Jersey judges from 70 to 75 years. It directly affects Supreme Court Justices, Superior Court Judges, Tax Court Judges, Administrative Law Judges, and Workers' Compensation Judges. The key provision amends existing statutes to update the retirement age requirement for these judicial positions, with no other policy changes described in the bill text. The change applies to all judges subject to mandatory retirement under current law, extending their service eligibility by five years.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3341) gives courts more discretion when deciding whether to suspend licenses (like driver's or professional licenses) for people who owe child support. It requires the Probation Division to send written notice to the obligor (the parent owing support) with 30 days to pay arrears, provide health coverage, or request a hearing before license suspension. If the obligor doesn't respond, courts can now suspend licenses without a hearing but must first verify the notice was properly delivered and that the Probation Division made a "diligent effort" to locate the obligor. The bill directly affects parents who owe child support and changes the process for license suspension, not the core requirement of six months of arrears.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey courts to mandate professional domestic violence counseling for offenders convicted of domestic violence crimes who are subject to court-ordered restrictions on contact with victims, family members, or pets. It applies to individuals sentenced with conditions restricting their contact with protected parties, including those placed on probation or having sentences suspended. The court must order offenders to complete counseling with a licensed mental health professional and provide documentation of attendance, and the offender cannot have their protection order lifted until counseling is completed. This policy change directly affects domestic violence offenders in New Jersey court cases involving contact restrictions.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3319) prohibits crisis pregnancy centers from using deceptive advertising regarding pregnancy-related services, making such practices a violation of New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act. It directly affects nonprofit crisis pregnancy centers - facilities that offer counseling and referrals for pregnancy, childbirth, and adoption but do not provide abortion or medical pregnancy services - and specifically targets ads that misrepresent their services or intent. Key provisions require centers to avoid untrue, deceptive, or misleading statements in any advertising (including online, print, or radio), with violations subject to penalties under the Consumer Fraud Act. The Attorney General can seek court injunctions to stop deceptive advertising and order remedial actions to address harm to clients. The bill defines "crisis pregnancy centers" to exclude actual medical facilities like clinics offering prenatal care or family planning.