Sen. Doug Steinhardt

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies and increases penalties for obstructing highways or public passages in New Jersey. It separates reckless obstruction (now a disorderly persons offense, punishable by up to 6 months in jail or $1,000 fine) from purposeful obstruction that affects commerce (now a fourth-degree crime, punishable by up to 18 months in jail or $10,000 fine). The bill also specifies that gathering to hear speech or communicate does not alone constitute obstruction, and makes it a violation to refuse a reasonable official order to move from a public passage. It directly affects individuals who block roads or public areas, whether alone or in groups, and updates existing penalties from current petty disorderly offense standards.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's SCR 32 is a procedural resolution requesting Congress to call an Article V Convention of States. It asks for a convention limited to proposing constitutional amendments that would impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, reduce federal power and jurisdiction, and establish term limits for federal officials and members of Congress. This resolution serves as a continuing application, remaining active until at least two-thirds of state legislatures support the same request. The bill does not create new laws but formally requests Congress to convene a convention to address these specific constitutional limitations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1972) lowers the required age for routine mammogram coverage from 40 to 35 for most women under New Jersey insurance plans. It requires all group and individual health insurance contracts (including hospital service, medical service, and health service corporation plans) to cover one baseline mammogram at age 35, followed by annual mammograms for women aged 35 and older. Women under 35 with family history or other breast cancer risk factors continue to receive coverage as deemed medically necessary by their provider. The law also maintains existing coverage for additional tests like ultrasounds or MRIs when medically indicated due to dense breast tissue or other risk factors. This change directly affects insurers and policyholders by expanding access to preventive breast cancer screening earlier.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey Senate resolution opposes proposals to reclassify Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area as a National Park and Preserve, specifically targeting the Delaware River National Park and Lenape Preserve Alliance's plan. It expresses concern that such a change would restrict recreational activities like hunting, harm local businesses in Sussex and Warren counties that rely on tourism, and potentially impact property rights through federal land acquisition. The resolution does not alter federal designations but formally states the state's position against the proposed boundary expansion and designation shift.

Maddy summaryS 938 prohibits New Jersey state contractors and entities working with state agencies from sharing data with foreign adversaries. It bars these entities from obtaining or renewing state contracts, public works registrations, economic development subsidies, tax benefits, or redevelopment designations if listed by the Department of the Treasury as selling data to foreign adversaries. The law requires contractors to certify compliance before contracts are awarded, with the Treasury creating a public list after notice and comment periods. Violations of certification can trigger civil penalties of up to $1 million or twice the contract value, plus contract termination and a five-year ineligibility period.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires individuals or employers receiving state benefits (such as contracts, loans, tax breaks, grants, or licenses) to certify that their presence in the U.S. is authorized under federal law. Employers must also certify they made a good-faith effort to verify employees’ work eligibility under federal law. The New Jersey Department of Labor must provide a standardized form for this certification, including a statement that knowingly false claims may result in penalties. The law applies to all state agencies and aims to incorporate the certification into existing application processes, not create a new system. Penalties only apply to "knowingly and willfully" false statements.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that defendants charged with certain child sexual abuse or endangerment crimes must be held in pretrial detention, unless they can prove otherwise. It directly affects individuals accused of specific offenses including endangering the welfare of a child (N.J.S.2C:24-4), sexual assault with minor victims, or criminal sexual contact with minor victims. Under the bill, courts must assume no bail or release conditions would ensure court appearance or community safety for these cases, shifting the burden to the defendant to rebut the presumption. Defendants must actively challenge the detention order at a hearing, and appeals are handled urgently while detention continues pending resolution. This changes the default from presuming release (as in most cases) to presuming detention for these specific child-related offenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans the farming (aquaculture) of octopuses for human food in New Jersey. It prohibits anyone from raising octopuses in facilities for consumption and stops businesses from selling, possessing, or transporting farmed octopus. Violations can result in daily civil penalties up to $1,000, with each day of violation counted separately. The law specifically excludes wild-caught octopus and octopus raised solely for research unrelated to commercial production.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the income limit that New Jersey residents aged 62+ can earn from certain non-retirement sources while still qualifying for the retirement income exclusion. Under current law, taxpayers with over $3,000 in income from sources like wages or business profits could not claim the exclusion; this bill raises that limit to $25,000. However, the exclusion remains unavailable if a taxpayer’s total gross income exceeds $100,000. The change directly affects older New Jersey residents receiving retirement income who also have modest additional income from specific sources.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 329) makes it a crime to use artificial intelligence or deepfake technology to impersonate someone for fraudulent purposes. It specifically adds AI-generated impersonation to the state's identity theft law, covering cases where someone falsely depicts another person through deepfakes to obtain benefits, avoid payments, or cause harm. Penalties range from a fourth-degree crime (small-scale, under $500) to a second-degree crime (large-scale, $75,000+ or five+ victims). The law also requires courts to correct false records created by such fraud and may order restitution to victims.