Maddy summaryThis bill creates a program to set aside state government contracts for businesses owned and operated by people with disabilities. To qualify, a business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by a person with a disability (as defined by the bill) and certified by approved organizations like Disability:IN. The Department of the Treasury will administer the program, requiring state agencies to award at least 3% of their contracts to these businesses - either through direct set-asides or subcontracting requirements. Contracting agencies can designate specific contracts as set-asides only when at least three qualified businesses bid at a fair price, with strict certification and dispute resolution procedures to ensure compliance.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and certain state facilities (including developmental centers and psychiatric hospitals) in New Jersey. It requires specific ratios, such as 1 nurse per 5 medical/surgical patients, 1 per 2 in emergency critical care, and 1 per 1 in burn units. Facilities must implement acuity-based staffing systems that exceed these minimums, considering patient needs and staff skills, while maintaining nurse float pools. The regulations cannot reduce existing staffing levels and apply to all patient units covered by the law.
Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2075 requires employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees to display a government-created poster in the workplace. The poster must include specific, accessible information about veterans' benefits and services, such as mental health resources, educational programs, tax benefits, veteran ID cards, unemployment eligibility, legal services, and the Veterans Crisis Line. The Department of Labor will collaborate with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to develop this poster. Employers must display it prominently, and the law takes effect 90 days after enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 1-year pilot program to help low-income renters with poor credit histories maintain housing stability. It selects 1,000 eligible tenants from New Jersey’s State Rental Assistance Program (or Section 8) who complete credit counseling. The program guarantees landlords payment for missed rent (with tenants repaying the fund within 90 days) while tracking default rates by credit rating. The $10 million appropriation funds the pilot’s operations and data collection, which will inform future housing policy.
Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $70 million in federal pandemic relief funds to New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (EDA) to support arts and culture organizations negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The EDA will award $50 million in grants for general financial recovery (including $10 million specifically for arts education programs in schools and after-school settings) and $20 million for placemaking projects that beautify public spaces like sidewalks and parks with art installations. Qualifying groups include both for-profit and nonprofit arts organizations that experienced pandemic-related revenue losses. The funds come directly from New Jersey's allocation of federal "Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund" money under the American Rescue Plan Act.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1501) prohibits landlords from using credit scores or credit reports to evaluate applicants for affordable housing programs. It directly affects low- and moderate-income renters applying for subsidized housing, including those using federal vouchers or state rental assistance programs. Instead of relying on credit scores, landlords must conduct individualized assessments of an applicant's ability to pay rent based on income and housing program guidelines. The law aims to prevent unfair denials of housing that disproportionately impact communities of color and other protected groups due to historical discrimination. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Committee on Community and Urban Affairs.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Developmental Disabilities to create specific guidelines for placing individuals with developmental disabilities in two types of group homes: Level 1 (for minimal behavioral needs) and Level 2 (for persistent safety risks). It mandates that placement decisions must consider the individual's clinical needs, behavior frequency, and risk to others, with Level 2 reserved for those requiring intensive care due to serious safety concerns. Transfers between levels require meeting specific criteria, such as achieving behavioral goals after 18 months (for Level 2 to Level 1) or demonstrating persistent challenging behaviors (for Level 1 to Level 2). The guidelines must also ensure Level 2 homes support reintegration into less restrictive settings.
Maddy summaryS 2012 requires all New Jersey public school districts, charter schools, and vocational/county special services schools receiving state aid to begin high school instruction (grades 9-12) no earlier than 8:30 AM local time starting in the 2024-2025 school year. The law directly affects school districts that receive state funding, with exceptions for students with individualized education plans under IDEA or Section 504. It mandates this start time based on health research showing adolescents need 8-10 hours of sleep and face risks like poor academic performance when sleep-deprived. The bill does not apply to existing individualized education programs but requires compliance for all other high school students to receive state funding.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires licensed healthcare professionals and homemaker-home health aides in New Jersey who provide in-home care to complete annual bias training focused on cultural competency and unconscious biases. The training, developed by the Department of Health, covers identifying biases related to race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, and disability, along with communication strategies and mitigating biases in care decisions. It mandates one credit of training within one year of the bill's effective date, followed by biennial recertification. The Department of Health will maintain an electronic database to track compliance with this requirement.
Maddy summaryS 718 changes how tax lien premium payments are handled in New Jersey. Instead of automatically going to municipalities after five years if property owners don't redeem, the bill requires premiums to be deposited with the court within one year of a foreclosure judgment. The original property owner can claim the premium by applying to the court within that year; if no claim is made, the funds go to the municipality. This affects property owners who redeem after tax sales and tax lien purchasers who pay the premiums.