Maddy summaryThis bill requires public schools serving as polling places to create security plans ensuring voters cannot access or interact with students during elections. The plan must include a locked, separate voting area if school is in session, provided the school can implement it. It also clarifies that police officers may be present at senior residential centers or schools used as polling places only if requested by the center/school, must wear plain clothes, and cannot interfere with voters. Schools must notify election officials seven days before an election if requesting police presence, and all such requests trigger a chain of notifications to county and state election offices. The security plan requirement takes effect for the first election after the bill's enactment.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's State Board of Education to create three new teaching endorsements: 1) A Students with Disabilities endorsement (pre-K-grade 12, excluding blind/visually impaired or deaf/hard-of-hearing students), allowing teachers to instruct all students with disabilities across all grade levels and provide consultative support. 2) A Kindergarten-Grade 8 endorsement, enabling teachers to teach grades K-6 and specialty subjects in grades 7-8. 3) A Bilingual and Bicultural endorsement, requiring language proficiency and a specialized program to teach bilingual education at all grade levels. These changes directly affect teachers seeking certification and students in special education, elementary/middle schools, and bilingual programs, replacing current endorsement restrictions.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes county-level "ATV Law Enforcement Task Forces" in New Jersey to improve coordination of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) law enforcement. Each task force, composed of county prosecutors, sheriffs, and police chiefs, must study current ATV laws, develop a coordinated enforcement plan for their county, and consider strategies like ATV seizure for illegal operation. The plan must include implementing a specific law (P.L.2021, c.353) allowing municipalities to declare illegally operated ATVs as forfeitable "contraband." Task forces must adopt their plans within six months and report findings to the Attorney General, who will then submit a final report to the Governor and Legislature. The bill directly affects county and municipal law enforcement agencies by creating a structured framework for collaborative ATV enforcement.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey taxpayers to deduct up to $120 annually from their gross income for donations of menstrual products (like sanitary napkins, tampons, and cups) made to qualified New Jersey-based charities. To claim the deduction, donors must obtain written proof from the charity documenting each donation, including the product type, quantity, and value. The bill also protects donors and charities from liability for "apparently usable" products (meeting quality standards but not necessarily marketable) donated in good faith, unless gross negligence or intentional misconduct causes harm. It defines qualified charities as those registered in New Jersey, operating within the state, and providing medical or social services to people who menstruate.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans in New Jersey - including employer-sponsored plans (SHBP/SEHBP) and state programs (NJ FamilyCare) - to cover qualified sign language interpreter services during medical appointments for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. It mandates coverage for in-person interpreters or video remote services when in-person options are unavailable, with specific safety exceptions (e.g., prohibiting family interpreters in suspected domestic violence or child abuse cases). Insurers must cover these services at the same level as other medical expenses, and interpreters must be certified by New Jersey’s Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or an approved organization. The bill directly affects deaf and hard of hearing residents seeking medical care by ensuring access to communication support during health encounters.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new Department of Early Childhood within New Jersey's Executive Branch to consolidate early childhood services. It transfers specific responsibilities from the Department of Education (covering preschool-through-kindergarten programs like teacher licensing and Title I services) and the Department of Human Services (covering pregnancy-to-age-eight services like child care programs and the First Steps Initiative) to this new department. The bill defines the Commissioner as the head of the department, appointed by the Governor, and outlines the department's authority to manage these transferred programs, develop regulations, and coordinate services. This creates a single state agency responsible for early childhood education and care, directly affecting children aged birth through eight and the agencies currently managing these services.
Maddy summarySCR 27 proposes a constitutional amendment to guarantee all New Jersey residents a fundamental right to a clean and healthy environment, including clean air, pure water, safe climate, and healthy habitats. It designates the State as the trustee of all natural resources (waters, air, lands, wildlife, and climate) for both current and future generations, requiring the state to conserve and maintain these resources for public benefit. The amendment would be self-executing, meaning courts could enforce it directly without new laws, and it explicitly states these rights are in addition to existing environmental protections. This change would apply to all New Jersey residents and require the state government to uphold these environmental rights through its actions and policies.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2245), now enacted as P.L.2025, c.343, requires specific employees to complete training on identifying and responding to human trafficking. It directly affects public transportation workers, motorbus operators, hotel/motel staff (including owners/operators), and healthcare facility employees. The training must cover recognizable signs/symbols of trafficking victims and is mandatory for license/permit renewal. Completion is required within one year for current staff or six months for new hires, with courses reviewed every two years. The law ties training to licensing under existing statutes (Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law, healthcare facility regulations).
Maddy summaryS 2224 requires New Jersey's Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO) to provide immediate emergency assistance to crime victims and their family members. The bill mandates that VCCO staff be dispatched to hospitals or emergency care facilities upon request to help victims access resources and complete applications, and establishes a 24-hour toll-free hotline and email system for requesting this assistance. The hotline will provide information about available resources, emergency awards, and the option for staff to visit victims' locations. This applies to all state police departments, hospitals, and courthouses where crime victim information is currently posted, as required by existing law.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 52) upgrades penalties for adults who fail to securely store loaded firearms where minors can access them, resulting in injury or death. Currently a misdemeanor, the offense becomes a fourth-degree crime (up to 18 months in prison) if injury occurs, or a third-degree crime (3-5 years) if death or serious injury results. It requires secure storage (locked container, secure location, or trigger lock) to avoid liability, applies to minors under 16, and clarifies exceptions for authorized minor firearm use or self-protection. The law does not change storage requirements but significantly increases criminal penalties for violations causing harm.