Maddy summaryThis bill renames the Office of Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities to the Office of the Ombudsman for Individuals with Disabilities and Their Families, expanding its scope to serve all individuals with disabilities (not just those with intellectual or developmental disabilities). It creates a deputy ombudsman position to support the ombudsman and allows the deputy to act in the ombudsman's place during absences or conflicts of interest. The office will provide information, support, and dispute resolution assistance to all individuals with disabilities and their families regarding state services from relevant departments. The bill requires the office to maintain confidentiality, hire staff, and issue annual reports to the Governor, legislative leaders, relevant department heads, and the public.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state agencies to provide written notice at least 60 days before discontinuing any ongoing state financial aid (like grants or subsidies) or state services (such as programs or benefits) to individuals, organizations, or local governments receiving them. For services affecting public health, safety, or welfare (like healthcare or emergency services), agencies must provide 90 days' notice. The notice must clearly state the discontinued aid/service, effective date, reasons, available alternatives, and contact information for appeals. Agencies must also notify legislative leaders when discontinuing funded programs.
Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $125 million to the New Jersey Affordable Housing Trust Fund to restore funding previously diverted for affordable housing projects. It directly affects municipalities that have certified compliance with fair share housing plans and housing elements, providing them with grants and loans for new housing developments. The funds will support the creation of affordable housing units by enabling local governments to finance qualifying projects under existing state housing laws. The bill restores the exact amount diverted in the 2026 state budget, with no new policy changes beyond funding allocation.
Maddy summaryThis bill increases funding for New Jersey's Work First New Jersey Child Care subsidy program by $28 million in the FY2026 budget, raising its total appropriation to $593.8 million. It directly affects lower-income families who rely on state child care subsidies to cover expenses for their children. The bill reverses policies implemented on August 1, 2025, by requiring the state to restart accepting new applications and return to pre-August 2025 family copayment rates (2-6% of income), which had been raised due to a funding shortfall. This change ensures the program operates fully without pausing new enrollments or increasing costs for eligible families.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires contractors and subcontractors working on public projects to submit payroll records to New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD). It applies to any business performing work for public bodies (like state/local governments or projects funded by public money), including construction, maintenance, or repair work. The key mechanism mandates that these contractors must register with DOLWD and provide payroll details to verify compliance with prevailing wage laws and apprenticeship program requirements. This affects all employers engaged in public work contracts, ensuring transparency in worker compensation and program participation.
Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3663 requires the Department of State to create a public "Reproductive Health Travel Advisory" for residents. The advisory will inform pregnant New Jersey residents about state laws restricting reproductive healthcare access in other U.S. states, using a color-coded system: Blue (full access), Yellow (restricted access), and Red (extreme restrictions risking health or legal consequences). The advisory must be published online and updated whenever other states change their reproductive healthcare laws. This bill directly affects pregnant New Jersey residents planning travel who may need emergency reproductive care.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's child care assistance program to include full-time graduate and post-graduate students who meet income, asset, and residency requirements and are enrolled full-time in good academic standing at a public or private college or university. Currently, the program covers only full-time undergraduate students pursuing associate's or bachelor's degrees. The state must update its eligibility rules and seek federal funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant to cover the costs of this expansion. This change directly affects graduate and post-graduate students who are parents and rely on the program for child care support.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school districts to include instruction about the history and contributions of Latino and Hispanic Americans in Social Studies and English Language Arts curricula for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It mandates that school boards integrate this content as part of their existing implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. The Commissioner of Education must provide sample lesson resources and activities to support schools, developed with input from the Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage. The law takes effect immediately for the first full school year after enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a "Summer Termination Program" that prevents utility companies (including local authorities, municipal utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and public utilities) from disconnecting electricity, water, or sewer service to eligible residential customers during extreme heat. It triggers when a 72-hour forecast predicts temperatures reaching or exceeding 85°F for at least 24 hours. Eligible customers include those receiving assistance under the existing Winter Termination Program or those unable to pay bills due to hardships like unemployment, illness, or family emergencies. The program requires the Department of Community Affairs and the Board of Public Utilities to establish self-certification processes for customers to claim financial hardship.
Maddy summaryThe "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act" (S 3309) requires used car dealers to check for open recalls on vehicles before sale using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website and provide prospective buyers with printed recall information if any are found. Dealers cannot sell vehicles subject to stop-sale or do-not-drive notices issued by NHTSA. The bill mandates dealers to report vehicles with unresolved recalls (for which repairs remain uncompleted six months after initial notice) to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission every 180 days, prompting the Commission to send notices directly to vehicle owners. For vehicles with unavailable parts for recalls, dealers receive monthly compensation equal to 1.75% of the vehicle's value until repairs are completed.