Sen. Raj Mukherji

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's nursing assistant and homemaker-home health aide certification exams to be available in multiple languages, including at minimum English and Spanish. It directly affects individuals seeking these certifications by making the exams accessible to non-English speakers. The law mandates the Department of Health and the New Jersey Board of Nursing to provide translations for all required written and oral exams. The bill takes effect six months after enactment, with rules to be adopted as needed under existing administrative procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits health insurers, third-party administrators, and state health benefit programs from requiring prior approval or precertification for covered prenatal ultrasounds. It applies only when the ultrasound is prescribed by a licensed provider and already covered under a health plan. The law directly affects insurance companies, state programs like the State Health Benefits Program, and school employee health plans. It takes effect immediately for new health benefit plans.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1899) allows disabled veterans and Purple Heart recipients with specific license plates to park in spaces reserved for people with disabilities. It directly affects New Jersey residents who hold disabled veteran license plates or Purple Heart plates certified by a doctor as limiting mobility. The key provision lets these individuals use their existing plates to park in disability zones without needing additional permits, though Purple Heart holders must carry medical certification proving mobility limitations and show it to police if asked. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill protects unionized faculty and staff at New Jersey City University (NJCU) if the university merges with Kean University. It prohibits job loss, reduced hours, or other adverse actions for three years after the merger, and requires Kean to offer vacant positions first to transferred NJCU employees. The bill also ensures all existing union contracts, salaries, benefits, and seniority are maintained for three years, with a two-year grace period to meet new job requirements. These provisions apply specifically to employees in recognized collective bargaining units who transfer due to the merger.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows couples in New Jersey to obtain marriage or civil union licenses and have their ceremonies performed entirely via live video call. It permits licensing officers and officiants to verify identities, administer oaths, and collect signatures remotely, provided the video conference is live with interaction, all parties show valid ID, and documents are signed and transmitted electronically. The law directly affects couples who choose this remote option instead of in-person appearances, while maintaining existing requirements for identity verification and documentation. Key provisions include mandatory live interaction, electronic signature transmission, and verification that all participants are physically located within New Jersey during the process. The bill does not change the fundamental requirements for marriage or civil unions but adds a remote alternative for those who qualify.

Maddy summarySJR 53 is a symbolic resolution introduced in the New Jersey Senate that formally recognizes Sanskrit as one of the world languages. It does not create new laws or affect any policies, rights, or funding; it is purely a statement of recognition. The resolution's key provision requires the state to acknowledge Sanskrit's historical significance - citing its influence on 97% of world languages, ancient origins (over 3,500 years), and status as a systematic language with a large vocabulary. It directs copies to Samskrita Bharati New Jersey, a cultural organization, and takes effect immediately. This resolution has no practical impact beyond expressing symbolic support for Sanskrit's cultural and linguistic importance.

Maddy summarySCR 57 is a New Jersey concurrent resolution condemning President Trump's decision to rescind a federal policy that prohibited immigration enforcement in sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, places of worship, and shelters. It specifically targets the Trump administration's reversal of Biden-era guidance that protected these areas, which had been in place since 2011. The resolution states this change deters immigrant families - including U.S. citizen children - from accessing essential services like healthcare, education, and disaster relief. As a symbolic statement (not a law), it reaffirms New Jersey's commitment to equal access to services regardless of immigration status and will be sent to the President, Homeland Security Secretary, and New Jersey's congressional delegation.

Maddy summaryS 2881 requires New Jersey professional and occupational boards to issue licenses, certificates, or registrations to veterans who hold a valid license in good standing from another state or jurisdiction. It applies to veterans with an honorable or general, honorable discharge from military service (including the NJ National Guard) who provide proof of their out-of-state license and meet all other licensure requirements, including examinations. Boards must evaluate equivalent training, education, or experience without requiring identical hours of experience as in other jurisdictions. This policy change directly affects veterans seeking to practice professions like nursing, engineering, or contracting in New Jersey without duplicating licensing requirements. The bill aims to facilitate career transitions for veterans by recognizing their existing credentials.

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 (S 2900) amends New Jersey law to explicitly permit voters to take photographs of their own voted ballots in polling booths and share those photos on internet-based social media. It directly affects voters who choose to photograph and share their ballots, clarifying that existing prohibitions on showing ballots do not apply to this specific action. The key provision modifies Section 19:34-7 to state that voters may "voluntarily take a photograph of the voter’s own voted ballot and share that photograph on Internet-based social media" without violating current ballot secrecy rules. The law does not change other ballot secrecy rules, such as prohibitions on showing ballots to others or inspecting them.