Sen. Raj Mukherji

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates June 23 of each year as "International Widows' Day" to raise awareness about the challenges faced by widows. It requires the governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and citizens to observe the day through activities that highlight widows' experiences. The bill does not create new policies, funding, or legal changes - it serves solely as a symbolic recognition of widows' issues, citing statistics like 260 million widows globally and 1 million U.S. widows annually. It passed unanimously in the New Jersey Assembly and became law (P.L.2025, JR-10).

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey City University (NJCU) and Kean University to protect unionized faculty and professional staff during a potential merger. It prohibits termination, layoff, or reassignment for three years after the merger and ensures internal hiring priority for vacant positions created by the merger. Existing union contracts, salaries, benefits, and job security terms must remain unchanged for three years, with Kean University barred from altering these without union consent. Violations allow unions to seek immediate court action or binding arbitration through New Jersey's Public Employment Relations Commission.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 4641 requires the Department of Human Services to implement security measures to protect SNAP recipients' benefits from theft, including mandating strong PINs, two-factor authentication for balance checks, and educating recipients on fraud prevention. The bill upgrades criminal penalties for SNAP theft: stealing $150 or more becomes a third-degree crime (up to 5 years in prison), while theft under $150 becomes a fourth-degree crime (up to 18 months). It also establishes a process for replacing stolen benefits after recipients submit a police report or evidence of fraud, using state funds if federal funds aren't available. The law directly affects SNAP recipients in New Jersey by enhancing security and creating a clear path to recover stolen benefits.

Maddy summaryS 4247, the "NJ Veterans to Local Government Employment Act," requires New Jersey's Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs (DMVA) to create a centralized website with resources for veterans seeking public employment, including civil service preference forms, job listings, and transition guides. It also mandates that DMVA provide paper copies of these materials at Veteran Service Offices and outreach events. Additionally, the Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) must maintain a public online list of non-civil service county and municipal job openings, including any veteran hiring preferences for those positions. This bill directly affects veterans navigating public employment opportunities across federal, state, county, and municipal government roles.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Veterans Care Commission within New Jersey's Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to study issues affecting active-duty service members, Reserve components, and NJ National Guard members returning to civilian life. The 11-member commission includes state agency heads, the Adjutant General, and five public members (with at least three representing qualified veterans' organizations) who will hold public hearings and analyze military service impacts on health and well-being. The commission must issue annual reports with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year of forming, including potential legislative solutions to address identified challenges. The bill directly affects New Jersey veterans and their families by creating a structured process to identify and address their post-service needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey professional licensing boards to issue licenses to veterans who hold equivalent licenses in another state. It applies to veterans with an honorable military discharge and a currently valid license in good standing from another jurisdiction, provided they meet all other standard requirements like exams. The law specifically prohibits boards from demanding the same number of experience hours as local applicants and mandates they evaluate out-of-state training and experience fairly. This streamlines licensing for veterans transitioning to civilian careers without duplicating their military-earned qualifications.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows 12th-grade students in New Jersey public schools to receive excused absences for military enlistment activities without affecting their attendance records. It specifically covers required steps like testing, medical evaluations, interviews, and fingerprinting for those enlisting in the U.S. military or National Guard. Schools cannot count these absences toward perfect attendance records or list them on transcripts, applications, or employment forms. Students must provide documentation to verify their military enlistment plans to school officials.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens regulation of cooperative sober living residences (facilities for individuals recovering from addiction) by increasing civil penalties for violations from $5,000 to $25,000, requiring two annual unannounced inspections, and mandating public posting of licensed facility locations. It establishes new reporting requirements for serious incidents like injuries, deaths, or outbreaks, and requires facilities to employ on-site staff qualified in addiction recovery, prohibit alcohol/drug use with random testing, and provide counseling services. The bill appropriates $100,000 for implementation and amends the 1979 Rooming and Boarding House Act to create specific regulatory standards for these facilities. These changes directly affect operators of cooperative sober living residences and their residents.

Maddy summaryS 3429 expands New Jersey's child care assistance program to include full-time graduate and post-graduate students with children. It directly affects students enrolled in higher education programs who meet existing income, asset, and residency requirements. The bill amends eligibility rules to add these students to the program's qualifying categories, without changing other existing criteria. The legislation also requires the Department of Human Services to seek federal funding for these expanded services and update related regulations.

Maddy summaryS 4429 requires New Jersey's Department of Education to create a public awareness campaign about social media risks to minors, targeting parents and guardians. The campaign, to be implemented within 180 days of enactment, will use media like TV, radio, social media, and newspapers, building on the 2023 Surgeon General's advisory. The bill appropriates $500,000 from the General Fund to fund this effort and mandates a 24-month report to the Governor and Legislature on campaign results. It directly affects minors (ages 13-17) and their caregivers by providing resources based on current research about social media's mental health impacts.