Maddy summaryS 2623 allows surviving spouses of retired police and fire personnel (PFRS members) who died while receiving accidental disability retirement benefits to enroll in New Jersey's State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) with all premiums paid by the state. It also permits these surviving spouses to continue receiving their pension benefits after remarriage - normally a reason for termination - without losing this benefit. To qualify, the surviving spouse must provide documentation proving the retired member's disability or related complications were a significant factor in their death. This applies to spouses of members who died before, on, or after the bill's effective date, and allows previously terminated pensions due to remarriage to be reinstated upon application.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill permanently designates the 21.5-acre Caven Point Peninsula in Liberty State Park (Jersey City, Hudson County) as protected natural habitat. It preserves the area’s coastal wetland ecosystem, critical bird breeding grounds, and urban environmental education resource by overriding previous land use rules. The designation ensures the peninsula remains undisturbed for wildlife conservation and public education. The bill directly affects only this specific peninsula within Liberty State Park, with no broader geographic or policy implications.
Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 2011) creates criminal penalties for threatening or intimidating election officials and workers, and allows election workers to remove their personal information from public online records. It makes it a crime to intimidate, coerce, or interfere with election workers in their duties (like voting or ballot handling), and prohibits sharing their home addresses, phone numbers, or photos online if it poses a safety threat. Election workers can request the Division of Elections to remove their personal details from public records if they face imminent safety risks. The bill directly affects county/municipal election staff and aims to protect them from harassment while maintaining election integrity.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Mass Violence Care Fund" to cover medical, mental health, and related expenses for victims of mass violence events when those costs aren't paid by insurance or other sources. It appropriates $10 million to the fund, which will be administered by the Victims of Crime Compensation Office to pay eligible expenses like medical bills, counseling, lost wages, and funeral costs for qualifying victims and their family members. The fund specifically excludes expenses covered by insurance or public programs and requires payments to be made at least three years after the event. It also creates a working group to develop eligibility rules before distributions begin.
Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's Homelessness Prevention Program to add a new requirement: landlords must pay a fee when filing eviction cases related to unpaid rent. It sets strict eligibility rules for assistance, requiring applicants to be New Jersey residents facing imminent homelessness due to eviction, foreclosure, or inability to pay rent/mortgage, with income capped at 80% of area median income. The program prioritizes vulnerable groups like seniors (62+), people with disabilities, domestic violence survivors, and families with children facing separation. Assistance for mortgage issues must be for owner-occupied homes owned for at least one year, and applicants must exhaust other financial resources before qualifying. The bill does not change existing program funding but establishes new administrative criteria for aid distribution.
Maddy summaryS 2601 ("Stephanie's Law") requires New Jersey's Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to create a publicly accessible domestic violence registry. The registry includes individuals convicted of domestic violence crimes, those with final restraining orders against them, or those found in contempt of such orders. It will contain detailed personal information (name, aliases, photo, vehicle details, address) for public search, with a process for removal if someone was wrongly listed. Law enforcement must search both this new public registry and the existing non-public central registry during arrests to check for active restraining orders. This bill aims to enhance public safety by providing accessible information about individuals with domestic violence histories.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires limited liability companies (LLCs) and foreign LLCs to disclose specific information when purchasing residential rental properties. When recording a deed for such property, the LLC must attach an affidavit naming its registered agent (including their business address) and, if the agent isn’t a company member, at least one company member’s name. This applies to all residential rental properties owned by LLCs, regardless of the number of dwelling units. The disclosure must be submitted with the deed at the time of recording, enhancing transparency for property transfers involving LLCs.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits pet shops in New Jersey from selling cats, dogs, or rabbits, aiming to reduce sales of animals from commercial breeders (often called "puppy mills") and encourage adoption from shelters. It also bans animal shelters, pounds, and rescue organizations from accepting payment from breeders or brokers for animals they provide, while requiring shelters to provide health certificates and veterinary records for adoptable animals. The law directly affects pet shops, animal shelters, and breeders/brokers, but does not change rules for independent pet dealers or consumer protections for animals purchased elsewhere.
Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 1319) expands the definition of "riot" to include groups of three or more people acting together with violent conduct, rather than the previous four-person threshold. It creates two new offenses: "mob intimidation" (threatening others to join violent groups) and "cyber-intimidation by publication" (online threats during riots), while increasing penalties for severe riot-related crimes like property damage over $5,000 or causing serious injury. The bill also adds protections for law enforcement, firefighters, and school staff by elevating assaults against them to higher offense levels. These changes apply to individuals committing or inciting riots, with the goal of strengthening responses to violent public disturbances while explicitly preserving constitutional protections for peaceful protests.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's Large Animal Veterinarian Loan Redemption Program, targeting licensed veterinarians who practice large animal medicine in state-designated underserved areas. It allows eligible participants - New Jersey residents who graduated from an approved veterinary school, completed a residency program, and commit to five years of service - to redeem 20% of their qualifying student loan debt (principal and interest) each year. Participants must practice in areas identified by the Agriculture Secretary as having veterinarian shortages, with the state covering up to 100% of eligible debt after five full years. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority administers the program, matching participants to underserved areas and verifying annual service.