Sen. Britnee Timberlake

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the authority to suspend driver's licenses for unpaid child support arrears or court-ordered financial obligations (like fines or restitution). It specifically deletes language in New Jersey law that allowed automatic license suspension when individuals defaulted on these payments. The change directly affects people with outstanding child support payments or court-ordered financial debts, preventing license suspension as a penalty for nonpayment. The bill does not alter child support enforcement methods but eliminates license suspension as a tool for collecting these debts.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates October each year as "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month" in New Jersey. It aims to educate families about SIDS causes and prevention practices, while promoting research into reducing SIDS occurrences. The bill highlights that SIDS remains the fourth leading cause of death for infants under one year (with 1,400 annual U.S. deaths as of 2017) and notes persistent racial disparities in SIDS rates, particularly affecting infants born to African-American and Native American/Alaska Native mothers. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public awareness activities during October.

Maddy summarySR 40 is a New Jersey Senate resolution urging the FBI to classify crimes committed by white supremacists and white nationalists as domestic terrorism rather than hate or gang crimes. Currently, the FBI treats such acts as hate crimes, which receive lower priority and fewer federal resources than domestic terrorism cases. The resolution argues this reclassification would ensure these violent crimes are investigated with higher priority, allocating more resources like counterterrorism agents. It does not create new law but requests a change in FBI classification to improve response to white supremacist violence, citing that such attacks have caused more U.S. terrorist deaths since 9/11 than Islamist terrorism.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 1101) requires all new front-loading washing machines and dryers sold in the state to include child safety locks that prevent young children from opening the doors. It also mandates manufacturers to provide free safety locks and warning stickers for existing machines purchased without locks, with vendors coordinating installation at the manufacturer’s expense. The law cites Consumer Product Safety Commission data showing at least three child deaths and 3,000 injuries since 2014 from children being trapped in these appliances. The bill aims to reduce this risk by making safety locks standard and ensuring retroactive safety measures for previously sold machines.

Maddy summarySJR 39 establishes the "Williams and Amenhotep New Jersey Task Force on Missing Persons" to review and improve how New Jersey handles missing persons cases. The task force, composed of state officials (like the Attorney General and agency commissioners) and appointed members from law enforcement, child advocacy groups, and trafficking organizations, will examine current law enforcement responses statewide. Within 12 months, it must submit a report with findings on best practices and recommendations for changes to the Governor and Legislature. The task force will dissolve three months after submitting its report. This bill does not create new laws but mandates a study to identify potential improvements in missing persons investigations.

Maddy summaryS 1085 prohibits the sale, distribution, import, or manufacture of jewelry containing more than 0.03% cadmium by weight, directly affecting manufacturers, distributors, importers, and retailers. The bill requires immediate recalls if jewelry exceeds this limit, mandating retailers to remove affected items from displays within 48 hours and return inventory to suppliers within 14 days (at the supplier's cost). Suppliers must dispose of recalled jewelry safely within 60 days to prevent public access. Violations are treated as consumer fraud under New Jersey law, potentially resulting in fines up to $20,000 per offense.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides temporary relief for New Jersey residents facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It requires mortgage lenders to grant at least 90 days of payment suspension (extendable to 180 days total) for homeowners whose household income falls below 150% of the area median income and have limited savings. It also prohibits non-essential evictions for tenants who lost income or incurred pandemic-related expenses (like childcare or funeral costs), excluding those earning over 100% of median income or holding significant savings. The protections apply to primary residences during the declared emergency period and 60 days after. (Note: The bill does not include income tax relief as stated in its title; this appears to be a misstatement in the title only.)

Maddy summaryS 1094 requires New Jersey restaurants employing 15 or more people to provide sexual harassment training to all staff. New employees must receive training within 90 days of hire, and all employees must complete refresher training every five years. The training must be interactive, industry-specific, offered separately for supervisors and regular staff, and provided in English and Spanish. Restaurants must also adopt a written sexual harassment policy included in employee handbooks, with violations carrying fines up to $1,000 per offense.

Maddy summarySCR 45 is a New Jersey Senate resolution urging the U.S. President and Congress to enact two specific federal bills addressing housing instability. It references the "Eviction Crisis Act of 2019" (which would improve eviction data and tenant screening) and the "Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act of 2019" (which would create 500,000 additional housing vouchers over five years for low-income families with young children). The resolution cites statistics on housing insecurity, including 6 million families lacking stable housing and over 150,000 New Jersey families facing eviction in 2018. As a concurrent resolution, it has no legal force and serves only to formally request federal action on these proposed bills.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's first comprehensive legal protections for domestic workers, directly affecting individuals providing in-home services like childcare, house cleaning, home care, and cooking. It mandates minimum wage, overtime pay, and paid sick leave for domestic workers (excluding family members, contractors, and minors), while creating a complaint system enforced by the Department of Labor. Key provisions require employers to provide written employment agreements, prohibit retaliation for filing complaints, and clarify that referral agencies cannot control wages or working conditions after placement. The law responds to documented issues of low pay, wage theft, and lack of enforcement in the industry, aligning New Jersey with other states that have enacted similar protections.