Sen. Britnee Timberlake

Maddy summaryThis bill codifies New Jersey's Attorney General's "Strengthening Trust Between Law Enforcement and Immigrant Communities" directive into law. It directly affects all New Jersey state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies and officers by prohibiting them from: (1) stopping or detaining people based solely on immigration status, (2) asking about immigration status except during specific criminal investigations, and (3) sharing personal information with federal immigration authorities for immigration enforcement purposes. The law clarifies that officers' primary duty is enforcing state criminal laws, not federal immigration law, and emphasizes that this does not prevent enforcing state criminal laws. The goal is to build trust in immigrant communities and ensure law enforcement resources focus on public safety rather than immigration enforcement.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3114, the "Law Enforcement Officer Protection Act," requires police officers and other law enforcement personnel to reveal their faces and show official identification before detaining or arresting someone during public interactions. Officers must wear non-concealing uniforms, display a photo ID card, show a numbered badge, or verbally state their name and agency. Exceptions include undercover work, medical masks (with physician approval), smoke protection during emergencies, or when safety or an investigation is at risk. The law applies to all state, county, and municipal officers and takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3521) codifies New Jersey's Attorney General's "Strengthening Trust Between Law Enforcement and Immigrant Communities" directive into law. It prohibits state, county, and municipal law enforcement officers from stopping, questioning, arresting, or detaining individuals based solely on immigration status or federal immigration violations. The law also bans officers from asking about immigration status (except when directly relevant to investigating a specific crime) or sharing personal data like Social Security numbers, license details, or addresses with federal immigration authorities for enforcement purposes. The bill explicitly affirms that law enforcement must focus on state criminal law enforcement, not federal immigration enforcement, to maintain community trust and public safety.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 413) extends the protected tenancy period for qualifying senior citizens (62+ years) and disabled tenants in New Jersey when their rental buildings convert to condos or cooperatives. It changes the previous 40-year protection to a full lifetime of the tenant, preventing forced evictions due to building conversions. Tenants must have lived in the unit for at least one year before conversion and meet income or disability criteria (e.g., medically determined disability or 60% veterans' disability rating). The law applies specifically to buildings converting from rental use, ensuring these tenants can remain in their homes without rent hikes tied to the conversion.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's bias intimidation law to explicitly include Sikhs as a protected class, allowing law enforcement to prosecute hate crimes targeting individuals based on their Sikh identity. The legislation also appropriates $100,000 in funding, likely to support enforcement and community outreach efforts. By adding Sikhs to the state's existing bias intimidation protections, the bill aims to address incidents of discrimination and violence against Sikhs, who are often mistaken for Muslims and have faced increased hate crimes following the September 11 attacks. The measure reflects concerns about rising anti-Sikh prejudice and the need for legal safeguards for this community within New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires midwives and physicians who provide obstetric care to give pregnant patients written, evidence-based information about all available birthing options (including hospital births, home births, scheduled procedures, and associated health risks) before labor begins. The information must be provided in English and at least seven common non-English languages spoken by limited-English-proficiency patients in New Jersey, based on census data. Providers must also offer annual language-appropriate education on these options during pregnancy. The law applies directly to pregnant patients receiving care from certified midwives or physicians in New Jersey, aiming to improve informed decision-making.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all licensed general and special hospitals in New Jersey to create and implement evidence-based protocols for early sepsis recognition and treatment. The protocols must cover screening, treatment guidelines (with separate adult and pediatric components), infection source identification, antibiotic timing, and exclusion criteria for inappropriate cases. Hospitals must submit protocols to the Department of Health within 120 days of enactment, train staff regularly, and annually report data to track adherence and mortality rates for quality improvement. The law focuses on standardizing care for a life-threatening condition that can cause organ damage or death if untreated.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires property owners of multistory buildings in New Jersey to ensure accessible access to every floor for people with disabilities, especially during elevator outages. It mandates that buildings with elevators restore service within two hours, while those without elevators must provide alternative access methods like ramps or evacuation chairs if service is down longer. The Division of Codes and Standards will handle reporting, inspections, and enforcement, with penalties ranging from $500 to $2,500 depending on the severity and frequency of violations. The bill also establishes a grant program to help property owners purchase necessary accessibility equipment and clarifies that it does not override existing federal or local laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to withhold payments to the federal government if the federal government fails to pay the state money that a court has ordered it to provide. State agencies, including those in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, must submit monthly reports to the State Treasurer identifying any federal funds owed to New Jersey that violate court decisions, as well as any funds the state expects to owe the federal government. If the reports indicate federal noncompliance with court orders, the Governor may direct the State Treasurer to withhold an equivalent amount from future federal payments, which are then held in reserve and added to the state's General Fund at the end of the fiscal year.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill prohibits grocery stores and third-party delivery platforms from using dynamic, surveillance, or personalized algorithmic pricing when selling food items to consumers. The law defines these pricing strategies as those that use real-time algorithms or electronic surveillance to set different prices for individual customers based on their data, while still allowing standard discounts and loyalty program benefits. Violations would be treated as consumer fraud offenses punishable by fines, and penalty money would be collected into a special fund. That fund would then be distributed to community food pantries to help purchase groceries for those in need.