Sen. Joe Lagana

Maddy summaryS 4681 requires that individuals or companies involved in arbitration cases about personal injury protection insurance claims must be represented by a licensed New Jersey attorney. This applies specifically to disputes over claims covered under New Jersey's personal injury protection insurance law (C.39:6A-4). The bill mandates attorney representation for all parties in these arbitration proceedings, effective 90 days after enactment for cases filed on or after that date. It directly affects people or businesses seeking or contesting personal injury protection insurance benefits through arbitration.

Maddy summaryS 4590 requires New Jersey employers of first responders (law enforcement officers and paid firefighters) to provide workers' compensation coverage for up to 12 hours of confidential counseling after a critical incident, with up to 24 additional hours permitted if a mental health professional deems it necessary. Critical incidents include events like gunfights, witnessing serious injuries or deaths, or responding to crimes involving minors. Employers must cover these sessions without requiring the use of personal leave during work hours, and all counseling must be completed within one year. The bill also protects confidentiality of mental health communications between first responders and peer support teams or resiliency program officers, except in cases of imminent risk to self or others.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes retirement rules for prosecutors in New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). It allows active prosecutors who were enrolled before the bill's effective date to retire with 20 or more years of service, regardless of age (currently requiring age 55). Eligible prosecutors can retire on or after the bill's effective date but no later than 5 years after, receiving a retirement allowance equal to 50% of their final compensation. This removes the age requirement for qualifying for the 50% retirement benefit under current law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4224) requires the State Board of Medical Examiners in New Jersey to elect a vice president (in addition to a president, secretary, and treasurer) and mandates that both the president and vice president must hold an M.D., D.O., or D.P.M. medical degree. It amends existing law to specify these educational qualifications for the board's top leadership roles. The change directly affects the selection process for these two positions on the board. The bill takes effect four months after enactment to allow the board time to comply with the new requirements.

Maddy summaryS 4374 requires parties in civil lawsuits to disclose third-party litigation funding agreements to the court and all parties at the time of filing or when the agreement is made. It defines "litigation funders" as entities providing funding for lawsuit expenses in exchange for a share of proceeds and mandates they act as fiduciaries to the funded party. The bill prohibits funders from influencing case decisions, offering legal advice, or taking more than 25% of settlement proceeds (or 50% total with attorneys without consent), and makes agreements unenforceable if these rules are violated. This directly affects civil lawsuit participants, their attorneys, and third-party funders, while excluding family loans, regular attorney fee agreements, and nonprofit legal aid from disclosure requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits health clubs from including clauses in service contracts that limit their liability for injuries caused by the health club's negligence (e.g., slip-and-fall accidents due to poor maintenance). It directly affects health club customers (buyers) and health clubs, requiring all contracts to explicitly state that liability cannot be waived for negligence-related injuries. The key mechanism mandates that contracts must not contain any language restricting the health club's responsibility for such injuries, aligning with prior court rulings that deem such waivers against public policy. Violations would be treated as consumer fraud under New Jersey law, potentially resulting in fines up to $20,000 per offense and penalties like treble damages for injured parties.

Maddy summaryS 4392 amends New Jersey's film and digital media tax credit program to require that all original music and musical scores for qualifying productions be produced and recorded domestically within the United States. This change applies to film and digital media content producers seeking tax credits under the program. To qualify for the tax credit, producers must now ensure all original music and musical scores are created within the U.S. or its territories, in addition to other existing requirements. The bill specifically adds this requirement to the eligibility criteria for tax credit qualification under Sections 1(a)(f) and 1(b)(e) of the amended law. This is a new condition for eligibility that must be met for producers to receive tax credit benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill excludes from New Jersey state income tax compensation earned by college athletes for using their name, image, or likeness (NIL), directly affecting student-athletes at four-year public or private colleges in New Jersey. It allows a tax exclusion of up to $100,000 annually for NIL earnings earned under the existing New Jersey Fair Play Act (P.L.2020, c.83), which permits athletes to monetize their NIL. The exclusion applies only to athletes participating in intercollegiate sports while enrolled at a New Jersey-based four-year institution. The law takes effect immediately for taxable years starting after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits third-party reservation platforms (like OpenTable or Yelp) from listing, advertising, or selling reservations for restaurants without a written agreement with the restaurant. It directly affects restaurants (including food trucks and stands) and third-party reservation services, requiring explicit authorization before any reservation arrangements. Key provisions mandate written agreements for all reservation listings, with violations subject to daily civil penalties up to $1,000 per restaurant per day. The law mirrors similar measures in New York and Illinois, aiming to give restaurants control over their reservation channels.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3761) allows New Jersey's Department of Human Services to hire American Sign Language interpreters without using the standard civil service eligible list under specific conditions. If the Civil Service Commission doesn't provide a certified list for an ASL interpreter position within 60 days, or if no suitable candidates are found on the list, the department may appoint a qualified candidate directly. The department must obtain written authorization from the Commissioner to use a waiver exempting the candidate from the usual civil service process, and the appointee must complete a working test period to gain civil service status. This aims to reduce unfilled interpreter positions caused by delays in the standard hiring process.