Sen. Paul Moriarty

Maddy summaryThis bill requires owners of multi-story apartment buildings (three or more floors) that aren't cooperatives or condos to give priority to senior citizens or disabled residents with mobility issues who want to move to a lower floor within the same building. It grants these residents the right to move into available lower-floor units with the same number of bedrooms before other applicants, including other residents seeking to move down. The rule applies to buildings not covered by specific cooperative or condominium laws and doesn't override existing affordability or income restrictions. Owners must post a notice about this priority policy in a visible location.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires postsecondary education debt creditors (those providing non-federal student loans) to register with New Jersey's Commissioner of Banking and Insurance and annually report detailed information about their lending practices, including borrower demographics, interest rates, and default rates. It establishes several key borrower protections, including requiring clear disclosure of cosigner release requirements, prohibiting debt acceleration except for payment default, and mandating that creditors discharge debt when borrowers are determined to be totally and permanently disabled. The bill also requires creditors to provide borrowers with information about potential loss of benefits when refinancing existing debt and establishes strict requirements for debt collection practices, including providing full documentation to borrowers during collection attempts. Violations can result in civil penalties up to $25,000 or criminal charges for knowing violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires homeschooled children in New Jersey and their parents or guardians to meet annually with a designated school district representative (a counselor, nurse, or social worker). The meeting serves two purposes: allowing parents to request support for their home education program and enabling the school staff to conduct a general health and wellness check of the child. It applies to all families using home education programs within a school district and takes effect in the first full school year after enactment. The bill does not mandate specific educational standards or funding but creates a structured annual check-in process.

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 summaryThis bill prohibits public colleges and universities in New Jersey from entering partnerships with sports betting companies for advertising in stadiums, digital content, or other promotional activities. It specifically bans agreements that allow betting companies to market directly to students through on-campus locations, off-campus facilities tied to the institution, or targeted digital ads. Two exceptions exist: related foundations may partner if they exclude student-directed advertising, and academic partnerships with casinos/sports wagering licensees for student learning opportunities remain permitted. The law applies only to public institutions of higher education, not private colleges or athletic departments.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4652) creates a new offense for "inciting a public brawl" when someone purposefully organizes or promotes a group of four or more people to engage in disorderly conduct. It upgrades penalties for disrupting public gatherings or events, making such conduct a "disorderly persons offense" (up to 6 months jail or $1,000 fine) instead of a lesser "petty disorderly persons offense." The bill also adds a provision penalizing people who conceal their identity during disorderly conduct to avoid arrest. These changes directly affect individuals organizing group disturbances or attempting to hide their identity at public events. The law amends New Jersey statutes N.J.S.2C:33-1 and N.J.S.2C:33-2.

Maddy summaryS 4533 expands New Jersey's cyber-harassment law to include online communications made with "reckless disregard for the safety of another," beyond just intentional harassment. It directly affects individuals who post threatening content, lewd material, or crime threats online without intending harm but failing to consider potential safety risks. The bill reclassifies reckless cyber-harassment as a disorderly persons offense (up to 6 months jail or $1,000 fine), whereas intentional acts remain a fourth-degree crime. This change broadens the legal definition without altering penalties for intentional harassment. The bill amends N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4.1 and takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey automobile insurers to include appraisal provisions in all policies. It directly affects policyholders and third-party claimants who disagree with insurers on the value of vehicle damage (actual cash value or repair costs) or third-party settlement offers. If disagreements arise, the policy must allow either party to request a neutral appraiser within 20 days, with a backup umpire process if appraisers cannot agree. The law applies to all claims filed 90 days after enactment and mandates impartial appraisals without financial conflict of interest.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates the automatic presumption that defendants charged with certain offenses can be released before trial. It specifically removes this presumption for defendants accused of sex offenses (as defined under Megan's Law) or violent crimes committed using a deadly weapon (such as aggravated assault, robbery, or sexual assault involving a weapon). Under current law, courts generally assume pretrial release is appropriate unless specific risks exist; this bill requires courts to consider detention for these cases without that automatic assumption. The change directly affects defendants facing these specific charges during pretrial proceedings in New Jersey courts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires certain rooming and boarding houses to comply with local land use regulations, ending an exemption that previously prevented municipal oversight of such facilities. It specifically mandates that owners of cooperative sober living residences submit written approvals from local zoning, fire, health, and building authorities when applying for a state Class F license. These approvals are required for the state to issue or renew the license, ensuring facilities meet local safety and zoning standards before operation. The bill amends the Rooming and Boarding House Act of 1979 to implement these changes.