Sen. Kristin Corrado

Maddy summaryS 188 requires juveniles accused of certain delinquency offenses to appear in court in the county where the alleged incident occurred, rather than their residence county. For serious offenses (equivalent to adult crimes of the 1st-3rd degree under New Jersey law), the juvenile must appear in the incident county. For less serious offenses (4th degree, disorderly persons, or petty disorderly persons), the default is the juvenile's residence county, unless the court finds "good cause" to keep it in the incident county. Juveniles or their lawyers must object to venue changes within five days of receiving the complaint, and either side may request a venue change through a motion to the Family Presiding Judge.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 2962) gives educational support professionals (like cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and administrative staff) who served in the U.S. military and qualify for VA benefits up to four years of seniority credit. The credit counts military service completed before or during their school district employment, treating it as equivalent to actual work time for seniority purposes. It expands an existing benefit currently only available to teaching staff. The policy takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a temporary "provisional" license for new motor vehicle dealers in New Jersey, allowing them to operate while meeting full licensing requirements. It directly affects new dealers who are setting up their businesses, giving them a short-term license before they must comply with all standard rules (like maintaining an established business location and selling a minimum of four new vehicles annually). The key mechanism creates a new license category under existing law, enabling provisional operation while dealers fulfill requirements such as having proper documentation and business infrastructure. This change streamlines entry for new dealers without altering the core standards for full licensure.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts wages earned by poll workers during elections from being counted when calculating unemployment benefits in New Jersey. It amends the state's unemployment law (R.S.43:21-19) to exclude these wages from "annual payroll" calculations that determine benefit eligibility. This directly affects election workers who may later qualify for unemployment benefits, ensuring their temporary election work does not reduce their compensation. The policy change prevents poll workers' election wages from impacting their unemployment benefit amount under current law.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts municipalities in New Jersey from paying fees associated with stream cleaning permits. It directly affects local governments that wish to remove debris, sediments, or garbage from streams within their jurisdiction. The legislation requires these municipalities to submit a written notice and a certification from a licensed professional engineer detailing the project scope and confirming that work will not alter the natural stream bed or banks. Additionally, the bill sets specific conditions for sediment removal, such as limiting projects to streams that are not endangered species habitats and ensuring the stream corridor is located entirely within the municipality's boundaries. State agencies retain the authority to review applications and deny permits within 15 to 60 days if they identify circumstances that mandate stopping the work.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to ask for proof of citizenship from anyone applying for a driver's license or state ID card. If an applicant provides documentation proving they are a U.S. citizen and is not already on the voter rolls, their information will be automatically sent to local election officials to register them to vote. The law also mandates that the Secretary of State and the MVC conduct annual audits of these voter registrations. Applicants retain the right to decline automatic voter registration, and the bill does not change the existing rules for who is eligible to vote in the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires school boards and their contractors to notify the New Jersey Department of Education when they terminate an employee who has been disqualified from working in schools due to criminal history. The law mandates that the Commissioner of Education inform school districts immediately upon learning of pending charges or convictions against current staff members, ensuring that employees accused of specific offenses are removed from contact with students while their cases are pending. Additionally, the bill establishes a formal process for school bus drivers to undergo criminal and driving record checks, permanently disqualifying them if they have certain criminal convictions or multiple serious traffic violations. To enforce compliance, the legislation imposes fines on school districts or contractors that fail to provide written confirmation to the state that disqualified employees have been terminated.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to use $65.55 million in state funds to provide loans for transportation infrastructure projects during the 2027 fiscal year. The legislation specifically allows the bank to lend money to local government units for construction costs and includes a provision for up to $1 million in loans that may be forgiven for planning and design work if certain construction milestones are met. Additionally, the act permits the bank to increase its available funds to cover specific operational expenses, such as bond issuance costs and reserve requirements, ensuring the bank has the necessary resources to manage these loans. Ultimately, the measure directly affects local governments seeking financing for road, bridge, and transit improvements by establishing the legal framework and funding source for these loans.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to give specific payment options for three types of state payments. State employees can choose to receive net pay as paper checks instead of direct deposit. Unemployment claimants must be provided written notice of payment choices (debit card, direct deposit, or paper check) and can change their method by signing a form. Tax refund recipients must also be offered the option to receive refunds as paper checks. The law applies immediately to all affected payments.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires youth and sports organizations in New Jersey to obtain criminal history background checks for all employees, volunteers, and organizers working with individuals under 18 years of age. Organizations must request these checks through the State Bureau of Identification, and individuals must provide written consent before a check is conducted. The bill establishes that organizations bear the cost of the checks, mandates annual checks unless a valid check from the same year was already completed, and imposes civil penalties of up to $1,000 for organizations that fail to comply. Additionally, it creates criminal penalties for individuals who knowingly participate in youth organizations despite being disqualified based on their criminal history or for organizers who ignore background check results.