Sen. Kristin Corrado

Maddy summaryS 1184 designates the 9/11 Heart Symbol flag - a white banner featuring a red heart with "9-11-01 Never Forgotten" and twin towers silhouette - as New Jersey’s official state flag for remembrance. It requires this flag to be displayed during normal business hours on September 11th each year at all state 9/11 memorial sites, the State House in Trenton, and the main municipal and county buildings. The bill does not alter existing laws but mandates specific display requirements to honor the 750 New Jersey residents who died in the 2001 attacks. This is a commemorative measure focused on annual observance, not a policy change affecting citizens or government operations.

Maddy summarySJR 46 designates neon yellow (Pantone 395), named "Vet 22" in New Jersey, as the official state color to raise awareness of veteran suicide. It directly affects New Jersey's 340,560 veterans (including 25,680 women) by symbolically highlighting the statistic that 22 veterans die by suicide daily. The bill serves solely as a symbolic gesture to draw attention to existing support programs for veterans' mental health, with no new funding or policy changes. It follows Pennsylvania's similar initiative and requires no action beyond the color designation.

Maddy summaryS 1121 creates the "Disability Life-Sustaining Measures Advisory Council" within New Jersey's Department of Health to protect people with disabilities during public health emergencies. The council, consisting of 14 members including state officials and public representatives with disability experience, will recommend policies for emergency care (like ventilators and resuscitation), ensure compliance with federal disability anti-discrimination laws, and gather public input on treatment during crises. It must submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature detailing its findings. This bill directly affects people with disabilities in medical emergencies and establishes a permanent advisory body to address gaps in emergency response planning.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 1024 establishes a rebuttable presumption that defendants charged with motor vehicle theft (including theft, receiving stolen vehicles, or unlawful taking) must be detained before trial unless they prove they won’t flee or pose a danger. It increases penalties for motor vehicle theft offenses and allows home detention for minors convicted of such theft. The bill also creates a $7 million pilot program through the Juvenile Justice Commission to prevent underage auto theft, targeting risk factors like peer influence or access to vehicles. These changes directly affect individuals charged with motor vehicle theft and juveniles adjudicated for such offenses in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to reimburse volunteer firefighters for cancer screenings not covered by their insurance. It mandates coverage for 11 specific cancer types (including colon, lung, breast, and prostate) starting five years after beginning service, then every three years thereafter. The state will cover up to $1,250 per three-year period (adjusted for inflation), with no out-of-pocket costs for firefighters. Volunteer firefighting status is treated as a pre-existing condition for coverage, and annual state funding must be appropriated to support reimbursements.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2463 bill withdraws the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state program targeting carbon emissions, and repeals the "Global Warming Response Act" along with related climate laws. It directs the Environmental Protection Commissioner to notify RGGI officials of New Jersey's withdrawal 30 days after the bill takes effect. All unencumbered funds previously held in the "Global Warming Solutions Fund" are transferred to the General Fund for ratepayer relief. This bill directly affects New Jersey's climate policy framework by ending its participation in RGGI and redirecting climate-related funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state-funded counseling program for family members of New Jersey's active-duty military members and disabled veterans. It requires the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to reimburse licensed mental health professionals for up to 10 counseling sessions per year (in-person or via telehealth) for eligible family members. Eligible family members include spouses, domestic partners, civil union partners, or children of active-duty service members or disabled veterans who are New Jersey residents. The program will maintain a statewide list of participating providers, set reimbursement rates, and conduct outreach to inform eligible individuals about the service.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to identify reservoirs with a history of causing downstream flooding and study their capacity, downstream river limits, and water needs for local communities. Reservoir owners must then create and implement approved flood action plans - including flood gates - and comply with DEP-set maximum water levels that balance flood prevention with maintaining water supply. The Office of Emergency Management can also order immediate reservoir level reductions before or during severe storms if deemed necessary to prevent flooding. These rules apply to reservoirs identified by the DEP as posing documented flood risks to downstream areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a third-degree crime to deliberately damage or deface military monuments in New Jersey. It specifically targets monuments erected to honor military personnel or commemorate battles, defining "desecrate" as defacing, damaging, or polluting such sites. The law elevates penalties for harming these monuments from a disorderly persons offense to a criminal offense, with third-degree crimes carrying potential jail time. It directly affects anyone who intentionally damages these specific types of monuments, which include war memorials and military cemeteries.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows veterans to earn Firefighter 1 certification without completing the standard recruit training course if they completed at least 12 months of active military duty and military firefighter training. It directly affects veterans who meet other eligibility and examination requirements set by New Jersey's Division of Fire Safety. The key provision replaces the mandatory training course requirement with military service and training verification, streamlining certification for qualified veterans. The bill does not alter other certification standards or create new financial obligations. It is currently pending in the Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee.