Sen. Kristin Corrado

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to advertise and promote liquors, beers, and wines produced within the state. It requires the department to include these alcoholic beverages in the existing Jersey Fresh Program, utilizing funds already allocated for that initiative. To do so, the department must create a quality grading and rating system for these products that mirrors the standards used for other agricultural commodities. The legislation applies immediately and affects producers of in-state alcoholic drinks by expanding the scope of the state's marketing efforts to include them.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey law to prohibit the Motor Vehicle Commission from prompting non-citizens to register to vote during driver's license or ID applications. It establishes a system where the MVC automatically shares the contact and citizenship information of applicants who provide proof of U.S. citizenship with the state election office, provided those individuals are not already registered. Once the election office verifies eligibility, it registers the person to vote and sends a notice allowing them to decline or affiliate with a political party. The legislation explicitly states that the MVC cannot request citizenship documents solely for voter registration purposes and that existing voter registration rules remain unchanged.

Maddy summaryThis bill permanently exempts specific polystyrene foam food service products from New Jersey's law that generally bans their sale and use. It directly affects businesses by allowing the continued use of meat and fish trays for raw or butchered meat and any food items pre-packaged by the manufacturer in these materials. The legislation clarifies that these two categories of products are no longer subject to the state's prohibition, even though other polystyrene foam items remain banned. Additionally, the bill prevents local municipalities from creating their own rules regarding these specific exempted items.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey law to automatically classify individuals who receive opioid overdose antidotes as 'dangerous to self,' thereby making them eligible for involuntary commitment to treatment. The change directly affects people treated for apparent opioid overdoses by linking emergency medical intervention to mental health commitment criteria. Under the new provisions, anyone administered an opioid antidote would be deemed unable to meet their own basic needs, which is one of the conditions required to force them into psychiatric care without their consent.

Maddy summaryThe "Compassionate Spousal Visits for Veterans Act" creates a transportation grant program in New Jersey to help spouses of veterans visit them at long-term care facilities or VA medical centers. This initiative allows eligible spouses to receive reimbursement for travel costs on public transit, county vehicles, or private rides when they cannot drive themselves and lack other funding options. The Department of Veterans Affairs will manage the program, which includes setting up rules for reimbursement, ensuring liability insurance for transport vehicles, and notifying the public about the new benefits. To fund these efforts, the bill appropriates $500,000 from the state's General Fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 13-member task force to review and improve New Jersey's existing anti-bullying rules and procedures in public schools. The group will consist of state education officials, representatives from various school organizations, and four public members appointed by legislative leaders. Their specific duties include evaluating current laws, suggesting ways to reduce administrative work for school districts, and researching better discipline methods used in other states. The task force must organize within 30 days and submit a final report with its findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within six months of starting. Once the report is issued, the task force will automatically dissolve.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new housing assistance program called "Veterans Helping Veterans" within the New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs to help homeless veterans find shelter. The program would connect homeless veterans with other veterans who volunteer to provide housing, using a vetting and incentive system similar to the state's foster care program. Key provisions include establishing specific eligibility rules for both those seeking and providing housing, setting up an application process, and allowing the department to accept federal or private grants to fund the initiative. The Department of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, must develop detailed guidelines and regulations to manage the program within 90 days of the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates the use of census data in calculating state funding for special education aid to New Jersey school districts. It amends existing school finance laws (P.L.1996, c.138 and P.L.2007, c.260) by removing references to census-based calculations and "State average classification rate" from the special education funding formulas. School districts receiving special education aid will no longer have their funding amounts determined using census data, shifting the calculation method to other established formulas. The change directly affects all New Jersey public school districts that receive state special education funding under current law.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases annual funding for cancer research in New Jersey by directing $10 million in cigarette and tobacco tax revenues to the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research (NJCCR), up from the current $1 million. It establishes a permanent, non-lapsing "Cancer Research Fund" in the state Treasury, ensuring these funds cannot be diverted to other state budgets. The fund must allocate at least $5 million annually to general cancer research and at least $5 million specifically to pediatric cancer research, with all spending requiring approval by the NJCCR. The State Treasurer manages the fund, and any interest earned is reinvested into the fund for ongoing research support.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3318) prohibits third-party reservation services (like apps or websites) from advertising, listing, or selling reservations for restaurants without a written agreement with the restaurant. It directly affects restaurants (food service establishments) and third-party reservation platforms, requiring explicit permission before they can list a restaurant’s reservations. Violations carry daily civil penalties up to $500 per restaurant per day, and restaurants can sue for damages, attorney fees, or injunctions against unauthorized services. The law aims to prevent third parties from charging customers for reservations they cannot legally offer.