Sen. Kristin Corrado

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizen Transportation Services Task Force" to study and recommend improvements to transportation services for people with disabilities and senior citizens in New Jersey. The task force, composed of seven members including state agency representatives and advocates, will examine specific issues like transportation barriers, infrastructure coordination, real-time transit technology, and accessible vehicle innovations. It must submit a report with findings and legislative proposals to the Governor and Legislature within 18 months of its formation. The task force will expire upon submitting this report, with no direct funding or enforcement mechanisms outlined.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2354) requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to provide in-person walk-in services at all agency locations for at least two full days each week. It mandates that all walk-in customers be served on a first-come, first-served basis for every MVC service, including those typically handled online. The bill directly affects MVC customers who lack reliable internet access or digital literacy needed for online scheduling, ensuring they have consistent physical access to services. It aims to improve accessibility for all residents by removing barriers to in-person assistance at MVC locations. The law will take effect three months after enactment, allowing time for implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 900) changes New Jersey's unemployment benefits law to exempt wages paid to poll workers from being counted when calculating eligibility and benefit amounts. Specifically, it amends the definition of "average annual payroll" to exclude poll workers' wages, ensuring their temporary election-related earnings don't reduce their unemployment benefits. This directly affects poll workers who serve during elections and may later qualify for unemployment benefits. The change modifies how the state calculates payroll data for unemployment purposes, without altering other eligibility rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Labor to provide funding and training to county prosecutors for investigating and prosecuting wage theft cases. It mandates each county prosecutor's office to assign a dedicated assistant prosecutor to handle violations of state wage laws and the specific provision about unpaid wages (P.L.1999, c.90). The bill appropriates up to $2 million from the General Fund to cover these enforcement costs. It directly affects county prosecutors' offices and workers who face unpaid wages or wage law violations.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3861 requires coaches of public school interscholastic sports, cheerleading, and dance programs, as well as athletic trainers in public schools and colleges, to complete a mandatory student-athlete eating disorder awareness training program. The training, developed by the Commissioner of Education with health and higher education input, covers identifying eating disorder symptoms, prevention strategies, available support services, and referral protocols. Coaches and trainers must complete the training within six months of appointment or the start of the first full school year after the program launches, and every two years thereafter. The bill also mandates that school boards and college governing bodies adopt written protocols for addressing suspected eating disorders among student-athletes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires healthcare providers to help pregnant patients create personalized postpartum care plans during prenatal visits. It mandates that plans include specific elements like care team contacts, breastfeeding guidance, mental health support for postpartum depression, and management strategies for physical complications. Hospitals must also provide standardized discharge information covering warning signs of postpartum complications (such as severe bleeding, high blood pressure, and infection) before patients leave after childbirth, pregnancy loss, or stillbirth. The law directly affects pregnant people in New Jersey receiving maternity care, aiming to address preventable maternal health issues and reduce disparities in maternal mortality rates.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires contractors and subcontractors working on public projects covered by New Jersey's prevailing wage law to hold a mandatory orientation meeting for each new employee on their first day of work. The meeting must explain the employee's wages and job classification under the prevailing wage law, and the employee must sign a form confirming they received the information. Contractors must retain these signed forms for at least five years and provide them to the Department of Labor upon request. The law aims to ensure new employees understand their wage rights from the start of their employment.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill S 3847 requires the Attorney General to obtain legislative approval before filing an amicus brief in any state or federal court case where New Jersey is not a party. Specifically, it mandates that a joint resolution must be adopted by both the Senate and General Assembly and signed by the Governor prior to such filings. If the legislature rejects the resolution, the Governor may later grant written authorization for the brief after voting. The bill was introduced in response to Attorney General Matt Platkin’s recent amicus brief supporting a challenge to Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

Maddy summaryS 507 (New Jersey) requires all motor vehicles to have mufflers and exhaust systems that do not amplify noise beyond the original factory level, prohibiting modifications that increase sound. It directly affects vehicle owners, auto body repair shops, and inspectors by mandating that exhaust systems be inspected for excessive noise during annual vehicle safety/emissions checks. The bill amends existing laws to specify that repairs or installations must not exceed original noise levels, with violations punishable by fines up to $500. Collector vehicles (e.g., historic or low-mileage cars) may be exempt from certain inspection requirements under defined criteria. This focuses on reducing noise pollution through enforceable inspection standards rather than restricting vehicle types.

Maddy summaryS 3826 would establish a veterans' preference for affordable housing in New Jersey, requiring developers to reserve at least 50% of affordable housing units for low- and moderate-income veterans regardless of war service, including those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, Reserve Component, or New Jersey National Guard. The bill directs the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to maintain a registry of veterans interested in affordable housing and coordinate outreach to ensure veterans are prioritized for housing units. Municipalities would receive bonus fair share credits for each veteran-occupied affordable housing unit, providing additional incentive to meet housing obligations. This policy applies to both rental and ownership housing in developments meeting New Jersey's affordable housing requirements. The bill aims to improve housing access for veterans while providing municipalities with additional credit options for meeting affordable housing goals.