Sen. Kristin Corrado

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for human trafficking involving children under 18 years old. It expands the definition to cover all forms of trafficking - including for labor or services, not just sexual exploitation - and mandates life imprisonment without parole for any such offense. The bill also requires a $25,000 fine for offenders, with funds directed to a victim assistance fund, and orders restitution to victims based on prevailing wage laws. These changes apply to all cases where a child under 18 is trafficked, regardless of whether the trafficker mistakenly believed the child was an adult.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates an additional $75,000 to the Human Trafficking Survivor's Assistance Fund, a dedicated fund administered by the New Jersey Attorney General. The funds must be used exclusively for services to human trafficking survivors, awareness programs, and training materials as established under existing law (P.L. 2013, c.51). The supplemental appropriation is added to the Department of Law and Public Safety's budget for the 2025 fiscal year. It directly supports survivors and programs addressing human trafficking through specific, legally defined funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3584 requires all operators and riders of low-speed electric bicycles and scooters to wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet meeting state safety standards. This applies to both the rider and anyone using an attached restraining seat on the vehicle. Violations carry fines of up to $25 for a first offense and $100 for subsequent offenses. The bill aims to reduce head injuries, citing increased crash risks compared to traditional bicycles as its justification.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school athletic coaches to obtain cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification. It directly affects coaches in both public school districts and nonpublic schools who lead athletic activities. The Department of Education must create a free, state-funded program using current national CPR guidelines, modeled after recognized training (like Red Cross or American Heart Association), including hands-on practice for all participating coaches. The program will be provided at no cost to coaches, with all implementation expenses covered by the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3600) establishes a mandatory mediation process for complaints alleging violations of school ethics rules, directly affecting complainants (e.g., students, parents, staff) and school officials named in complaints. It requires the School Ethics Commission to offer mediation within 90 days of receiving a complaint, with both parties signing a confidentiality pledge before discussions. If mediation leads to dismissal, a written agreement memorializes the resolution; if not, the Commission proceeds with existing procedures to determine if a violation occurred. The bill does not change penalties for violations but adds a step to resolve complaints informally before formal hearings.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the New Jersey Human Trafficking Criminal Registry, an online database that will provide public information about individuals convicted of human trafficking offenses who are incarcerated, on parole, or participating in residential community release programs. The registry will be divided into four categories with specific details about each person's conviction, sentence, location, and criminal history. Additionally, the bill requires mandatory training for police officers, hotel/motel staff, healthcare facility employees, and judges on identifying and responding to human trafficking cases. It also mandates age-appropriate human trafficking prevention education in New Jersey schools, covering topics like online safety, healthy relationships, and recognizing grooming tactics from elementary through high school.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that the penalty statement for false or fraudulent voter registration be displayed on electronic signature pads at New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission locations. Currently, paper voter registration forms include a statement about penalties, which include fines up to $15,000, imprisonment up to five years, or both. The bill ensures this penalty information is provided to voters using electronic signature pads when registering to vote or updating registration during driver's license or ID card transactions. It applies to anyone registering to vote through Motor Vehicle Commission services, maintaining consistency between paper and electronic registration processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a "Rail Passenger Bill of Rights" for people using passenger trains on regular routes within New Jersey or traveling between New Jersey and other states. It requires train operators to provide reliable schedules (with limited exceptions), sufficient trains to avoid overcrowding, clear delay notifications via multiple channels, clean and safe trains/stations, well-trained staff, and alternate transportation during major disruptions. The Division of Consumer Affairs' Office of Consumer Protection will enforce these rules, investigate passenger complaints, and impose civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation for noncompliance. The law aims to standardize passenger protections and create a formal complaint process for service issues.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3551) adds nonconsensual pornographic deepfakes to New Jersey's criminal laws. It creates new offenses for creating or disclosing deepfakes - images/videos made with AI that falsely depict someone in intimate situations without their consent - making it a third-degree crime to create them and a fourth-degree crime to disclose them. The law defines "deepfake" as AI-generated content appearing authentic but falsely depicting a person's actions. These offenses carry penalties of up to 5 years in prison for creation and up to 18 months for disclosure, alongside fines. The bill also updates criminal coercion laws to explicitly include threats to disclose such deepfakes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a rebuttable presumption requiring pretrial detention for defendants charged with sexual assault (N.J.S.2C:14-2) or criminal sexual contact (N.J.S.2C:14-3) when the victim is a minor, or endangering the welfare of a child (N.J.S.2C:24-4). It directly affects individuals facing these specific child abuse charges in New Jersey courts. Under the law, prosecutors can seek detention for these cases, but defendants may challenge the presumption by presenting evidence showing that reasonable bail or release conditions would ensure court appearance and community safety. This changes existing bail procedures by adding these offenses to the list where detention is presumed unless rebutted, rather than requiring prosecutors to prove risk factors upfront.