Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez

Maddy summaryThis bill lowers the minimum uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage required for transportation network company drivers (like Uber or Lyft drivers) and their companies when providing rides. It reduces the current $1.5 million coverage limit to $25,000 per person for injury/death (increasing to $35,000 after 2026), $50,000 total for multiple people (increasing to $70,000 after 2026), and $25,000 for property damage. The change applies to insurance plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2023, with gradual increases over time. This directly affects drivers and companies using personal vehicles for ride services in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 248) expands the state's child tax credit to include children aged six through 11, while increasing credit amounts for both children under age six and those aged six to 11 over a two-year period. For 2023-2024, taxpayers with children under six receive up to $750 (for income under $30,000) and those with children aged six to 11 receive up to $500 (for income under $30,000), with credits phasing out completely at $80,000 income. Starting in 2025, maximum credits rise to $1,000 for children under six and $600 for children aged six to 11 for low-income households. The credit is refundable and applies to all filing statuses, affecting New Jersey taxpayers with qualifying children in these age groups.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health to create safety standards for maternity care in general hospitals licensed to provide such services. Hospitals must follow these standards to maintain their licensure, with the standards focusing on patient safety throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. The standards must incorporate national best practices to reduce adverse outcomes and racial disparities in maternal care, and the Department must update them regularly based on national data.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2489) creates a state tax credit for developers who build affordable housing projects in designated "distressed neighborhoods" or "deep poverty pockets" in New Jersey. It directly affects developers constructing housing that meets federal low-income standards (affordable to households earning ≤50% of regional median income) within specific census tracts identified as economically distressed. The key mechanism provides a tax credit to offset development costs, targeting areas with high poverty (20%+ poverty rate) or low median family income (≤80% of state average). The credit applies to projects in designated distressed municipalities or specific zones like Garden State Growth Areas, with eligibility defined by the bill's new provisions. The bill amends existing state housing incentive law to add this tax credit mechanism.

Maddy summaryS 698 allows smoking in casinos and casino simulcasting facilities (like those with slot machines or table games) under strict conditions, while maintaining New Jersey's broader smoke-free air rules. It permits smoking in no more than 25% of the facility area, only in clearly marked zones with specific ventilation requirements (separately exhausted systems), and excludes areas near table game pits. Casinos must separate smoking areas from non-smoking zones with solid walls or windows and cannot assign employees to work in smoking areas unless they choose to. This bill directly affects casino operators and simulcasting facilities approved by New Jersey's Casino Control Commission.

Maddy summaryS 2838 establishes the "New Jersey Reparations Task Force" to research and develop recommendations addressing generational harms caused by New Jersey's historical role in slavery and ongoing systemic racial discrimination. The task force will examine specific issues like racial wealth gaps (where Black families have a median net worth of $5,900 vs. $309,000 for white families), housing discrimination, mass incarceration, and voting disparities affecting Black residents. It will produce a report with policy proposals for state-based reparations, focusing on systemic inequities documented in the bill, such as Black children being 30 times more likely to be incarcerated than white children. The bill directly affects Black communities in New Jersey facing persistent racial disparities in housing, education, and criminal justice.

Maddy summaryThis bill reduces the time limit for filing disputes over medical fees in workers' compensation cases from six years to two years. It directly affects injured workers and medical providers, requiring disputes to be filed with the Division of Workers' Compensation within two years of receiving payment or a denial notice. The key mechanism shortens the existing statute of limitations while also prohibiting medical providers from reporting unpaid bills to credit agencies until after a final decision by the Division. This change aims to streamline dispute resolution without altering payment obligations for authorized medical services.

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for retirement benefits in New Jersey's state-administered retirement systems. It directly affects current and future retirees, including state employees and teachers, by requiring their benefits to increase each year to match inflation without needing separate legislative action. The key mechanism establishes a permanent automatic adjustment process tied to inflation data, eliminating the need for annual budget amendments. This change ensures retirees' purchasing power remains aligned with rising living costs over time.

Maddy summarySJR 20 establishes the "New Jersey Domestic Violence and Legal Access Task Force" to study gaps in legal representation for indigent individuals involved in domestic violence cases. The task force will examine how limited access to legal help affects both victims seeking restraining orders (who face higher success rates with attorneys) and accused individuals defending against allegations. Comprising 16 members including legal experts, advocates, court officials, and former court participants, the group will assess systemic barriers to fair outcomes. This procedural resolution does not enact new law but directs a study to inform future policy on legal access in domestic violence proceedings.

Maddy summaryS 2771, the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act, prohibits state and local government agencies from holding individuals for federal immigration authorities based on immigration detainers. It requires agencies like schools, hospitals, and law enforcement to provide services without fear of immigration enforcement, ensuring all residents access public services regardless of immigration status. The bill specifically bans cooperation with "immigration detainers" (requests from federal authorities to detain people) unless supported by a judicial warrant. This directly affects immigrant communities by reducing barriers to healthcare, education, and public safety services, while directing state resources toward local priorities instead of federal immigration enforcement.