Asm. Greg McGuckin

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public school staff in New Jersey to complete training on caring for students with epilepsy or seizure disorders every two years. It directly affects school staff (including teachers, coaches, and support personnel) and students with these conditions. The training, provided through Department of Health-approved courses by nonprofit organizations, covers recognizing seizures, emergency response, and daily care. This update builds on existing law (P.L.2019, c.290) that already requires schools to develop individualized health plans for affected students but adds the mandatory biennial staff training requirement. The law applies to all school-sponsored activities, including those outside regular school hours.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A6286) creates a new crime called "political violence" for acts targeting individuals due to their political affiliation or expression, such as assault, kidnapping, or homicide committed to interfere with or retaliate against political views. It increases penalties for these acts (e.g., upgrading murder to first-degree if politically motivated) and establishes a permissive inference that targeting based on politics implies criminal intent. An independent "Political Violence Review Board" will collect and analyze data on such cases, tracking arrests, charges, trial outcomes, and disparities based on race, gender, or political affiliation. The board aims to identify systemic biases in how law enforcement and prosecutors handle these incidents.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Attorney General to establish a program enabling anonymous reporting of potential threats to school safety. The program would provide accessible methods - including a telephone tip line staffed during reasonable hours and a mobile app - for students, parents, school staff, and community members to report unsafe or threatening activities without revealing their identity. Reports would be promptly forwarded to law enforcement or school officials, and the program must include training for schools and law enforcement on handling such reports. The Attorney General would also annually report on the program's usage, including the number of reports, times of reporting, and outcomes.

Maddy summaryACR 180 proposes amending New Jersey's Constitution to require a four-fifths majority vote (32 Senate seats and 64 Assembly seats) in both legislative chambers to submit constitutional amendments to voters during "lame duck" sessions. This would apply specifically to the period starting when voters can cast ballots in the November general election for the General Assembly and ending when the new Legislature convenes in January. Currently, constitutional amendments only require a three-fifths majority (24 Senate/48 Assembly) or a simple majority over two consecutive sessions. The bill does not change the process for submitting amendments outside of this specific lame duck window.

Maddy summaryACR 178 is a non-binding New Jersey resolution urging Congress to place a statue of Charles "Charlie" Kirk in the U.S. Capitol. It does not change any laws or directly affect residents, as it only requests a symbolic memorial. The resolution cites Kirk's work founding Turning Point USA and his assassination in 2025, referencing prior congressional resolutions and a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom. The bill serves purely as a commemorative gesture, with no policy impact.

Maddy summaryACR 179 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds majority vote in both the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly to advance or pass certain legislation during "lame duck" sessions. This applies specifically between the earliest date voters can cast ballots in a general election for Assembly members (during the second year of a Legislature) and the start of the new Legislature. The bill mandates that 27 Senate votes (out of 40) and 54 Assembly votes (out of 80) would be needed to move bills or reenact conditionally vetoed bills during this period. It does not apply to bills returned by the Governor with objections, but requires the same two-thirds vote for their reenactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Education (DOE) to provide school districts with specific information about their state school aid calculations upon request. If a district asks, the DOE must explain the general funding formula methodology and provide a detailed breakdown of their district's specific calculation - including adequacy budget, equalization aid, and local share amounts. The DOE must respond within five business days of receiving the request. This directly affects school districts seeking clarity on how their state aid allocations are determined.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to establish a 14-day annual period when only New Jersey residents can purchase mobile sport fishing permits. These permits allow motor vehicle use on beaches for fishing (including annual, 3-day, weekday, and daily options). The DEP must create rules to verify residency during this window, but the core change is limiting initial permit sales to residents for 14 days each year. The policy directly affects non-residents seeking these specific permits during the designated period.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a proportional property tax exemption for New Jersey veterans who are honorably discharged and have a service-connected permanent disability rated at 10% or higher. It directly affects qualifying veterans (and their surviving spouses) by reducing their property taxes in line with their disability rating, with a $10,000 cap for exemptions below 100% disability. Veterans deemed unemployable due to service-connected disability receive a full 100% exemption, matching current benefits for those with 100% disability ratings. The bill also requires the state to reimburse municipalities 102% of the tax costs for these exemptions, including administrative expenses, through annual reporting by local tax authorities.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1682) requires New Jersey public school districts to include instruction on labor history in social studies curricula for students in grades 6 through 12. It mandates teaching four specific topics: the history of organized labor, notable historical strikes, unionization drives, and the collective bargaining process with workplace legal protections. The Commissioner of Education must provide age-appropriate lesson resources to help schools implement this requirement. The policy applies to all school districts under the state's existing social studies learning standards, beginning with the first full school year after enactment.