Asm. Gerry Scharfenberger

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey high school students to complete a one-semester financial literacy course as part of their curriculum. The course must cover budgeting, savings, credit, debt, taxes, college financial planning, and other personal finance topics, while excluding primarily business or economic instruction. Teachers must hold specific endorsements (e.g., in Finance, Social Studies, or Business) to teach the course, and school districts must integrate it into graduation requirements for state-endorsed diplomas. The requirement applies to students entering 12th grade in the 2027-2028 school year.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1625) prohibits New Jersey colleges and universities from creating scholarship funds or student aid programs exclusively for students who are citizens or permanent residents of countries or territories controlled by terrorist organizations designated by the U.S. Secretary of State. It directly affects higher education institutions in New Jersey, requiring them to ensure all scholarship programs are available regardless of a student's nationality tied to such designations. Violations would cut off state funding, including operating aid, state bond proceeds, and student assistance program funds administered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. The law takes effect immediately and does not apply to scholarships open to all students without nationality restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates an additional $500,000 from the General Fund to New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) for the Huntington's Disease Grant Program, increasing its total funding for fiscal year 2025 to $701,000 (from an estimated $201,000). The funds will support grants to New Jersey-based institutions of higher education, non-profits, and research organizations to provide pre-symptomatic testing, neurology/psychiatry services, treatment, disease management, and counseling. It directly affects approximately 900-1,200 New Jersey residents living with Huntington's disease and about 7,000 at-risk individuals. Huntington's disease is a fatal, inherited condition causing progressive neurological decline without a cure.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey municipalities to enter into shared service agreements to transfer portions of their required affordable housing obligations to other municipalities, even across different housing regions. It directly affects towns and cities that currently have legal obligations to provide a "fair share" of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents. The key mechanism enables sending municipalities to shift their housing quota burden to receiving municipalities through formal agreements, bypassing previous restrictions that limited such transfers within regional boundaries. This replaces the outdated system of regional contribution agreements and abolishes the Council on Affordable Housing, establishing new state guidelines for calculating obligations. The change aims to streamline housing production by giving municipalities more flexibility to meet regional needs through cooperative agreements.

Maddy summaryACR 39 proposes a constitutional amendment to adjust New Jersey veterans' property tax deductions annually based on inflation. It would replace the current fixed $250 deduction (effective through 2025) with a formula that increases the deduction each year according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), starting in 2026. This change would directly affect honorably discharged veterans and their surviving spouses who qualify for the current deduction, ensuring the benefit keeps pace with inflation without decreasing. The amendment requires voter approval after legislative passage and would apply to both real and personal property taxes.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts surviving spouses and civil union partners of disabled veterans from home sale fees in New Jersey. Specifically, it applies when the veteran qualified for a property tax exemption due to wartime disability at the time of death. The exemption covers both the basic realty transfer fee and the supplemental fee for sales of one- or two-family homes owned and occupied by the survivor. This extends an existing disability-related exemption to veterans' survivors, who previously did not qualify unless they themselves met the disability criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public and private schools participating in athletic associations (like NJSIAA or NCAA) to designate sports teams as "male," "female," or "coed" based solely on biological sex. It prohibits students assigned male at birth from joining female-designated teams, requiring disputed cases to be verified through a physician's statement confirming reproductive anatomy, natural testosterone levels, and genetic makeup. The law protects schools from penalties for maintaining sex-segregated teams and provides legal remedies for students denied athletic opportunities or facing retaliation due to violations. It directly affects all K-12 schools and colleges in New Jersey affiliated with major athletic associations.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 10% price preference for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses when New Jersey state agencies award contracts paid with state funds. To qualify, a business must be independently owned, have its principal place in New Jersey, be at least 51% owned by service-disabled veterans, and have management controlled by disabled veterans (or their surviving spouses if the veteran dies). If a qualified business meets all contract requirements and becomes the lowest bidder after applying the 10% preference, the state must award them the contract. The bill also ensures surviving spouses retain eligibility if they acquire the business after the veteran owner's death.

Maddy summaryAJR 27 is a ceremonial resolution designating May each year as "Law Enforcement and Correctional Police Officer Appreciation Month" in New Jersey. It calls for citizens and officials to observe the month with activities honoring these officers, and requests the Governor issue a proclamation to recognize their service. The bill directly affects all New Jersey law enforcement and correctional police officers by formally acknowledging their role in public safety through a symbolic annual observance. This is a non-binding resolution with no new funding, regulations, or policy changes.

Maddy summaryBill A 884 reinstates automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits of certain teachers and retirees in New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF). It would require the fund to automatically adjust retirement benefits each year based on inflation, without needing separate legislative approval. This directly affects current and retired educators covered by the TPAF who previously lost these automatic increases. The policy change ensures their retirement income keeps pace with rising living costs.