Asm. Gerry Scharfenberger

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $2.5 million from the state General Fund to the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Foundation to expand its memorial and Vietnam Era Museum. It provides $500,000 immediately for the expansion project and $2 million to a dedicated memorial fund, with annual $500,000 payments starting in the next fiscal year. The funds are specifically designated for physical expansion of the memorial site and museum facilities. The legislation directly affects the foundation and its ability to enhance the existing memorial and museum, which serves as New Jersey's only museum dedicated to preserving Vietnam War history.

Maddy summaryThe "Improved Suicide Prevention, Response, and Treatment Act" (A1536) requires psychiatric facilities, outpatient mental health providers, and suicide hotlines in New Jersey to maintain 24/7 access to trained suicide prevention counselors who conduct standardized risk assessments and provide ongoing counseling to at-risk patients. The bill mandates "warm hand-offs" to appropriate care during transitions, requires law enforcement officers to complete annual suicide response training focused on de-escalation, and requires health insurance to cover suicide prevention assessments and counseling services. It prohibits discharging at-risk patients into homelessness or having them arrested unless they pose an uncontrollable risk to others. The law aims to improve coordinated care for people experiencing suicidal crises across health, emergency, and law enforcement systems through standardized protocols and accountability measures.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires transportation network companies (like Uber or Lyft) operating in New Jersey to notify riders within 48 hours about two specific account changes: updates to personal information (password, email, or phone number) or unusual ride patterns (e.g., sudden spikes in prearranged rides). It also mandates that companies provide 24/7 access to a live customer service representative via digital channels or phone to resolve account issues or dispute unauthorized charges. Transportation network companies must annually submit written compliance descriptions to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. These requirements apply directly to riders using TNC services and affect all companies seeking or maintaining a permit to operate in the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a nine-member Commission on Administrative Costs of Public Institutions of Higher Education within New Jersey's Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. The commission will study administrative costs at all public colleges and universities in the state, examining factors like administrator salaries, department staffing ratios, and overlapping roles. It must submit annual reports to the legislature with findings and specific recommendations for reducing administrative expenses. The bill directly affects New Jersey's public higher education institutions by requiring them to undergo this cost review process.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the New Jersey Veteran Grant Program, providing financial aid to eligible veterans attending public colleges and universities in New Jersey. It covers tuition and mandatory fees for up to 18 credits per semester after other grants and scholarships are applied, with public institutions waiving any remaining balance if the grant is insufficient. To qualify, veterans must have served at least one year in active duty (including National Guard or Reserves), received an honorable discharge, reside in New Jersey, apply for other aid first, and maintain good academic standing. The program is administered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority and applies to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Maddy summaryACR 102 is a non-binding resolution urging New Jersey's Department of Education to impose a two-year moratorium on developing or implementing new Student Learning Standards. It requests this pause due to recent adoption of standards in 2020, parent concerns about current standards, and pandemic-related learning loss. The resolution does not change existing standards but asks the Department to halt new standards development while the Legislature considers related bills addressing learning loss. This affects the Department's curriculum planning process during the moratorium period.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey taxpayers to claim a state income tax deduction for charitable donations made to qualifying New Jersey-based organizations. It mirrors the federal deduction limit (under IRS Section 170) for donations that would be deductible on federal returns, without requiring taxpayers to itemize federal deductions. To qualify, organizations must be registered under New Jersey's Charitable Registration Act or meet specific in-state presence requirements (maintaining an office, employing staff, and providing services in New Jersey). The deduction applies to donations made in tax years beginning January 1 following enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill temporarily reduces New Jersey's corporate business tax rate from 9% to 7.5% for five tax years (starting January 1 after enactment) and repeals the 2.5% corporation business surtax. It directly affects most corporations (excluding S corporations and partnerships with over $100,000 annual net income) by lowering their tax burden on net income. The key provisions are the rate reduction and surtax repeal, which were set to expire in 2023. The sponsor states the goal is to promote economic development and job creation by easing taxes for businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill streamlines EMT-Basic certification by capping total required training hours at 90 for initial certification and 30 for additional certifications within an EMT-Basic scope of practice. Training agencies offering EMT-Basic programs exceeding these hour limits would become ineligible for state certification. The bill directly affects EMT trainees, training programs, and the New Jersey Department of Health. It aims to make certification more accessible by reducing training burdens, aligning with practices in other states.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a rebuttable presumption against granting child custody to a parent if there is clear evidence of domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual contact, or endangering a child by that parent, regardless of whether a court case is pending. It expands the factors courts must consider in custody cases to include the child's emotional and physical safety, whether the child fears for their safety, and whether a parent has an improper motive for seeking custody. The bill adds "coercive control" to the definition of domestic violence, defining it as patterns of threatening, humiliating, or intimidating actions meant to make a person dependent through isolation, financial control, monitoring, or other tactics. This directly affects parents accused of domestic violence or related offenses and children in custody cases across New Jersey courts. The bill does not change the requirement that courts prioritize the best interests of the child in custody decisions.