Asm. Verlina Reynolds-Jackson

Maddy summaryBill A5923 establishes a state approval process for public colleges and universities in New Jersey to merge or consolidate with other public institutions or certain private colleges. It requires the governing boards of merging institutions to jointly apply for preliminary approval from the Higher Education Secretary, who reviews the merger plan and issues a final decision, followed by a 90-day legislative review period where the Legislature can disapprove the merger with a concurrent resolution. The bill does not apply to Rutgers University, but any merger involving Rutgers must follow this process, and the single remaining institution will be treated as one entity for state funding purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits all New Jersey law enforcement officers (including federal, state, county, and municipal personnel) from wearing masks or disguises during public interactions while performing official duties. Exceptions include undercover operations, face shields protecting the face, medical masks with a physician's note, or masks worn during smoke emergencies. Violating this rule would result in a disorderly persons offense punishable by fines ($500-$1,000), up to six months in jail, or both. The law applies immediately upon enactment and defines "law enforcement officer" broadly to cover all personnel authorized to enforce state or federal laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill redirects 50% of revenue from taxes and fees on real estate sales exceeding $1 million to New Jersey's Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Currently, these funds go to the General Fund, but the bill specifies they must instead support affordable housing programs. It directly affects sellers of high-value residential, commercial, farm, or cooperative properties (over $1 million) and the housing fund's funding stream. The key mechanism is an annual deposit of half the collected revenue from two existing taxes: the additional fee on property transfers and the controlling interest transfer tax. This changes how existing revenue is allocated, without creating new taxes or altering property sale thresholds.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A3558 bill establishes the state's official definition of antisemitism using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) standard, including specific examples of antisemitic conduct. State agencies and institutions must use this definition when reviewing, investigating, or deciding on cases involving discriminatory acts motivated by antisemitism. The bill appropriates $100,000 for a public awareness campaign by the Attorney General's office to educate residents on identifying and reporting bias crimes through community outreach and the existing bias crimes hotline. This campaign aims to improve reporting of antisemitic incidents without affecting First Amendment rights or conflicting with existing anti-discrimination laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill reorganizes New Jersey's State Health Benefits Program governance by expanding the State Health Benefits Commission to 11 members and eliminating the previous Plan Design Committee. It requires the program to offer exactly five health plans for employees and non-Medicare-eligible retirees, including a new "NJ Gold" plan that doesn't require salary-based employee contributions. The bill establishes an escalator system to adjust employee contribution rates based on premium cost trends, increasing rates if premiums rise significantly above inflation and decreasing them if premiums fall. Additionally, it mandates that local government employers must decide within one year whether to join the SHBP, with a two-year commitment if they choose to participate.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes a permanent annual $500,000 allocation from New Jersey's Clean Communities Program Fund to fund public outreach for the state's single-use plastics reduction program. The funding supports the Department of Environmental Protection's outreach efforts, including educational campaigns and a bag redistribution program that repurposes reusable bags for food banks and pantries. The bill changes current law, which limited this funding to the first three years after the 2020 single-use plastics ban law, making it permanent. This directly affects the DEP's outreach activities and the public receiving information about reducing plastic use.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public schools (grades 7-12) and colleges to print the telephone number for mental health and suicide crisis resources on student ID cards, replacing the current mandate for the NJ Hopeline number. The Commissioner of Education or Secretary of Higher Education (with input from the Commissioner of Human Services) will determine the specific resources to be listed. Schools may also include additional support services like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or on-campus crisis centers. The law takes effect immediately for the next school year.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the Capital City Redevelopment Corporation (CCRC) to issue grants for projects within the Capital City District. It removes a requirement that the CCRC must recover at least 65% of funds through repayment. The CCRC can now set repayment terms per project to suit economic feasibility. This change increases the CCRC's flexibility in financing redevelopment projects without the fixed recovery percentage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts to provide parents or guardians of special education students with a hard copy of a draft Individualized Education Program (IEP) and a list of excused IEP team members at least two business days before annual IEP meetings. The draft IEP must clearly state "DRAFT" on every page, and the notice must explain that proposed programs/services are preliminary and invite parent input. It directly affects parents of students with IEPs, ensuring they have sufficient time to review recommendations before meetings. The bill aims to improve parent engagement by standardizing advance notice of draft IEPs, aligning with existing federal and state requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3052) expands academic flexibility for New Jersey public college students who are active-duty service members or their dependents (spouses/children) unable to finish a course due to unplanned military obligations like deployment. It changes the attendance threshold from 8 weeks to 55% of a course’s duration to qualify for grade options, adding temporary grades and online course transfers as choices. Students who complete 55% of a course can select a letter grade, pass/fail, incomplete, withdrawal, or online transfer (with approval), while those under 55% can choose incomplete or withdrawal. It also clarifies that pass/fail grades can later be converted to letter grades within a year by completing missed work, and ensures full tuition refunds for withdrawals. The law applies to all public institutions of higher education in New Jersey and takes effect immediately for the next academic year.