Asm. Sterley Stanley

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's State Board of Education to create three new teaching certifications (endorsements) for educators. It allows teachers to teach students with disabilities across all grade levels (excluding blind/visually impaired or deaf/hard of hearing students), combine elementary and middle school teaching under one K-8 endorsement, and teach bilingual education with new language proficiency requirements. Currently, teachers must hold separate certifications for different grade levels or subject areas. The changes aim to simplify certification for special education, K-8 instruction, and bilingual programs while requiring language skills for bilingual educators.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends New Jersey's ANCHOR Property Tax Relief Program to include homestead owners and tenants who made payments in lieu of taxes (PILT) to their municipality. Currently, the program covers eligible homeowners and renters based on income, but the law didn't explicitly include those with PILT agreements - though the Division of Taxation has allowed it for tenants in rental properties. The bill formalizes this by adding "including principal residences on which a homestead owner or tenant made one or more payments in lieu of taxes" to the eligibility criteria. To qualify, applicants must submit an application to the Division of Taxation by March 1, 2024, with benefits based on 2019 property tax amounts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Chief Diversity Officer to conduct a study examining whether disparities exist in the use of minority-owned and women-owned businesses when state agencies purchase goods and services. The study will assess if these businesses are utilized at rates matching their availability in the market, focusing on all state agencies, including departments, commissions, and independent authorities. After completing the study, the officer must submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature to promote greater opportunities for these businesses in state procurement. The officer will also submit follow-up reports every four years to evaluate progress on prior recommendations and request funding for future studies if needed.

Maddy summaryThe New Jersey Safe Storage of Firearms Act requires legal firearm owners to store unloaded firearms in a locked container with ammunition stored separately when not in use, applying to most owners except active law enforcement officers (when minors are present), temporary transfers, and firearms on display for sale. Retail dealers must provide written warnings and post signs about safe storage requirements to customers. The bill appropriates $500,000 for a public awareness campaign about safe storage risks and requires the Attorney General to collect data on implementation and submit annual reports to the Legislature. This replaces previous laws specifically addressing minors' access to firearms with broader safe storage requirements for all firearm owners.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A589) requires a drunk driver convicted of reckless vehicular homicide that kills a parent or guardian to pay financial support for the child's needs. It mandates courts to order payments covering the child's living expenses until age 18 (or graduation), or until 21 if the child has a disability, with a minimum 5-year payment period. The court must consider the child's financial needs, living standards, and the surviving parent's resources when setting the amount. Payments accrue during incarceration but allow up to one year after release to begin paying, and civil judgments are offset by these ordered payments.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Commission on Health Equity within the Department of Health to address health disparities linked to racism and systemic inequities. The 27-member commission, including department heads and a local health department representative, will develop strategies to improve health outcomes for communities of color. Key provisions require collecting data on health outcomes by race, ethnicity, and language; making recommendations on implicit bias training for healthcare providers; and establishing a health equity framework for government decision-making. The commission must report annually to the Governor and Legislature on progress and recommendations, directly affecting state agencies, healthcare providers, and communities experiencing health disparities.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A563) amends New Jersey law to classify disclosing a domestic violence or sexual assault victim's personal information as a second-degree crime, regardless of the monetary value involved. It directly affects public servants (like law enforcement or government employees) who might improperly share such sensitive details. The key change removes the current $200 threshold that would downgrade similar misconduct to a third-degree crime if the benefit was minor. Under this bill, any disclosure of victim information would automatically be treated as a more serious second-degree offense, carrying penalties of 5-10 years in prison or fines up to $150,000.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for domestic violence offenders in New Jersey. It adds a new $1,500 civil penalty (payable in $500 annual installments over three years) and raises the surcharge for domestic violence convictions from $100 to $500. All funds from these new penalties and the increased surcharge will flow into the newly created "Domestic Violence Victims' Legal Assistance Fund." The fund will provide direct legal services, medical advocacy, referrals, and community education to domestic violence victims through designated organizations. The bill affects domestic violence offenders (who pay the penalties) and victims (who receive enhanced legal support services).

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 24-member Working Group on End-of-Life Care and Palliative Care within New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH). The group includes DOH officials, healthcare associations (like the New Jersey Hospital Association and Medical Society), patient advocates, faith-based representatives, and family members of patients who received end-of-life care. Its purpose is to develop a plan implementing recommendations from a 2018 advisory council report, report on care access benchmarks, and study ways to improve palliative and end-of-life care services statewide. The plan must be submitted to health committees within one year, and the bill expires upon its completion. The work directly affects New Jersey residents seeking high-quality, cost-effective end-of-life care options.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides tax credits for businesses that purchase and install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations for use in their operations. Businesses can claim credits equal to 25% of costs (up to $500) for 2014 installations, 15% (up to $300) for 2015, and 8% (up to $150) for 2016. To qualify, businesses must obtain certification from the Environmental Protection Commissioner confirming the charger meets technical standards for Level 2 or Level 3 EV charging. The credits apply to both corporation business tax and gross income tax filings, with separate limits for married taxpayers filing separately.