Asm. Michele Matsikoudis

Maddy summaryThis bill allows active-duty U.S. military members and their dependents living in New Jersey to qualify for county resident tuition rates at local county colleges, regardless of their official mailing address. It specifically applies to military personnel residing in or stationed at a New Jersey county college's county, ensuring they pay the lower in-county tuition rate instead of higher non-resident fees. The policy change directly affects military families who currently face higher tuition costs due to maintaining out-of-county or out-of-state addresses for administrative purposes. The bill takes effect immediately for the next academic year, aligning county college tuition benefits with existing state-level residency rules for military members at public universities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires criminal history background checks for individuals applying for or renewing licenses in specific health care professions, specifically adding applied behavior analysts, creative arts therapists, and dietitians to the list of professions requiring these checks. Background checks must be conducted as part of the licensing application process, and licensing boards may deny or revoke licenses based on criminal history that meets existing standards. The requirement does not apply to nurse aides, personal care assistants, or homemaker-home health aides, who are already covered by other background check laws. This change expands existing background check rules to new health care fields without altering current exemptions.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 151) urges Cuba to extradite Joanne Chesimard (also known as Assata Shakur) to the United States. It does not create new legal requirements but formally requests Cuba - where Chesimard has lived since fleeing U.S. custody in 1979 - to hand her over for prosecution related to her 1977 conviction for murdering New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster in 1973. The resolution references her inclusion on the FBI’s most-wanted terrorist list (2013) and notes the U.S. has recently restored diplomatic relations with Cuba. As a symbolic gesture, it directs copies to Cuba’s diplomatic representative and the U.S. Secretary of State.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's law prohibiting feeding black bears by replacing the previous "unintentional feeding" exemption with specific, allowed activities. It permits certain actions without penalty, including agricultural operations (with food stored properly), bird feeders maintained under strict conditions (e.g., 10-foot height, nightly emptying), animal shelters feeding pets (with uneaten food removed nightly), and government wildlife management. The law also changes where civil penalties for violations go, directing collected fines to the local municipality instead of the Division of Fish and Wildlife. It directly affects residents, farmers, and pet owners in bear-prone areas by clarifying permitted feeding practices.

Maddy summaryACR 141 proposes a constitutional amendment to provide a property tax exemption for the primary residence of a surviving spouse when a first responder - such as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency medical personnel - dies while performing their duties. The exemption would apply only if the property was the first responder’s primary residence at the time of death, the surviving spouse continues to occupy it as their primary residence, and the spouse remains unmarried. It would not apply if the death resulted from the first responder’s own willful negligence or if the surviving spouse did not cohabit with the first responder under circumstances that would have justified divorce. The exemption would end if the surviving spouse remarries.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's NJBEST college savings program to align with federal tax law. It adds "special rollovers to a Roth IRA" to the definition of a "qualified withdrawal" under the NJBEST program, allowing account holders to transfer funds tax-free into a Roth IRA. This change specifically excludes such rollovers from New Jersey's gross income tax calculation, meaning the earnings portion of these transfers won't be subject to state income tax. The bill directly affects NJBEST account holders who wish to use funds for Roth IRA contributions instead of traditional education expenses, matching the federal 529-to-Roth IRA rollover rules effective after 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill, "Jillian's Law" (A4737), requires courts to commit defendants found incompetent to stand trial to a state institution if they pose a danger to themselves or others, eliminating prior options for outpatient treatment or release. It modifies New Jersey law (N.J.S.2C:4-6) by removing the court's ability to choose outpatient or release alternatives in such cases. The law maintains the existing 3-month review period for regaining competency and requires institutional commitment only for those deemed dangerous. This affects defendants in criminal cases who are found incompetent but pose safety risks, directly changing their post-incompetency placement options.

Maddy summaryS 1017 (now P.L.2024, c.59) requires New Jersey law enforcement agencies to notify sexual assault victims about key developments in their criminal cases, specifically regarding DNA evidence. Victims have the right to be informed whether DNA from the assault was collected, entered into forensic databases, or matched to a suspect’s DNA (with exceptions if disclosure would compromise an ongoing investigation). Victims can request written or email updates about evidence processing status, and agencies must provide this information in a timely manner upon request. This law directly affects sexual assault victims in New Jersey by ensuring they receive specific, actionable updates about their case evidence under the state’s crime victim rights framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the requirement for teacher candidates in New Jersey to pass a basic skills test (such as the Praxis Core) to obtain certain teaching certificates. Specifically, it eliminates the need for candidates seeking a certificate of eligibility, certificate of eligibility with advanced standing, provisional certificate, or standard instructional certificate to complete a Commissioner-approved test of basic reading, writing, and math skills. The change directly affects individuals pursuing teaching certification in the state by streamlining the certification process. It repeals the existing law requiring these tests, making certification more accessible for educators meeting other standard qualifications. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires criminal history background checks for individuals applying for an initial license in three specific health care professions: applied behavior analysis, creative arts and activities therapy, and dietetics and nutrition. The background check must be completed before a license is issued, aligning these professions with existing requirements for other licensed health care fields. Existing rules allowing licensing boards to deny or revoke a license based on criminal history will continue to apply to these applicants. The requirement takes effect for applications received on or after the bill's effective date.