Asm. Michele Matsikoudis

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey school districts to submit their emergency communication policies and protocols to the Department of Education (DOE) for review by October 1 of the first full school year after the bill takes effect. School districts must update and resubmit these policies every five years or immediately following any school emergency incident. The DOE, in consultation with emergency management and law enforcement agencies, will review the policies for compliance with state laws and may provide recommendations for improvement. The DOE can also request additional information about a district's emergency communication systems at any time.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A4070 requires all public school districts to create policies mandating students and school staff wear visible identification cards at all times during school hours in school buildings. The cards must include the wearer's name, a current photo, and the school year, with staff cards also listing their job title. The state education commissioner will develop guidelines for the cards and explore using student IDs for school services like meal purchases or library access. Additionally, the bill mandates school districts to implement visitor pass systems with screening procedures to monitor entry into school facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school districts to submit their current safety and security plans to the Commissioner of Education within six months of the law taking effect. The Commissioner must review each plan against specific criteria, including emergency notification procedures, staff emergency assignments, building access policies, bullying prevention measures, hazard analysis, active shooter protocols, and crisis communication plans. After review, the Commissioner must provide each district with a written report detailing weaknesses and recommended solutions. Within three years, the Commissioner must also submit a summary report to the Governor and Legislature detailing aggregate findings across all districts, without revealing individual school data.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey State Police to maintain a 24-hour, toll-free hotline for anonymous tips about school safety threats, accessible via phone or text. It allows students, parents, school staff, and the public to report incidents like violence, assaults, suicide threats, or bullying without revealing their identity. The State Police must share reported information with local law enforcement and school officials to enable prompt investigation and intervention. Additionally, the State Police, in collaboration with the Department of Education, will distribute hotline details to all schools for sharing with students and families.

Maddy summaryThe Electricity Bill Transparency Act requires New Jersey electric utilities to separately list three specific charges on customer bills: the sales tax imposed by the Sales and Use Tax Act, the societal benefits charge, and clean energy charges. Utilities must also itemize how much of the societal benefits charge funds each specific program, such as energy efficiency initiatives or low-income assistance. This bill affects all residential and commercial electricity customers in New Jersey by making non-utility related charges more transparent on their bills. The policy change aims to help customers understand the breakdown of their electricity costs beyond the base service charge. This requirement applies to all electric utilities providing service in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires non-profit organizations that train service dogs for disabled veterans to register annually with New Jersey's Division of Consumer Affairs. Registered organizations must provide each trained dog with a vest or harness labeled "DISABLED VETERAN ASSISTANCE DOG" (or "DVAD") and featuring the organization's logo, and issue an identification card to the veteran handler upon request. The card must include the handler's name, the dog's name and breed, and the training organization's name. Violating these requirements is deemed a consumer fraud violation under New Jersey law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey long-term care facilities (like nursing homes and assisted living residences) to let residents or their legal representatives designate up to two "essential caregivers" who can visit during emergencies, outbreaks, or pandemics. Facilities must document these designations in residents' care plans, ensure visitation times match normal in-person visitation rights, and post clear policies online and in writing. Essential caregivers - defined as anyone a resident chooses (e.g., family, friends, spiritual advisors) - cannot face stricter infection protocols than facility staff. The Department of Health will enforce compliance, aiming to prevent the isolation seen during the pandemic.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides $2 million in state funding to New Jersey's Department of Labor to support county prosecutors in enforcing wage payment laws. It requires each county prosecutor's office to assign a dedicated assistant prosecutor to investigate and prosecute cases where employers fail to pay wages or violate wage-hour laws. The funding covers both financial resources and training for prosecutors to handle these cases more effectively. This directly affects workers who are owed wages and county prosecutors who will now have dedicated staff and resources for wage enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis non-binding New Jersey Assembly Resolution (AR 116) urges the federal government to repeal the $10,000 cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions for federal income tax filers. The resolution argues that New Jersey residents, who pay some of the highest property taxes in the country (averaging $9,112 in 2020), are disproportionately affected by the cap, which was enacted in 2017 under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It states that the cap has contributed to outmigration from New Jersey, particularly among middle-class residents, and notes that New Jersey is a "donor state" (paying more in federal taxes than it receives in federal funding). The resolution does not create new law but formally requests federal action to restore the pre-2018 SALT deduction rules.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A3933) requires school safety teams to include at least one coach and expands the definition of "harassment, intimidation or bullying" to explicitly include hazing. It also mandates that coaches and advisors of extracurricular activities complete annual training on school anti-bullying policies. These changes apply to all public schools in New Jersey, directly affecting coaches, advisors, and school safety teams by integrating athletic staff into bullying prevention efforts. The bill implements recommendations from the New Jersey Anti-Bullying Task Force to strengthen school safety protocols.