Asm. Michele Matsikoudis

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2039) upgrades penalties for endangering individuals with disabilities or elderly people under New Jersey law. It expands the current law - which only applied to "developmental disabilities" - to cover all disabilities defined by the Law Against Discrimination (including physical, mental, neurological conditions, and HIV/AIDS) and adds "elderly person" (60+ years). Under the bill, recklessly endangering such individuals becomes a fourth-degree crime (up to 18 months jail), knowingly causing serious injury becomes a third-degree crime (3-5 years), and knowingly risking death becomes a second-degree crime (5-10 years). The bill broadens protections for vulnerable groups beyond the existing scope of the 2015 statute.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows state employees who were temporarily working at New Jersey psychiatric hospitals or correctional facilities before joining the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to apply for accidental disability benefits if injured during that temporary employment. It deems injuries sustained while performing duties (e.g., as nurses, correction officers, or healthcare workers) at those facilities as occurring "during membership" for PERS benefit eligibility, even if the injury happened before PERS enrollment. The change applies retroactively to January 1, 2003, and covers employees who later become PERS members without interruption in their job. This specifically affects temporary workers in state psychiatric or correctional facilities who were previously ineligible for PERS disability benefits after becoming members.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows individuals with developmental disabilities aged 21+ who previously couldn't access special education due to behavioral issues (now resolved) to attend approved special education programs if they would benefit. It also permits these individuals to simultaneously participate in both an adult day program (providing daily habilitation services) and an employment program (offering sheltered work training) after transitioning from child services to adult services. To qualify, they must meet each program's eligibility requirements and have their personalized care plan document authorization for both programs. The bill directly affects adults with developmental disabilities in New Jersey who are transitioning from youth to adult service systems.

Maddy summaryACR 58 proposes a constitutional amendment to increase New Jersey's veterans' property tax deduction from $250 to $2,500 over four years. It would raise the annual deduction to $1,000 in 2024, $1,500 in 2025, $2,000 in 2026, and $2,500 starting in 2027, with the amount remaining at $2,500 annually thereafter. This change directly affects honorably discharged veterans and their surviving spouses, who qualify for the deduction on real and personal property taxes. The amendment requires voter approval after legislative passage to take effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Military Suicide Prevention Task Force within New Jersey's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and Department of Human Services. The task force, made up of 17 members including veterans, mental health experts, and state agency representatives, will focus on reducing and eliminating suicides among active duty military members and veterans. It will identify key issues, review current services, examine suicide prevention data, and recommend evidence-based strategies and potential legislation. The task force must submit biannual reports to the Governor and Legislature with findings and concrete recommendations for improving mental health support and crisis resources.

Maddy summaryACR 67 is a New Jersey legislative resolution that formally condemns all forms of anti-Semitism and rejects efforts to justify anti-Jewish hatred. It references rising anti-Semitic incidents, including the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue attack and New Jersey’s ranking as third-highest in the U.S. for such incidents that year. The resolution urges vigilance against hate crimes, supports Holocaust education, and calls for state leaders to join national efforts against anti-Semitism. As a symbolic measure, it has no binding legal effect but expresses the state legislature’s position on the issue.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires new applicants for a commercial driver license (CDL) in New Jersey to complete a one-time training course on identifying and responding to suspected human trafficking. The training must be verified before the license is issued, but it does not apply to license renewals. The Department of Motor Vehicles (referred to as "chief administrator" in the bill) will develop or approve this course in consultation with the Commission on Human Trafficking, with materials made available to applicants. This requirement applies only to new CDL applicants at the time of their initial license application, not to existing license holders.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's county mental health programs to include mental health services for veterans and prohibits denying these services based solely on veteran status. It amends existing law to explicitly list veterans as a target population for state funding grants, ensuring programs receiving state funds must expand services to meet veterans' mental health needs. The bill also mandates that counties must refer veterans to the VA for eligibility assistance while waiting for VA services, and cannot deny care during this process. These changes apply directly to veterans in New Jersey who qualify for county mental health programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to operate a real-time call center within the state, available weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., to help people navigate the MVC’s online website and complete transactions. It mandates that all assistance be provided in both English and Spanish, and allows the MVC to reduce staffing needs by adding web tutorials or recorded help messages. The MVC must also publish quarterly performance reports online detailing call volume, wait times, call purposes, and call durations. This directly affects MVC customers using online services, aiming to improve access to vehicle-related transactions.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A2053 requires the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to create mandatory standards for publicly funded transitional housing programs supporting individuals recently released from prison. The bill mandates that these standards ensure resident safety, provide emergency and long-term housing, and include counseling services (like substance abuse treatment, job training, and medical care), personalized care plans for long-term inmates, and assistance securing permanent housing. These regulations must be developed in consultation with the Corrections Commissioner and will apply to all state-supported reentry housing programs. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.