Asm. Erik Peterson

Maddy summaryThis bill would remove eligibility for in-state tuition rates and certain state financial aid programs at New Jersey public colleges and universities for students without lawful immigration status. Under the proposed changes, only U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens would qualify for these benefits, even if they meet other requirements like attending New Jersey high school for three years or more. The legislation also repeals existing provisions that allowed some undocumented students to participate in these programs, while leaving unchanged the eligibility rules for students holding T or U visas or dependents of certain visa holders.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public schools to create policies for administering nasal seizure rescue medication and using manual vagus nerve stimulators for students with seizure disorders during emergencies. It defines specific roles for school nurses as primary responders while allowing them to designate at least two additional trained staff members to assist when the nurse is not present. The legislation mandates that designated staff receive CPR and defibrillator training, obtain written parental consent, and includes provisions protecting school employees from liability when acting in good faith during emergency medical situations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires school bus drivers, aides, and other personnel transporting students with disabilities to complete specialized training. The training covers behavior management, communication, adaptive equipment use, recognizing life-threatening emergencies (as defined in the bill), and safety procedures. Employers (school districts or contractors) must provide this training annually and require staff to certify completion within five business days. The bill does not mandate 911 calls or specific bus safety features, but focuses on personnel preparedness through training and certification. It is pending before the Assembly Education Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires school bus drivers and personnel to call 911 in potential life-threatening emergencies involving students. It mandates that school buses transporting students with disabilities be equipped with specific safety features (though exact features aren't detailed in the text). The bill also requires annual safety training for all bus personnel, including emergency procedures and recognizing signs of life-threatening situations for students with disabilities. Funding for these requirements is included through an appropriation. The bill directly affects school bus operators, drivers, aides, and students with disabilities in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryACR 121 is a procedural resolution proposing a special session of the New Jersey Legislature focused solely on property tax relief and reform. It would require the presiding officers of both legislative houses to convene the session within seven days of the resolution's passage, dedicating it entirely to developing solutions for New Jersey's high property taxes. The resolution states that these taxes - among the highest in the nation - disproportionately burden residents, including the elderly, young people, and low-income families, while supporting schools and local governments. This measure does not enact tax changes itself but creates a dedicated legislative process to consider such reforms.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state agencies, counties, municipalities, school districts, and other local government entities to purchase at least 5% of their goods and services from the Central Nonprofit Agency (CNA), which supports rehabilitation facilities. It grants the CNA a "right of first refusal" for any goods/services typically bought through cooperative purchasing catalogs, provided they can match prices within 15% of fair market value. The bill also mandates that the Division of Purchase and Property create training protocols for all purchasing agents to ensure awareness of the CNA program, with annual reporting on compliance by all affected entities. These requirements apply to all state and local government bodies authorized to make purchases.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes knowingly making a false report of child abuse or neglect a crime. It targets individuals who submit false reports under New Jersey's child abuse reporting law, imposing a third-degree criminal penalty (up to 5 years in prison or a $15,000 fine) and adding a separate civil penalty of up to $10,000. The civil penalty funds the Department of Children and Families. The law applies immediately upon enactment and directly affects people who file false reports, not the victims or reporting systems.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a property tax exemption for New Jersey veterans with service-connected disabilities. It provides a proportional exemption based on disability percentage (up to 100%), covering veterans with conditions like paralysis, amputations, or total blindness, and caps partial exemptions at $10,000. Surviving spouses of eligible veterans or those who died in service also qualify for similar exemptions. Crucially, the state will reimburse municipalities 102% of the lost tax revenue from these exemptions to offset costs. The law amends existing veteran property tax protections under P.L.1948, c.259.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (AR 98) is a symbolic recognition by the New Jersey General Assembly of the Special Olympics' global impact and local contributions. It formally acknowledges the organization's work providing year-round sports training, competitions, and health services to over 25,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities across New Jersey. The resolution reaffirms state support but does not create new policies or alter funding, as it is purely ceremonial. It specifically highlights the Special Olympics' role in fostering inclusion, self-confidence, and community engagement for participants.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 96) encourages New Jersey municipalities to adopt the practice of accepting electronically submitted, digitally signed documents from licensed architects and landscape architects. It directly affects municipalities and the architects/landscape architects who submit documents, building on existing rules from the State Board of Architects that became effective May 1, 2017. The resolution promotes electronic submissions because they allow municipalities to receive documents instantly, reduce paper usage and storage needs, and align with growing government preferences for digital workflows. It does not mandate electronic submissions but urges municipalities to support this method whenever possible.