Asm. Erik Peterson

Maddy summaryThis bill would allocate $7.5 million annually from constitutionally dedicated Corporation Business Tax (CBT) revenue to preserve land in New Jersey's Highlands Region. It redirects $5 million from the existing Green Acres program (for recreation and conservation) and $2.5 million from the Farmland Preservation program into a new Highlands Preservation Fund managed by the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council. The fund will be used to acquire land for recreation, conservation, and farmland preservation through fee simple purchases, conservation easements, and development rights. The bill specifies that funds can't be used for contaminated land or land already preserved, and prioritizes areas identified in the Highlands regional master plan.

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits of certain retired police and firefighters in New Jersey's Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS). It applies specifically to members who have been retired and receiving benefits for at least 10 years, excluding those hired after the bill's effective date, those in deferred retirement, and those with 20-24 years of service. The COLAs are tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners, with benefits up to $75,000 receiving full adjustment, while higher benefits are capped at a 1% annual increase. The $75,000 threshold will adjust annually based on inflation, and the bill requires the Legislature to appropriate funds to cover both state and local costs for these adjustments.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires school bus personnel transporting students with disabilities to call 911 in potential life-threatening emergencies and report these calls to the Office of Special Education. It mandates that school buses carrying students with disabilities be equipped with interior video cameras, real-time GPS tracking, and two-way communication devices. The bill expands training requirements for school bus personnel to include recognizing and responding to potential life-threatening emergencies involving students with disabilities. School bus contractors and school districts that fail to comply face civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation, and video footage and GPS data must be retained for at least 180 days.

Maddy summaryThis bill would expand eligibility for New Jersey veterans' benefits by removing specific time periods and locations that veterans must have served in to qualify for certain civil service and pension benefits. Instead of requiring service during particular wars or in specific conflict zones, the bill would allow veterans who have served in federal active duty in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces or Reserve component to qualify. This change would impact civil service preferences, retirement benefits through the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund and Public Employees' Retirement System, and the ability to purchase military service credit for retirement. It would make it easier for veterans of more recent conflicts to access these benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises how funds from New Jersey's Alcohol Education, Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund are distributed to municipalities. It updates the base year for calculating drunk driving arrest data from the 1980s to 2020, requiring annual reporting of arrests and decennial updates (starting 2030). The "Municipal Court Administration Reimbursement Fund" will now allocate money based on each municipality's recent arrest trends relative to statewide totals. This directly affects all municipalities receiving these funds, replacing an outdated system that did not account for population shifts over 30 years.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution designates July 3 of each year as "Indian Christian Day (Yeshu Bakti Divas)" in New Jersey. It directly affects Indian Christian communities in the state, providing an annual opportunity to celebrate the message of Jesus Christ through worship, service to the poor, and promoting community unity. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public observance of the day. It references July 3 as the traditional martyrdom date of Saint Thomas the Apostle in India and aligns with the Decade of Celebration (2021-2030) honoring Jesus Christ's ministry. The designation is symbolic and commemorative, with no new funding or regulatory requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a process for New Jersey to select, instruct, and oversee commissioners who will represent the state at an Article V convention for proposing constitutional amendments. It sets specific eligibility requirements for commissioners (including citizenship, residency, age, and expertise in constitutional matters), requires them to take an oath, and prohibits them from supporting changes to the traditional one-vote-per-state rule or amendments that alter specific constitutional guarantees like the Bill of Rights and several key amendments. The bill creates an advisory committee to monitor commissioners' compliance with their instructions and to recommend recalls when commissioners exceed their authority, with procedures for filling vacancies. It also establishes criminal penalties (third-degree crimes) for commissioners who exceed their authority or for anyone who bribes, threatens, or obstructs commissioners during the convention.

Maddy summaryThis is an Assembly Resolution (not a law), expressing support for pregnancy resource centers in New Jersey. It specifically condemns Attorney General Matthew Platkin for issuing broad subpoenas to these centers, which require ten years of documents about their operations and donors. The resolution highlights that these centers provided over $3.6 million in free services and goods (like pregnancy tests, diapers, and baby supplies) to 23,000 people in 2022. It characterizes the subpoenas as an "overbroad" misuse of power targeting centers offering abortion alternatives. The resolution has no legal effect but serves as a symbolic statement from the Assembly.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Assembly Resolution 155 (AR 155) is a symbolic resolution urging federal action regarding education policies for undocumented students. It asks Congress to remove federal courts' jurisdiction over cases involving state laws requiring undocumented students to pay tuition (similar to taxes paid by citizens), or alternatively, asks the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its 1981 *Plyler v. Doe* ruling that prohibits states from denying public education to undocumented children. The resolution argues that states, not federal courts, should have constitutional authority (under the 10th Amendment) to determine education funding and policies for their residents. It does not create new law but seeks to influence federal or judicial action on this specific education policy matter.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Governor, with input from the Education Commissioner, to take steps protecting the state's educational authority from federal interference. Key provisions mandate challenging federal actions that limit state education control, challenging the Supreme Court's *Plyler v. Doe* decision (which prohibits denying public education funding to undocumented children) when possible, and supporting local efforts to preserve resources for U.S. citizens. It directly affects how New Jersey engages with federal education policies and could influence access to public education for undocumented students. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.