Asm. Brian Bergen

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Bring Veterans to New Jersey Program" within the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to help New Jersey employers recruit veterans. It requires participating employers to provide up to $5,000 in relocation assistance to eligible veterans (reimbursed by the state), who must relocate to New Jersey for a job and stay employed for at least 12 months. Veterans must create profiles through a contracted nonprofit to be matched with employers, and employers document eligible expenses before reimbursing veterans directly. If a veteran leaves before 12 months due to circumstances like layoff or family emergency, the program allows for partial or full forgiveness of repayment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey law enforcement officers and recruits (across state, county, and municipal agencies) to complete mandated self-defense training. Recruits must take a 40-hour final course plus 1.5 hours of weekly instruction during basic training, while active officers must complete 48 hours of annual refresher training. The Police Training Commission will administer the courses and receives $250,000 in state funding to establish them, with training time excluded from overtime compensation. The law takes effect seven months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's public colleges and universities to cover tuition and fees for undergraduate students who are Medal of Honor or Purple Heart recipients and reside in New Jersey. To qualify, recipients must be enrolled full-time (up to 16 credits per semester), have applied for all available state and federal grants/scholarships, and maintain good academic standing. The waiver applies for up to eight semesters of study. It does not cover non-tuition costs like housing or books, and institutions determine eligibility documentation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires certain individuals to undergo child abuse record checks before working in specific roles. It applies to public school employees (including current staff within five years), school bus drivers (before hiring and during license renewal), and youth camp employees or candidates. Applicants must provide written consent and pay for the check, conducted by the Department of Children and Families. If substantiated child abuse allegations are found, the individual is permanently disqualified from these positions. The bill takes immediate effect, with current school staff checks to be completed within five years.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the New Jersey Veteran Grant Program, providing financial aid to eligible veterans attending public colleges and universities in New Jersey. It covers tuition and mandatory fees for up to 18 credits per semester after other grants and scholarships are applied, with public institutions waiving any remaining balance if the grant is insufficient. To qualify, veterans must have served at least one year in active duty (including National Guard or Reserves), received an honorable discharge, reside in New Jersey, apply for other aid first, and maintain good academic standing. The program is administered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority and applies to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Maddy summaryACR 102 is a non-binding resolution urging New Jersey's Department of Education to impose a two-year moratorium on developing or implementing new Student Learning Standards. It requests this pause due to recent adoption of standards in 2020, parent concerns about current standards, and pandemic-related learning loss. The resolution does not change existing standards but asks the Department to halt new standards development while the Legislature considers related bills addressing learning loss. This affects the Department's curriculum planning process during the moratorium period.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services to prepare and submit a report within six months of the bill's effective date. The report must detail how expanding Medicaid eligibility under the federal Affordable Care Act has affected veterans' and their families' access to health coverage and services. It must include specific recommendations for improving outreach and services for veterans enrolled in the state's Medicaid program (NJ FamilyCare). The report will be made publicly available online after completion.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to issue special "Operation Desert Storm" license plates for residents who served in the 1991 military operation to liberate Kuwait. To qualify, applicants must provide proof of service (via DD-214 or discharge form) and pay a $50 application fee plus a $10 annual renewal fee, in addition to standard registration costs. The collected fees, after covering program costs, will fund combat veteran programs through a dedicated "Operation Desert Storm License Plate Fund" managed by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The program requires initial non-public funding (up to $25,000) and 500 completed applications before implementation, with activation delayed 13 months after meeting these conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides a one-time $10,000 deduction from gross income for certain New Jersey taxpayers filing for the 2020 tax year. It directly affects married couples filing jointly, heads of household, and surviving spouses with taxable income under $250,000, as well as single filers, married filing separately, and estates/trusts with taxable income under $125,000. The deduction is applied in addition to existing personal exemptions and is available only for the 2020 tax year. The bill aims to offer tax relief to lower-to-moderate income households following the pandemic.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2720) would change New Jersey's requirement for diversity and inclusion instruction in public schools from grades K-12 to only grades 9-12. It directly affects all New Jersey school districts by narrowing the current law (P.L. 2021, c.32), which mandates such instruction for all grades, to focus exclusively on high school students. The key provision removes the requirement for kindergarten through 8th grade to include lessons on diversity, equity, inclusion, unconscious bias, and creating inclusive environments. The sponsor states this change reflects that such topics are better suited for high school students than younger children. The bill would take effect immediately upon passage.