Asm. Rosy Bagolie

Maddy summaryThis bill would require New Jersey to pay for high school equivalency exams (such as GED, Hi-SET, or TASC) for low-income individuals, defined as those living in households with income at or below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines. The State Board of Education must establish a program within six months to verify income and cover the cost of one exam per person. Funding would come from a specific allocation within the existing Workforce Development Partnership Fund, which is already designated for workforce training and education programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Office of Public Defender to provide legal representation to indigent defendants charged with contempt for violating specific domestic violence protection orders under New Jersey's Prevention of Domestic Violence Act. It applies only to contempt violations involving orders related to safety restrictions (not parenting time, financial compensation, counseling, or housing payments), which could otherwise lead to jail time as a fourth-degree crime or disorderly persons offense. Currently, the Office represents indigent defendants in similar cases with potential imprisonment, but this bill explicitly expands that duty to cover these contempt violations for covered domestic violence orders. The change implements Recommendation 29 from the 2023 Joint Committee on Criminal Justice report.

Maddy summaryAJR 86 designates the fourth Wednesday in May each year as "Crisis Professionals Day" in New Jersey. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation recognizing this day to honor crisis professionals who assist individuals during mental health crises. These professionals, trained to de-escalate crises using empathy and support, provide critical services to vulnerable New Jersey residents. The bill has no fiscal impact and serves solely as a ceremonial recognition of their work.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey health insurers, including commercial plans, health maintenance organizations, and state programs, to cover mammograms starting at age 35 rather than 40 for routine screening. It mandates annual mammograms for women 35 and older, while also requiring coverage for women under 35 with family history of breast cancer or other risk factors. The bill also requires coverage for additional breast imaging tests like ultrasounds or MRIs when mammograms show dense breast tissue or abnormalities. This applies to all health insurance plans in New Jersey, including the State Health Benefits Program and School Employees' Health Benefits Program. The policy change lowers the age threshold for routine screening to improve early breast cancer detection.

Maddy summaryS 2082 creates a 12-member New Jersey Educator Evaluation Review Task Force to examine the state's current teacher and administrator evaluation system established under the 2012 TEACHNJ Act. The task force will specifically study the use of student growth objectives in evaluations, assess administrative burdens on educators, review current research on effective evaluation practices, and recommend potential updates to the law. It will hold public hearings and submit a final report to the Governor and Legislature by September 30, 2024. This bill does not change evaluation rules directly but sets up a process to review them; the current system affects all public school teachers, principals, and administrators in New Jersey. The task force includes representatives from teachers' unions, school administrators, and education associations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey colleges and universities to create a written policy governing overnight camping on campus grounds or facilities. The policy must mandate that anyone or any group seeking to camp (including using tents, sleeping bags, makeshift shelters, or vehicles like RVs) must obtain prior approval from the institution. The bill defines "camping" as any overnight use of such items for any purpose and takes effect immediately. It directly affects campus administrators and students/groups who might seek to camp on school property.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 140) is a symbolic condemnation, not a law, addressing Rutgers University's response to student protests. It specifically criticizes Rutgers for accepting eight of ten demands from protesters who established an encampment at Rutgers University-New Brunswick on April 29, 2024. The demands included divesting from companies supporting Israel, ending partnerships with Tel Aviv University, and accepting Gazan students, while the protesters used anti-Semitic rhetoric and glorified Hamas violence. The resolution states Rutgers’ acceptance of these demands created a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff, and urges the university to uphold campus safety policies. It directs copies to Rutgers' leadership but has no legal effect.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A4417) prohibits displaying or flying flags of organizations designated as terrorist groups by the U.S. Department of State on any state-owned or leased property. It directly affects state agencies, schools, hospitals, parks, and other government facilities that use state property. Violating this rule results in immediate loss of state funding, with penalties determined by the Secretary of State and Budget Director. The ban does not apply to flags displayed for news, theater, historical, or educational purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the filing deadline for New Jersey public safety retirees and members of PFRS, SPRS, and PERS to claim accidental disability retirement benefits related to 9/11 World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations. It allows retirement system boards to approve additional two-year filing extensions beyond the initial two-year window required after the 2019 law. The bill also provides an alternative to proving prior medical health status by permitting members to submit medical examination results from before or after public service entry, rather than requiring proof of a passing pre-employment physical. This applies to those who participated in 9/11 operations between September 11-12, 2001, and developed qualifying health conditions as a result of their service. Retirement systems must notify members about this bill within 30 days of enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows students receiving opportunity grants through New Jersey's Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program to use a portion of their award for summer courses that count toward graduation or their academic major. Students must notify the Secretary of Higher Education before the academic year begins, resulting in a proportional reduction of their grant funds during the regular academic year. The bill also requires annual reporting by institutions on summer grant usage and graduation rates, implementing a 2016 College Affordability Study Commission recommendation.