Asm. Shanique Speight

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill provides a 20% refundable tax credit for eligible residents who pay for in-home care services through a health care service firm. It directly affects taxpayers with gross income under $150,000 who are permanently disabled or age 65+, covering expenses for companion services (non-medical supervision/socialization), health care services (non-licensed), or personal care services (assisting with daily activities like bathing or dressing). The credit excludes insurance-reimbursed costs and applies against income tax after other credits. It takes effect for taxable years starting after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's assault statute (N.J.S. 2C:12-1) to increase penalties for assaulting specific public safety personnel. It designates assault on a Class Two special law enforcement officer while performing duties as aggravated assault, and adds that causing bodily injury through arson (violating N.J.S. 2C:17-1) that harms emergency services personnel (including firemen, medical staff, and law enforcement) is also aggravated assault. The bill does not include provisions allowing arson investigators to carry firearms, as that detail is absent from the provided bill text. The summary is based solely on the assault statute amendments included in the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the "New Jersey Reparations Task Force" to research and develop proposals addressing generational harms from New Jersey's role in slavery and systemic racial discrimination. The task force will examine historical and current disparities affecting Black communities, including voter disenfranchisement, youth incarceration rates, housing discrimination, wealth gaps, and school segregation. It will produce a report with policy recommendations for state-based reparations based on documented harms. The bill directly affects Black residents of New Jersey who face these systemic inequities, as outlined in the legislative findings.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a separate fringe benefit rate specifically for New Jersey public colleges and universities, effective starting in fiscal year 2025. Currently, these institutions use the same general state-wide fringe benefit rate as other state employees, but many university staff are enrolled in less expensive retirement plans (like the Alternative Benefit Plan) or have different benefit structures, causing a mismatch between actual costs and payments. The bill requires the Division of Budget and Accounting to calculate a rate reflecting the actual retirement costs for these employees. This change will apply to all federal, dedicated, and non-State funded programs at public colleges and universities.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a loan program administered by New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) to help beginning farmers purchase essential assets. It directly affects new or limited-experience farmers (defined as those with ≤10 years of farming in NJ, low/moderate net worth, or first-time farmers under federal rules) who need capital for agricultural land, farm buildings, or equipment. The program requires applicants to prove farming experience, residency, and plan to use loans solely for farming activities, with NJEDA setting interest rates and eligibility criteria. Loans must finance purchases within New Jersey, and NJEDA may require financial reviews to ensure borrower viability.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a nine-member task force within New Jersey's Department of Health to study health care access barriers faced by LGBTQI residents (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and intersex individuals). The task force will examine current policies, health care resources, medical training, and barriers like discrimination or lack of insurance coverage. It must make recommendations to improve health care quality and accessibility for this community within one year. The bill directly affects LGBTQI New Jersey residents by addressing documented health disparities they experience.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a $6 million pilot program to study psilocybin therapy for behavioral health conditions like depression and anxiety through New Jersey hospitals. It directs the Department of Health to select participating hospitals across three regions (Central, Northern, Southern) to conduct FDA- and DEA-compliant research, with oversight from a new advisory board. The program aims to evaluate whether a future statewide system for safe, legal psilocybin therapy could be developed, focusing on treatment-resistant depression and other conditions. The bill was withdrawn after being approved as part of P.L.2025, c.296, meaning it is now law but no longer pending.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $750,000 from the General Fund to the Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO) for a public awareness campaign. The campaign will inform crime victims about their rights under the Crime Victim’s Bill of Rights and available VCCO services, including compensation assistance. The funds are a supplemental appropriation added to the existing 2023 budget for the Department of Law and Public Safety. (Procedural bill; no new laws enacted.)

Maddy summaryThis bill allows eligible New Jersey educators (K-12 teachers, counselors, principals) and paraprofessionals (school aides) to deduct up to $250 of unreimbursed classroom supply expenses from their gross income tax. It covers costs like books, computers, software, and classroom materials, but excludes nonathletic supplies for health or physical education classes. To qualify, individuals must work at least 900 hours annually in a New Jersey public or private elementary/secondary school. The deduction applies to taxable years starting after the bill's enactment date.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 946), now law as P.L.2025, c.177, requires mental health services to be provided in the communication method preferred by each deaf or hard of hearing individual - such as sign language or oral communication - based on their assessment. It mandates that mental health professionals be fluent in that method, trained in cultural needs, and able to collaborate with interpreters. The law also requires a state resource guide listing specialized mental health services and ensures individuals can help shape their own care plans. It directly affects all deaf or hard of hearing residents seeking mental health support in New Jersey, addressing long-standing barriers in access and care quality.