Asm. Sean Kean

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey school districts to provide certain motor vehicle services for prospective school bus drivers, including distributing commercial driver license manuals, verifying identification, processing fees, and administering knowledge tests. School districts cannot conduct the road test, which must still be handled by the Motor Vehicle Commission. The Motor Vehicle Commission is required to implement a program promoting these services at school facilities and coordinate with districts. The bill directly affects school districts and prospective school bus drivers by enabling schools to streamline key licensing steps.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows individuals with a standard non-commercial driver's license (after completing required training) to operate Type S school buses without needing a commercial driver license, passenger endorsement, or school bus endorsement. Type S school buses are defined as vehicles designed for student transportation with a maximum seating capacity of nine passengers or less (excluding the driver) that are operated by schools or under school contract. School districts or transportation contractors must provide specific training on safety, student interaction, and other required topics before such drivers operate these vehicles. The bill also establishes penalties for operating while license is suspended/revoked and outlines procedures for suspending driving privileges for traffic violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill would restore approximately $331 million in municipal aid reductions that occurred during fiscal years 2009-2011 by gradually increasing distributions from the Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund over five years. Starting in fiscal year 2017, municipalities would receive incremental increases (20% in 2017, 40% in 2018, 60% in 2019, 80% in 2020, and 100% starting in 2021) to fully restore aid levels from fiscal year 2012. The bill requires municipalities to subtract any additional aid received from their property tax levy when calculating their next year's tax amount. This directly affects all New Jersey municipalities that received aid from these funds, allowing them to lower property tax rates for residents while maintaining their overall aid levels.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates special New Jersey license plates supporting Autism Awareness. Vehicle owners who apply pay a $50 one-time fee and a $10 annual fee, with the additional funds going to a special fund. The fund, managed by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, supports autism research and treatment programs. The program requires 500 initial applications and a $25,000 contribution from autism advocacy groups before implementation, and will expire if these conditions aren't met within 12 months.

Maddy summaryThis bill would amend New Jersey's tax code to exclude certain retirement contributions from gross income tax calculations. Specifically, it would exclude contributions to qualified pension plans, deferred compensation plans, and provide a deduction for qualifying individual retirement account (IRA) contributions. Currently, private sector employees benefit from tax deferral on retirement contributions, but public sector employees (including government workers, school employees, and nonprofit staff) do not have the same tax treatment. The bill would extend similar tax advantages to these workers, making retirement savings more accessible for them. It would apply to taxable years beginning after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 37) urges the Governor and Attorney General to provide state assistance to New Jersey municipalities dealing with spontaneous, unpermitted gatherings known as "pop-up parties." It directly affects local governments, which manage public safety through permit systems for events but struggle with sudden, large crowds organized via social media. The resolution requests enhanced state support to help municipalities better prepare for and manage these gatherings, which have led to safety risks and property damage in incidents like the 2022 Wildwood street take-over. It does not create new laws but calls for collaborative solutions to strengthen local responses.

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits under the Pension Adjustment Act (P.L.1958, c.143) for members of New Jersey's State-administered retirement systems. It directly affects retirees and beneficiaries of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund, Judicial Retirement System, Public Employees' Retirement System, Police and Firemen's Retirement System, and State Police Retirement System. The bill reverses a 2011 provision that had eliminated these automatic annual adjustments, ensuring benefits will adjust each year to help maintain purchasing power against inflation. By reinstating COLAs, the bill prevents gradual erosion of retirement benefits' value over time. This change provides concrete financial protection for retirees as the cost of living increases.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require New Jersey to annually adjust its income tax brackets for inflation using the national consumer price index (CPI-U), preventing "bracket creep" where inflation alone pushes taxpayers into higher tax brackets without real income growth. The Director of the Division of Taxation would calculate these annual adjustments based on the CPI-U measure. This change would affect all New Jersey residents who pay state income tax by ensuring their tax brackets keep pace with rising prices. The bill follows the same model used for federal income tax brackets, which has been in place since the 1980s.

Maddy summaryACR 31 is a New Jersey legislative resolution applying to Congress for an Article V Convention of States. It seeks to propose constitutional amendments limiting federal government powers, imposing fiscal restraints on spending, and restricting terms of office for federal officials and members of Congress. The resolution is a continuing application, meaning it remains in effect until two-thirds of U.S. states make similar requests on the same issue. This is a procedural step, not a law; it does not change existing federal policy but requests Congress convene a convention to consider specific constitutional amendments.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes criminal liability for New Jersey law enforcement officers during investigations involving underage individuals possessing or consuming alcohol or cannabis, unless the officer violates civil rights. Specifically, officers won’t face criminal charges for actions like stops or searches related to these violations - unless they act with discriminatory intent (e.g., targeting based on race, gender, or other protected characteristics) or commit other unlawful acts like excessive force. The bill modifies existing law to align criminal liability for such encounters with standard civil rights violation standards, requiring proof of discriminatory purpose. It directly affects police conduct during underage alcohol/cannabis enforcement but doesn’t change penalties for the minors involved.