Asm. Mike Venezia

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 7-member School Funding Formula Evaluation Task Force to study New Jersey's current school funding system under the 2008 School Funding Reform Act. The task force, including education and finance experts appointed by legislative leaders, will examine how school budgets are calculated, how student needs are weighted (including at-risk students and special education), and the impact of funding formulas on school finances. It must hold public meetings across the state and submit a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year, though the bill itself does not change funding. The study directly affects all public school districts and their funding allocations.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Department of Education (DOE) to create a multimedia advertising campaign promoting teaching and education support careers as engaging and rewarding. The campaign must highlight available scholarships, student loan programs, and target recruitment efforts toward underrepresented racial groups and high-demand fields like special education, STEM, and bilingual education. It appropriates $1 million - funded from federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) funds - to implement the campaign across digital, TV, radio, and print media. The policy aims to directly support the DOE's recruitment goals for educators and education support professionals.

Maddy summaryAJR 158 establishes a 13-member task force to study ways to increase diversity within New Jersey's law enforcement agencies, including state, local, and municipal departments. The task force will examine current diversity data, identify effective recruitment and retention strategies, and develop recommendations for implementation. It includes members from both legislative chambers, law enforcement unions, civil rights organizations (like the NAACP and ACLU), and community representatives from urban and non-urban areas. The task force must submit a final report with findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year of its formation. This resolution directly affects all New Jersey law enforcement agencies by initiating a formal review of diversity efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state, county, and private adult and juvenile correctional facilities to provide free voice, video, and electronic mail services to incarcerated individuals, eliminating all fees for calls or messages. It prohibits facilities from charging per-minute rates, setup fees, or any other charges to incarcerated persons or their families, and mandates that services must be provided at no cost to any party. The bill appropriates funds from the General Fund to cover implementation costs, ensuring facilities can provide these services without financial burden. As a result, incarcerated individuals and their families will no longer face costs previously associated with communication, such as domestic call fees up to 11 cents per minute.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all operators and riders of low-speed electric bicycles and scooters in New Jersey to wear a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet meeting state safety standards. It directly affects anyone using these vehicles for transportation, including those riding in attached seats on e-bikes. Violations carry a $25 fine for a first offense and $100 for subsequent offenses. The law takes effect four months after enactment, aiming to reduce head injuries linked to e-bike/scooter crashes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Student Teacher Scholarship Program to help reduce financial barriers for future teachers. It provides eligible students up to $7,200 per semester for full-time clinical practice in teacher preparation programs, covering a maximum of two academic semesters. To qualify, students must be New Jersey residents enrolled full-time in approved education programs and complete required steps for clinical practice. The program requires participants to maintain good academic standing, and scholarships terminate if students are dismissed or withdraw due to illness (without requiring repayment). The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority will manage applications and collect annual data on program participants.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A3878) establishes a three-year pilot program to help high school students complete the federal financial aid application (FAFSA). It requires participating school districts to provide 12th-grade students and their parents/guardians with clear guidance on FAFSA requirements, including necessary documentation, key terms (like "dependent" or "household size"), eligibility, and deadlines. Schools must offer this information through classroom instruction, counselor sessions, or parent workshops, and provide paper FAFSA forms upon request. The program mandates privacy protections for shared information and requires a final report assessing the pilot's feasibility for statewide expansion. It directly affects 12th-grade students in selected school districts across New Jersey's regions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3884) would reform New Jersey Transit (NJT) by creating an Office of Customer Advocate to represent riders' interests and increase transparency around NJT's operations. It requires NJT to hold more public hearings on capital projects and provide greater detail in annual capital program reports, including specific project locations and costs. The bill also changes NJT's board composition to increase independence by requiring more non-political members and creating passenger advisory committees for North and South Jersey. These changes aim to make NJT more accountable to the public it serves through improved oversight and customer representation.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Commission" within New Jersey's Department of Law and Public Safety to design and oversee construction of a memorial in Monmouth County honoring officers who died in the line of duty. The commission, composed of seven members including police association representatives and a retired officer appointed by the governor, must select a location and design within 18 months and submit a final report. It appropriates $2.5 million from the General Fund to the Department of Law and Public Safety for the memorial's design and construction, creating a dedicated nonlapsing fund for this purpose. The memorial will directly honor fallen law enforcement personnel and serve as a permanent tribute in Monmouth County.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Veterans State Government Fellowship program at Rutgers University's Eagleton Institute of Politics. It creates opportunities for exactly eight eligible New Jersey veterans annually - residents not dishonorably discharged, discharged within the past 10 years, and with a military pay grade at or below E-9 (enlisted) or O-5 (officers) - to work in legislative offices or state departments. Each fellow receives a stipend and serves during the legislative session (for legislative placements) or for one year (for executive placements). The program requires an annual $600,000 state appropriation to Rutgers University for administration and fellow stipends, to be reviewed every three years.