Asm. Chris Tully

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts to establish a "School Meal Fund" to accept public donations that help students pay for school breakfasts or lunches or clear past-due meal bills. The fund must be managed in a separate bank account with strict financial controls, equitable distribution policies, and annual audits. School districts must inform parents, guardians, and the community about the fund and donation process through written materials and their website, unless they already provide free meals to all students under federal eligibility programs. The fund’s purpose is strictly limited to assisting students with meal costs, with no other uses permitted.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a dedicated special education unit within New Jersey's Office of Administrative Law (OAL), staffed by administrative law judges with specialized expertise in special education law. All contested special education cases referred to the OAL must now be assigned to this unit for resolution, ensuring cases are handled by judges with relevant experience. The bill requires the OAL to submit an annual report to the Governor and Legislature detailing case volumes, resolution times, staffing levels, and recommendations for adjusting judge assignments to meet federal and state deadlines. Additionally, it mandates a new system for tracking due process petitions, allowing families and advocates to monitor case status online.

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 (A2311) creates a pilot program allowing same-day voter registration for eligible voters during New Jersey's 2021, 2022, and 2023 general elections. Eligible voters - those meeting standard requirements (U.S. citizenship, age 18, 30-day residency in state and county) - can register at designated county locations on election day and cast a provisional ballot at their assigned polling place. The program requires counties to designate at least one registration site per county, with optional additional sites in later years. The Secretary of State must submit annual reports evaluating the program's impact on voter participation and fraud risk, with a final report due March 2024 to determine if same-day registration becomes permanent statewide.

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 allows parents or legal custodians separated from their children due to immigration matters (such as arrest, detention, incarceration, or removal) to appoint a standby guardian to care for their children. It amends New Jersey law to include "administrative separation" as a triggering event for standby guardianship, alongside death, incapacity, or debilitation. Parents can petition the court for appointment of a standby guardian or create a written designation naming a standby guardian without needing to provide documentation of impending immigration separation. The standby guardian must petition the court for confirmation within 60 days, providing a determination of administrative separation.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates an exception in New Jersey's Smoke-Free Air Act that previously allowed smoking in casinos and simulcasting facilities. It would require these venues to become smoke-free, meaning no smoking would be permitted inside for employees, patrons, or visitors. The change directly affects casino operators, staff, and customers at all New Jersey casinos and simulcasting facilities (such as those with slot machines, table games, or dedicated seating for betting). This policy shift extends the existing indoor smoking ban to these locations, removing a long-standing exemption.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a refundable tax credit for New Jersey residents who pay for care of qualifying elderly relatives. It allows eligible caregivers to claim 22.5% of up to $3,000 in qualified care expenses (such as home health services, adult day care, or home modifications) paid for a senior family member who is 60+ (or 50+ with Social Security Disability) and meets income requirements. To qualify, caregivers must have gross income under $100,000 (or $50,000 for certain filing statuses), and the credit is refundable - meaning it can be paid as cash if it exceeds tax liability. The credit applies to expenses not reimbursed by insurance or government programs and is in addition to any dependent deductions claimed.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a grant program administered by New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (EDA) to provide funding to business accelerators and incubators that support early-stage technology businesses. The program will use up to $1 million in societal benefits charge revenues to fund grants for accelerators/incubators working with businesses in fields like clean energy, life sciences, advanced materials, digital technology, and food/agriculture. Grants can be used for various aspects of the accelerator/incubator operations or for the incubator businesses themselves. The EDA must prepare annual reports on program participation and outcomes, with the program set to expire six years after implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts to close public schools for regular classes on election days when those schools serve as polling places. It allows school boards to use the day for staff training instead of holding classes. The law applies immediately to all election days, with its first application being the November 2021 general election. This policy directly affects school districts that use public schools as voting locations during elections.