Asm. Bill Spearman

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey law enforcement officers operating patrol vehicles with emergency light bars to activate colored, solid, non-flashing lights (known as "cruise lights") between dusk and dawn. It directly affects all state and municipal law enforcement agencies using such vehicles, requiring them to follow guidelines issued by the Attorney General. The key provision permits this lighting practice to enhance officer visibility and deter crime, similar to policies in Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Connecticut. The Attorney General can establish or adjust implementation guidelines for agencies.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A1187) creates a safe haven program at fire stations to assist victims of sex trafficking and domestic violence. It requires firefighters to receive specific training on victim advocacy, legal resources, and emergency shelter referrals, while ensuring services are available regardless of citizenship status. The bill appropriates $1,000,000 from the General Fund to the Human Trafficking Survivor’s Assistance Fund to establish and implement this program, with the Attorney General overseeing coordination with relevant agencies. The program directly affects victims seeking immediate assistance and firefighters who will serve as first responders to connect them with support services.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Children and Families (DCF) to include an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in contracts with organizations providing child and family services. The COLA, calculated using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the previous year (October 1 to September 30), will be announced by DCF each October 1. It applies to organizations contracted by DCF - including those partially or fully funded by the State Medicaid program - to ensure their payments keep pace with inflation. The adjustment aims to cover rising operational costs, including staff compensation, for organizations delivering essential services to children and families.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A676) designates a specific 0.45-mile segment of State Highway Route 71 in Spring Lake Heights (from milepost 3.25 to 3.70) as the "John Tarantino Highway" to honor Angelo John Tarantino, a WWII veteran who served in the European Theater and participated in key battles including D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. The bill requires the Commissioner of Transportation to erect signs bearing this designation but explicitly prohibits using state or public funds for the signs. Instead, it authorizes the Department of Transportation to accept private funding - such as gifts, grants, or donations - from non-governmental organizations to cover the costs of producing, installing, and maintaining the signs. The designation takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey's Commissioner of Education from approving teacher certification tests that require candidates to wait more than 14 days before retaking them. It specifically targets tests for basic skills (reading, writing, math) and subject matter knowledge, currently including the Praxis test which mandates a 28-day wait. The bill does not affect alternative tests like the SAT, ACT, or GRE, which are already accepted for certification and have different retake policies. It directly impacts teacher certification candidates who would otherwise face extended delays in retaking required assessments.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates county-level "ATV Law Enforcement Task Forces" in all 21 New Jersey counties to coordinate efforts against illegal ATV use. Each task force, led by the county prosecutor, must study ATV laws, develop mutual aid plans for coordinated enforcement (including ATV seizure authority), and submit findings to the Attorney General within six months. The $1 million appropriation funds these task forces and their mutual aid plans, which must align with existing law allowing municipalities to declare illegally operated ATVs as forfeitable property. The plan requires law enforcement agencies to implement these coordinated strategies, with the Attorney General reporting recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within three months of receiving the task forces' findings.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes minimum Medicaid reimbursement rates for private duty nursing (PDN) services in New Jersey. It sets a $60 hourly rate for registered nurses and $48 for licensed practical nurses - significantly higher than the current maximum rates of $40 and $28, respectively. The bill directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries requiring home-based PDN care and the nursing providers who deliver these services. To implement the change, the Commissioner of Human Services must apply for federal waivers within 180 days of enactment to secure matching federal funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow New Jersey volunteer firefighters and first aid/rescue squad members to claim a $1,000 deduction from their state income tax. To qualify, volunteers must serve the entire tax year, meet specific participation thresholds (at least 60% of fire alarms/drills for firefighters or 10% of rescue alarms/drills for first aid/rescue members), and hold required certifications (Firefighter I or EMT training). Fire departments and first aid squads must submit annual lists of qualifying members to state agencies by March 31st. The deduction applies to taxable years starting after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the definition of "participating county" in New Jersey's County Option Hospital Fee Program by lowering the required Municipal Revitalization Index Distress score from 35 to 33 for municipalities with a population over 30,000. The change allows Gloucester County to qualify as a participating county, which it previously did not meet under the higher threshold. Participating counties can then impose a local fee to enhance Medicaid funding for hospitals, supporting healthcare access in high-need areas. The County Option Hospital Fee Program, established in 2018, currently includes 12 counties, and this amendment would expand participation to include Gloucester.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires new and reconstructed apartment buildings with five or more units to prepare 15% of parking spaces as "Make-Ready" (pre-wired for electric vehicle charging) and install charging equipment in one-third of those spaces within three years of occupancy, with additional installations over six years. Parking lots with 50+ spaces must include a minimum number of Make-Ready spaces based on total parking capacity, with 5% of charging stations required to be accessible for people with disabilities. The law exempts low-income housing developments, single-family homes, and small retailers with 25 or fewer parking spaces. Make-Ready spaces count as two parking spaces for compliance purposes, and the bill establishes a model ordinance for implementation.