Asm. Pam Lampitt

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a $44.7 million Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program to help eligible New Jersey school districts affected by state aid cuts in the 2024-2025 school year. It provides grants covering two-thirds of each district's state aid reduction (capped at 9.9% of their prior year's tax levy) and allows eligible districts to temporarily exceed normal tax increase limits to offset these cuts. Districts receiving aid must maintain staff levels from the previous year unless enrollment declines, requiring commissioner approval for reductions. The program specifically excludes SDA districts (special needs districts) from the tax levy exception but does not affect their existing tax authority.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows certain New Jersey school districts that will lose state aid to submit their budgets after the state's FY2025 budget is finalized. It specifically applies to districts where the state aid reduction exceeds their unused tax authority (known as "banked cap" under current law). The Commissioner of Education must permit these districts to submit budgets within five days after the FY2025 appropriations act is enacted, and may adjust the budget calendar to create a compressed timeline for approval. The change applies only to the 2024-2025 school year.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Educator Evaluation Review Task Force to study and evaluate the state's current teacher and administrator evaluation system under the TEACHNJ Act. The 12-member task force, including educators, principals, and education organization representatives, must report findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by September 30, 2024. It temporarily pauses new student growth data collection for the 2024-2025 school year, requiring schools to use existing data instead - except for new, non-tenured, or first-year teachers who must set new objectives during that year. Starting in 2025-2026, school districts will implement updated data collection guidelines based on the task force's final recommendations. The bill directly affects all public school teachers, principals, and administrators in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4050) exempts fuel used for certain school buses from New Jersey's petroleum products gross receipts tax and motor fuel tax. The exemption applies to school buses operated by religious or charitable organizations, or by individuals under contract with public agencies, for transporting students to or from school or school events. To claim the exemption, organizations must pay the tax at purchase and then file for a refund with the Division of Taxation, providing proof of payment and confirming no prior refund was issued. This change would reduce operating costs for these school bus operators while excluding the exemption from review by a three-member council monitoring tax implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a matching grant program for small life sciences businesses in New Jersey that have received specific federal grants. To qualify, businesses must be independently owned, based in New Jersey, operate primarily within the state, and meet federal small business size standards. The program, funded by $2.5 million transferred from the Securities Enforcement Fund, will provide dollar-for-dollar matching grants of up to $250,000 per business for those with federal Phase II or post Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants. Life sciences includes medical equipment, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostic substances, and related research.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates September each year as "School Absentee Awareness Month" in New Jersey. It aims to raise public awareness about chronic absenteeism (students missing too many school days), which negatively impacts academic achievement and increases dropout risks. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging schools, communities, and officials to promote strategies that improve student attendance and engagement. This is a procedural measure focused on awareness, not new policy or funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises how New Jersey institutions calculate student financial need by removing "expected family contribution" from the formula, now defining financial need as simply the cost of attendance. It establishes clear rules for when institutions can reduce institutional financial aid due to external scholarships: institutions may only reduce aid if total financial aid exceeds a student's financial need, must return excess funds to the scholarship provider, and must obtain that provider's approval before making reductions. The bill requires institutions to include specific statements in financial aid award letters clarifying that external scholarships won't affect other aid as long as total aid doesn't exceed financial need, and mandates annual reporting of scholarship data by demographic factors. It applies to all public and private institutions of higher education, as well as proprietary institutions licensed to offer academic degrees in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryAJR 96 designates March 28th as "Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Day" in New Jersey to raise public awareness about progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). This symbolic resolution does not create new programs or funding but asks the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public recognition of the day. It aims to empower people living with progressive MS, their families, and caregivers by promoting education about the disease. The bill directs copies to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America for outreach.

Maddy summaryAJR 99 designates July 22 of each year as "Fragile X Awareness Day" in New Jersey. This procedural resolution does not create new laws or funding but aims to raise public awareness about Fragile X-associated Disorders (FXDs), which include Fragile X Syndrome (a leading genetic cause of intellectual disability and autism), FXTAS (a late-onset movement disorder), and FXPOI (a reproductive condition). The bill requires the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and residents to observe the day through awareness activities. It focuses on promoting better diagnosis, treatment, and research for these genetic conditions, which affect approximately 1 in 3,600-4,000 males and 1 in 4,000-6,000 females globally.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the payment order for claims against an insolvent estate in New Jersey, placing child support judgments ahead of medical expenses and other judgments. Under the bill, child support judgments would be paid after funeral expenses, administration costs, and certain government debts, but before medical expenses for the decedent's last illness and other claims. It also requires the estate's personal representative to use a private company to search for child support judgments and file a certification confirming whether the decedent owed child support. This directly affects child support creditors (who will be paid earlier) and estate representatives (who must complete the search).