Sen. Mike Testa

Maddy summaryS 455 prohibits public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools in New Jersey from requiring students to wear face masks indoors or outdoors on school property or while riding school buses. The bill directly affects all students attending these schools by removing mandatory mask-wearing rules in those settings. It explicitly allows students to voluntarily wear masks if they choose. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summarySJR 43 designates February 4th of each year as "Women and Girls in Sports Day" in New Jersey. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation to recognize women and girls' contributions to sports and encourage participation, aligning with the existing National Girls and Women in Sports Day. This is a ceremonial resolution with no funding or regulatory changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates the requirement for dentists to obtain separate $2 branch office registration certificates when practicing at locations other than their primary office. Instead, dentists will simply list all practice locations on their existing annual registration form, which they already submit to the State Board of Dentistry. The change applies to dentists operating multiple locations (excluding hospitals/institutions where dentists don't receive direct compensation). It simplifies the registration process by removing an extra fee and certificate step, while maintaining the obligation to notify the state of all practice locations. The bill directly affects dentists who maintain offices beyond their main practice site.

Maddy summaryThis bill upgrades burglary of a residence (home or structure adapted for overnight living) to a second-degree crime in New Jersey, making it more serious than the previous third-degree classification. If the burglar is armed with a weapon or explosives during the offense, it becomes a first-degree crime. Previously, burglary of a residence was typically a third-degree crime unless the burglar was armed or caused injury. This change directly affects individuals committing burglaries in homes or similar overnight accommodations, increasing potential penalties.

Maddy summaryThis bill redirects funds currently allocated as direct appropriations to specific arts, cultural, and historic organizations (like the Newark Museum, Camden County Historical Society, and Papermill Playhouse) into a new competitive grant program managed by the Department of State. It replaces targeted funding for named entities with a statewide program that requires organizations to apply competitively for support based on established criteria. The program must distribute funds equally across northern, central, and southern New Jersey regions to ensure statewide access. This change affects all qualifying arts, cultural, and historic organizations in New Jersey by shifting funding from direct, named appropriations to a merit-based, regionally balanced grant system.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's commissioner of registration to place voters with mail-in ballots returned as undeliverable into an inactive voter file. If such a voter fails to vote in two consecutive federal general elections, they will be removed from the statewide voter registration system and transferred to a deleted file. The commissioner must send written notices to affected voters when they are placed in the inactive file, when removal is initiated, and after removal is complete. These changes apply specifically to voters whose mail-in ballots were undeliverable, with no impact on voters who successfully cast ballots or have valid mailing addresses.

Maddy summarySCR 53 proposes a constitutional amendment allowing New Jersey municipalities to offer property tax credits of up to 100% for the primary residences of active volunteer firefighters and volunteer first aid squad members. It directly affects volunteer first responders whose fire or first aid squad serves the municipality where they live. Municipalities would need to pass a local ordinance to implement the credit, which would apply only to property taxes on the volunteer's primary home. The amendment requires voter approval before taking effect, as it would amend the state constitution. This is a policy change enabling local governments to provide tax relief to volunteer emergency responders.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1351) changes New Jersey's civil service rules to give government entities more flexibility. It requires civil service exams to be offered continuously (not just periodically), allows temporary layoffs for government agencies, and permits state or local governments to opt out of standard civil service rules. The bill also adds fees for exam applications ($25 for most, $15 for veterans) and appeals ($20), with exemptions for people on public assistance. These changes directly affect state and local government employers and job applicants seeking civil service positions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public meetings of New Jersey's State Board of Education to be accessible both in person and virtually. It mandates that the Board post a public link for virtual attendance on its website and allows remote public comments during meetings with comment periods. The law directly affects residents seeking to participate in education policy discussions and the State Board of Education, which must implement these accessibility measures. The provisions take immediate effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryS 903 requires New Jersey's Secretary of State to establish a statewide voter list maintenance and crosscheck program to verify voter registration accuracy. It mandates cross-checking voter data with state agencies (like the Motor Vehicle Commission, Department of Health, and Corrections) to identify ineligible voters or duplicate registrations. The bill also requires the Secretary of State to submit an annual report to the Governor and Legislature by March 1st, detailing the program's status, system security, and effectiveness of data-sharing agreements. This directly affects election officials, county registrars, and voters by updating how voter data is maintained and verified statewide. The law amends existing voter registration statutes to centralize voter records under one system and strengthen data accuracy checks.