Sen. Jim Holzapfel

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public schools to teach cursive handwriting and reading to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Specifically, schools must provide age-appropriate instruction ensuring students can read and write cursive by the end of third grade. The law applies to all public school districts and takes effect immediately for the next full school year after enactment. It directly affects K-5 students and their educators by mandating cursive as part of the curriculum, without specifying additional funding or resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey telecom, cable, and internet providers to let customers pause or cancel service contracts without early termination fees when they move into a qualifying long-term care facility. It directly affects residents admitted to nursing homes, assisted living facilities, dementia care homes, or residential health care facilities for at least 90 days, as verified by a physician’s order or care plan. Providers must pause billing for a minimum 90 days upon admission, then cancel the contract if the resident remains in the facility beyond that period. The law mandates no fees for this pause/cancellation, though customers must provide physician documentation and typically give 45 days’ notice (or 48 hours in urgent cases).

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey optometrists' scope of practice to include prescribing pharmaceutical agents (including controlled substances for eye conditions), administering immunizations for coronavirus, flu, and shingles (for patients 18+), and performing minor procedures like removing superficial foreign bodies, treating chalazions, and simple ophthalmologic treatments (e.g., trabeculoplasty) using topical anesthesia. It explicitly prohibits invasive eye surgery, orbital procedures, or general anesthesia. The law requires optometrists to report administered immunizations to the state's immunization registry and mandates they follow CDC guidelines for vaccine administration. This directly affects optometrists by broadening their clinical capabilities and patients by increasing access to certain eye care services within defined limits.

Maddy summaryThis bill sets a new standard for New Jersey's flood hazard area delineation, requiring the state to define these areas no more than one foot above the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) 100-year flood elevation for each watercourse. It also delays implementation of the Department of Environmental Protection's proposed "NJPACT Rules" (which would have raised flood zones to five feet above FEMA standards) until after June 1, 2038, unless the Legislature passes a specific concurrent resolution authorizing them. The bill directly affects developers, property owners seeking permits under the Flood Hazard Area Control Act, and the Department of Environmental Protection's regulatory authority over floodplain management. It replaces the department's previous discretion with a fixed, FEMA-aligned standard for flood zone boundaries.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to issue driver's licenses and identification cards to non-citizens with a distinct color different from those issued to citizens, and to include a clear statement that "This document shall not be used as identification to vote." It also mandates that voters present a valid photo ID when voting in person, during early voting, or when submitting mail-in ballots. Acceptable forms of ID include standard New Jersey driver's licenses (not marked for non-citizens), identification cards, U.S. passports, military IDs, or voter registration cards. The policy applies to all voters and non-citizen license holders in New Jersey, with specific requirements for the design of non-citizen identification documents.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to create a temporary commemorative license plate for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, available to vehicle owners registered in the state. It establishes a public design contest managed by the New Jersey Historical Commission, requires a $50 application fee and $10 annual renewal fee, and directs the collected fees (after covering costs) into a dedicated fund. The fund must support Revolutionary War site preservation across New Jersey and expires after January 1, 2028, with the plate only valid for two years starting January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryS 3904, the "S2 Appropriations Rescue Act," provides $106.5 million in emergency aid to New Jersey school districts negatively impacted by P.L.2018, c.67 (the "S2" funding formula). It targets districts receiving less than their calculated adequacy budget or $19,000 per resident student in 2024-2025, and either less than or no more than $200,000 above their 2023-2024 State school aid. Eligible districts receive $250 per resident student (based on enrollment as of October 16, 2023) to offset budget shortfalls. This aid aims to stabilize school budgets strained by years of S2-related funding reductions, helping districts avoid staff layoffs, program cuts, and facility closures.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to create "250th Anniversary Revolutionary War" license plates for motor vehicles registered in the state. Vehicle owners who apply will pay a $50 one-time fee and a $10 annual renewal fee, with the additional funds (after covering administrative costs) deposited into a dedicated fund to support Revolutionary War site preservation across New Jersey. The program requires the New Jersey Historical Commission to cover initial costs (up to $25,000) and provide 500 completed applications before implementation. The license plate design will be selected by the Motor Vehicle Commission in consultation with the Historical Commission, and the program may end if annual costs exceed the $50 fee for two consecutive years.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to create and issue special license plates for disabled veterans, allowing them to park in spaces reserved for people with disabilities without needing additional permits. To qualify, veterans must be New Jersey residents certified by the federal VA as having a service-connected disability, and the plates - displaying "Disabled Veteran" and a wheelchair symbol - will be free of charge. The plates are non-transferable and must be visibly displayed on the vehicle to use reserved parking, replacing the need for separate disability placards. Misuse of the plates can result in revocation and forfeiture of the license plate.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates New Jersey's inheritance tax for step-grandchildren by changing the state's tax code to treat them the same as biological grandchildren and stepchildren. Currently, step-grandchildren (the children of a stepchild) face a 15% tax on inheritances up to $700,000 and 16% on larger amounts, while biological grandchildren and stepchildren pay no tax. The bill amends tax law to classify step-grandchildren as "Class A" beneficiaries, removing their tax liability entirely. This change applies to all estates where the decedent dies on or after January 1, 2025. The policy directly affects step-grandchildren inheriting property from a step-grandparent in New Jersey.