Maddy summaryS 2605 proposes creating the New Jersey Student Teacher Scholarship Program to reduce financial barriers for aspiring teachers. It would provide eligible students up to $7,200 per semester (max two semesters) to cover costs during required clinical practice in approved teacher preparation programs. To qualify, students must be New Jersey residents enrolled full-time in an approved program, completing steps to access clinical practice, with potential focus on high-demand subjects like math or special education. The program, administered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, requires students to maintain academic standing and terminates scholarships for dismissal or withdrawal due to illness/family emergencies without requiring repayment. The bill also mandates annual data collection on program participants.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to create rules allowing wastewater utilities to charge customers a specific "wastewater system improvement charge." The charge would cover costs for rehabilitating, improving, or replacing aging wastewater infrastructure, such as pipes and treatment facilities. It directly affects wastewater utilities (like municipal sewer systems) and their customers who pay for wastewater services. The rules would mirror existing regulations already in place for water utilities (N.J.A.C.14:9-10.1 et seq.), enabling similar cost recovery for wastewater infrastructure needs. The goal is to accelerate repairs to deteriorating systems by providing a clear funding mechanism.
Maddy summaryThis bill, S 2621, establishes the "Equitable Drug Pricing and Patient Access Act" to set minimum reimbursement rates for pharmacies providing prescription drugs to Medicaid beneficiaries in New Jersey. It mandates that pharmacies receive at least the national average drug acquisition cost plus a $10.92 dispensing fee, regardless of whether services are delivered through Medicaid’s fee-for-service or managed care systems. The bill requires Medicaid managed care organizations to include pharmacy choice as a mandatory benefit, ensuring enrollees can select any qualified pharmacy and preventing exclusion of pharmacies based on cost or other criteria. Additionally, it directs the State Auditor to audit pharmacy pricing practices and fund flows within Medicaid to identify potential state savings.
Maddy summaryThis bill directs New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create a leasing program allowing qualified entities - such as nonprofits, local governments, or individuals - to lease state-owned land for developing pollinator habitats. It requires the DEP, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to establish rules for identifying suitable land and selecting applicants based on specific criteria. The program aims to create areas beneficial for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds through managed habitat development. The DEP must adopt these rules under state administrative procedures, and the bill takes immediate effect.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1287) sought to revise legal definitions related to waterfront workers in New Jersey, specifically clarifying terms like "longshoreman," "carrier," and "marine terminal" under existing law (P.L.2017, c.324). It would have directly affected how waterfront workers, carriers, and terminals are legally categorized for regulatory purposes. However, the bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, because the same definitions were already enacted in P.L.2025, c.333, making this bill redundant. No new policy changes were implemented, as the definitions were already in effect.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund law to clarify eligibility for reimbursement. It directly affects volunteer EMTs seeking certification or recertification and the training agencies providing their education. Key changes include expanding the definition of "public or private institution of higher education" to include out-of-state schools, updating the definition of a "volunteer EMT" to exclude those receiving hourly/salary pay (while allowing length-of-service awards), and changing the service requirement from 12 calls per month to 12 calls per year (150 hours) during the initial three-year certification period. The bill ensures training agencies can receive reimbursement regardless of whether the volunteer's ambulance squad receives payment for services.
Maddy summaryS 239 eliminates standardized test scores as a measure of student growth in evaluating teachers, principals, assistant principals, and vice-principals. The bill amends New Jersey law to explicitly prohibit using standardized assessments for this purpose in evaluation rubrics, replacing them with multiple measures of student learning and professional practice. School districts must adopt new evaluation systems by December 2012, using criteria like multiple objective measures (excluding standardized tests), professional standards, and observation protocols. This directly affects all K-12 school staff in New Jersey whose evaluations rely on student growth metrics. The change modifies existing teacher evaluation rules under the TEACHNJ Act to remove standardized tests as a factor in determining educator effectiveness.
Maddy summaryThis bill established licensing requirements for scrap tire haulers (collectors/transporters) and permits for scrap tire storage/disposal facilities in New Jersey. It required haulers to obtain state licenses, maintain electronic tracking of tire movements, and provide $150,000 in financial assurance. The law also mandated that all scrap tires be transported only by licensed haulers to permitted facilities, with real-time digital tracking of shipments. Note: The bill was withdrawn after being enacted as P.L.2025, c.389, meaning its provisions are now part of state law.
Maddy summaryThis bill provides $3 million in extra funding from the state General Fund to give one-time bonuses to specific frontline state workers. It directly affects employees represented by Local 195 of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers who worked essential roles during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be distributed by state agencies to eligible employees as a bonus award, based on consultation between the budget director and the union president. The legislation specifies that only workers who provided emergency frontline service during the pandemic qualify for these bonuses.
Maddy summaryThis bill removes an existing exception in New Jersey's Smoke-Free Air Act that allowed smoking in casinos and casino simulcasting facilities. Currently, the law permits smoking in areas of casinos with at least 150 slot machines or 10 table games, and in simulcasting facilities with dedicated seating for 50+ patrons. The bill deletes this exception from the statute, meaning smoking would be prohibited in all indoor public areas of these facilities under the general smoke-free law. It directly affects casinos and simulcasting venues that currently operate under the smoking exemption.