Sen. Shirley Turner

Maddy summaryThis bill provides an additional $10.5 million in state funding for New Jersey's State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) during fiscal year 2024. The supplemental appropriation directly supports low-income renters by funding 1,000 new tenant-based rental assistance vouchers through SRAP. These vouchers allow eligible households to pay a portion of their rent, with the state covering the remainder, following the program's existing lottery system for applicants on the waiting list. The funding supplements the $18.5 million already allocated for SRAP in the main FY 2024 budget.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's child tax credit to cover children aged six through 11, previously limited to children under six. It applies to resident taxpayers with New Jersey taxable income of $80,000 or less, maintaining the same credit structure: $1,000 for incomes up to $30,000, phasing down to $200 for incomes between $60,000 and $80,000. The credit remains refundable and does not affect eligibility for other state benefits. This change takes effect for tax years beginning January 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4276) allows public school students aged 16 or older in New Jersey to miss school on election days for paid poll worker duties without penalty. It requires schools to record such absences as "excused" on attendance records and prohibits counting them toward perfect attendance requirements. Students must provide documentation (like a poll worker confirmation) to school officials to verify eligibility. The policy directly affects student voters participating in election administration, ensuring their school attendance records reflect this civic engagement positively.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the "End Data Center Tax Credits Act," aims to restructure how New Jersey distributes tax credits for economic development and energy projects. It establishes a new nine-year spending cap of $11.5 billion for various incentive programs, which limits the total amount of money available annually for initiatives like historic preservation, brownfields redevelopment, and manufacturing. To support energy goals, the legislation authorizes the Board of Public Utilities to issue tax credits specifically for energy storage projects and creates a temporary income tax credit for certain residential utility customers. Additionally, it sets specific annual and total dollar limits for existing programs such as the Next New Jersey Program and the Innovation Evergreen Act, while reserving $2.5 billion for transformative projects under the Aspire Program.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 3379) requires data center owners and operators to submit semi-annual reports to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) detailing water and energy usage. Existing data centers must begin reporting within three months of the law's enactment, while newer centers have six months. Reports must include basic facility information, usage data, and for centers receiving state funding, specific efficiency metrics like power usage effectiveness. The BPU will publish anonymized, aggregated data online but keep individual reports confidential.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill prohibits the sale, manufacture, and distribution of apparel containing intentionally added PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) starting two years after it takes effect. It defines "apparel" broadly to include most clothing for regular wear - such as athletic wear, swimwear, school uniforms, and work uniforms - but excludes personal protective equipment, military clothing, and motorcycle safety gear. Violations would be treated as consumer fraud under state law, resulting in fines up to $20,000 per offense and potential additional penalties like cease-and-desist orders. The law directly affects retailers, manufacturers, and distributors of apparel within New Jersey that use PFAS in their products.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2260 strengthens legal protections for patients and providers accessing or delivering reproductive and gender-affirming health care services within the state. The bill explicitly defines "legally protected health care activities" to include seeking, providing, or assisting with these services (such as abortion, contraception, or gender-affirming care), regardless of a patient's location. It prohibits obstruction, intimidation, or physical barriers at facilities offering these services and grants licensing boards authority to impose civil penalties for violations. This directly affects patients traveling to New Jersey for care (not available in their home states) and healthcare providers operating in these fields. The law codifies existing protections to prevent harassment or violence against these services, following increased threats and protests nationwide after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Maddy summaryS 3412 would require certain social media platforms in New Jersey to display a black box warning about mental health risks to users, similar to health warnings on tobacco products. The bill targets platforms primarily designed for social connection (like Facebook or TikTok) that have users in New Jersey, excluding services focused on news, entertainment, or e-commerce. This requirement is based on findings that youth social media use exceeding three hours daily doubles risks of depression and anxiety, and platforms are aware of these harms. The warning must be displayed on platforms meeting the bill's definition of "covered social media platforms," affecting all users of those services in the state.