Sen. Shirley Turner

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for fentanyl trafficking in New Jersey. Possessing or distributing 5 ounces or more of fentanyl without authorization is now classified as a first-degree crime, requiring a mandatory minimum prison sentence (one-third to one-half of the total term) during which parole is ineligible, plus fines up to $500,000. It directly affects individuals involved in manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing fentanyl illegally. The bill amends New Jersey's drug law (N.J.S.2C:35-5) to specifically raise penalties for fentanyl offenses, distinguishing it from other controlled substances.

Maddy summaryS 2263 creates a $750,000 grant program through New Jersey's Department of Education to help public school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools maintain after-school activities that supplement students' academic learning (like debate clubs, theater, and music programs). Schools can apply for funds to cover costs for specific activities they offer, with priority given to those most impacted by pandemic-related revenue losses. The program requires schools to specify which activities will receive funding and allows the Education Commissioner to set application rules and criteria. This is a direct funding mechanism for non-academic school activities, not a policy change affecting broader education systems.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey police officers - including city, county, campus, and sheriff's officers - to undergo mandatory psychological evaluations. New hires must complete an initial evaluation (including an oral interview and clinical test), followed by a second evaluation after probation and every five years thereafter. The evaluations assess whether officers have any mental or emotional conditions that could affect job performance, including implicit bias. The bill also adds provisions allowing departments to conduct fitness-for-duty evaluations when officers' conduct poses safety risks, with officers entitled to review results and seek independent reviews at their own expense.

Maddy summaryThis bill ends the tax-exempt status for most property owned by the State of New Jersey, its agencies, and state-created authorities, requiring them to pay local property taxes starting July 1, 2022. Property may remain exempt only if a certification is filed showing that removing tax exemption would violate bondholder agreements made before July 2022. Taxed property must be assessed and paid locally like other property, with tax liens enforced normally. This directly affects State-owned properties (e.g., offices, facilities) and local municipalities collecting the taxes.

Maddy summaryS 1986 establishes a 7-member School Funding Formula Evaluation Task Force to study New Jersey's current school funding system under the 2008 School Funding Reform Act. The task force, including the Commissioner of Education and six public members with education/finance expertise, will evaluate specific aspects like how school district budgets and local shares are calculated, weighting for at-risk students, special education funding methods, and geographic cost adjustments. It must hold public meetings across the state and issue a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year. This bill creates a procedural mechanism for reviewing the existing funding formula, directly affecting how state school aid is distributed to districts.

Maddy summaryS 1543 requires New Jersey's Type I public school districts and charter schools to create citizen budget oversight committees. These committees, composed of at least five members including parents, educators, and taxpayers (with financial expertise preferred), must monitor school finances monthly, review budgets and tax levies, and provide recommendations to school boards. The committees gain access to financial documents (excluding confidential details) and must complete state-developed training on budgeting basics. The bill specifies how members are selected, sets two-year terms, and mandates annual reporting to school boards, aiming to increase transparency in school financial management.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires spousal written consent before public employees in New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF), Judicial Retirement System (JRS), and Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) can choose retirement payout options that provide no spousal benefits or less than half the member's retirement allowance to a spouse for life. The member must sign a form acknowledging the benefit choice, and the pension division must notify the spouse via certified mail. Spousal consent must be witnessed by a pension representative or notary and cannot be changed without the spouse's approval. This applies specifically to lifetime-only payout options that terminate at the member's death without spousal continuation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Education to create and maintain a public list of textbook vendors that provide materials featuring diverse representation in areas like race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation. School districts must select new textbooks only from vendors on this list when purchasing, though they may request commissioner approval for non-listed vendors. The law exempts textbooks acquired through the statewide textbook bank or for replacements due to damage. It applies to all public school districts in New Jersey and defines "inclusive material" as content accurately reflecting societal diversity. The bill does not apply to existing textbooks or specific replacement scenarios.

Maddy summaryS 1525 reduces the re-incarceration period for certain "technical" parole violations from 12 months to 9 months for adult parolees aged 26 or older. It specifically applies when parolees fail to report to their parole officer (if declared "missing"), violate special parole conditions, or use controlled dangerous substances (CDS) if a parole board determines addiction is present. The bill maintains that parole boards may adjust the 9-month period by up to three months based on the violation's circumstances and the parolee's record. This changes current law, which previously required 12 months for these violations for all adults, while younger parolees (18-25) already had the 9-month standard. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Maddy summarySCR 55 proposes a constitutional amendment to raise the annual income limit for New Jersey's senior and disabled property tax deduction from $10,000 to $15,000, effective 2023. This change would directly affect senior citizens (65+ years) and permanently disabled residents who currently qualify for the deduction but exceed the $10,000 income threshold. The amendment updates a limit that has remained unchanged since 1983 (when it increased from $9,000 to $10,000). The bill requires voter approval to take effect, as it amends the state constitution.