Sen. Shirley Turner

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that when contracts for operating official motor vehicle inspection facilities are renewed or new contracts are awarded, employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) must be offered employment first to meet staffing needs. It mandates that job offers to these employees must include compensation and benefits matching the terms of the existing CBA. Additionally, the bill ensures that any collective bargaining agreement in effect at the time remains binding on successors - such as companies acquiring assets or merging - during sales, transfers, or mergers of inspection facility operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative to connect students, workers, and job seekers with training in high-demand fields like healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and renewable energy. The New Jersey Community College Consortium will operate the initiative, creating Centers of Workforce Innovation that develop publicly available training programs and skills for specific careers. These centers must promote financial aid access, expand apprenticeships, and partner with employers, schools, and colleges to build a skilled workforce. The program aims to directly support job seekers entering growing industries while helping employers meet labor needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to create a water safety fact sheet for schools. The fact sheet must cover reducing drowning risks, the importance of swim lessons, proper flotation device use, and monitoring water conditions. Public school districts must annually distribute this fact sheet to parents, while nonpublic schools are encouraged but not required to do so. Additionally, school districts must maintain and update an online list of local swim lesson locations, including free or low-cost options. The bill directly affects public schools, parents, and guardians by providing standardized water safety information and resources.

Maddy summaryThe Manufactured Home Park Protection Act (A4973) gives resident homeowners in manufactured home parks the right to purchase the land their homes sit on if the landowner plans to sell. The bill requires landowners to notify resident homeowners, the Department of Community Affairs, and relevant municipal officials when selling land or considering a bona fide offer, with notice required to include price and terms. Resident homeowners can form a group with 51% consent to negotiate and purchase the land within 120 days, with a reasonable financing contingency of at least 90 days. The bill also allows resident homeowners to assign their purchase rights to a municipality, housing authority, or nonprofit organization to preserve the community as affordable housing.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Education to create and maintain a free, public online registry of tutors and organizations offering free supplemental tutoring to students. It allows certified teachers, retired teachers, college students, industry professionals, and relevant organizations to register, providing details like contact information and subject expertise. All registrants must undergo criminal background checks (except certified teachers with prior checks), and the registry explicitly states it does not endorse or verify the quality of services offered. The registry will be accessible to all New Jersey residents via the DOE website.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates group disability insurance for disabled members of New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) and Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). It provides monthly income benefits equal to 60% of a member's base salary (minimum $50) while they are totally disabled, payable until age 70 if disability began before age 60. Members must have completed one year of continuous service to qualify, and coverage excludes pregnancy, war injuries, self-harm, imprisonment, or time outside the U.S. Canada. The State Treasurer purchases the insurance through a special fund, with premiums paid from employer contributions.

Maddy summaryS 4223 would provide free health care benefits to disabled members of New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) and Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) who are receiving disability insurance benefits. The bill ensures these disabled members can access the School Employees' Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) and State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) without any employee contributions, similar to how retirees receive health coverage. There would be no enrollment deadlines or additional eligibility requirements beyond being a recipient of disability insurance under TPAF or PERS. The health benefits would not reduce the disability benefit amount, and for pension purposes, members would be considered as if they were in active service during their disability period.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4515) changes certification requirements for career and technical education (CTE) teachers in New Jersey. It prohibits the State Board of Education from requiring CTE teacher candidates to complete educator preparation programs longer than 200 hours or one academic year, replacing the current 350-hour two-year program. It also allows candidates to demonstrate basic English and math skills through alternatives like portfolios, industry certifications, or occupational licenses instead of standardized tests. These changes directly affect individuals seeking CTE teaching certification through the Alternate Route program, aiming to reduce barriers to entry.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school staff (including those in after-school programs) to complete epilepsy and seizure disorder care training every five years. It directly affects school boards, administrators, and all school personnel who interact with students. The key provision mandates that training must be provided through a Department of Health-approved course from a nonprofit epilepsy support organization. This ensures staff can recognize seizures, provide appropriate care, and know when to seek help, as outlined in individualized health plans developed with parent input and physician guidance. The law applies to all schools in the state and takes effect at the start of the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Farmland Assessment Review Commission within New Jersey's Department of Agriculture to annually review and recommend changes to the state's farmland assessment program. The commission would evaluate the program's application, eligibility requirements, funding mechanisms, and interactions with other land preservation programs to ensure fair, equitable, and uniform statewide implementation. It would assess factors such as the number of properties under assessment, potential inspection fees for landowners, income-based eligibility considerations, and how other land preservation programs affect farmland assessment. The commission, consisting of nine members including state officials and representatives from farmland owners and local tax assessors, would submit annual reports with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature for potential legislative action.