Sen. Shirley Turner

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey public utilities from charging three specific fees to customers: (1) surcharges for payment processing, (2) fees for choosing one-time payments instead of automatic payments, and (3) fees for requesting paper statements instead of paperless billing. It directly affects residential utility customers who pay bills manually or opt for paper statements. The bill defines "surcharge" as an extra fee added to cover third-party payment processing costs. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryS 4324 establishes a 13-member Capital City Commission to study and recommend improvements for Trenton, New Jersey’s capital city. The commission includes the Trenton Mayor, Mercer County officials, appointed experts in city development, and representatives from state agencies, business, and labor. It must focus on specific areas like enhancing the Trenton waterfront (including possible Route 29 rerouting), attracting businesses, leveraging state assets (such as state buildings and workers), and promoting cultural and recreational opportunities. The commission will meet quarterly for two years, issue an initial report within 24 months, and provide annual updates to the Governor, Legislature, Mercer County, and Trenton City Council.

Maddy summaryS 3353 requires New Jersey's State Agriculture Development Committee to establish rules for housing resident farm employees on commercial farms, mandating compliance with state construction and safety standards and restricting use exclusively to such employees. The bill defines a "resident farm employee" as a full-time agricultural worker on the farm (excluding full-time equine-related staff), ensuring housing meets specific criteria. Once adopted, this housing will be eligible for "Right to Farm" protection under state law, preventing municipalities from denying building permits or occupancy certificates for compliant housing. The policy change extends existing agricultural protections to farm worker housing, aligning it with the "Right to Farm Act" framework.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates May 17 of each year as "Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) Awareness Day" in New Jersey. It requests the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and citizens to observe the day through awareness activities. The bill highlights NEC - a serious intestinal disease affecting premature infants that can cause life-threatening complications, long-term health issues, and high healthcare costs - without creating new laws or funding. It aligns with existing national observances like World NEC Awareness Day.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution designates May 18 of each year as "Six Triple Eight Day" in New Jersey to honor the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-African American, all-female U.S. Army unit that served during World War II. The resolution commemorates their historic achievement in delivering over 14 million pieces of backlogged mail to U.S. personnel in Europe under difficult conditions. It requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public observance of the day. The resolution specifically recognizes that 28 New Jersey women served in the unit, including those from Allentown, where one member was born on May 18.

Maddy summaryThis bill would have New Jersey join the Social Work Licensure Compact, allowing social workers licensed in New Jersey to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. The compact establishes a system where social workers must meet specific requirements (including passing national exams, holding appropriate degrees, and completing supervised practice) to qualify for a multistate license. It creates a commission to manage the compact, handle data sharing among states, and address disciplinary actions. The compact aims to increase access to social work services, reduce duplicate licensing requirements, and support workforce mobility for social workers across member states. This would directly affect social workers seeking to practice in multiple states and the states' licensing authorities.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3620 requires electric and gas utilities using smart meters to establish an "Energy Bill Watch" program for smart meter customers. The program mandates utilities to notify customers when their daily usage exceeds the previous billing cycle's average (on the 10th and 20th days of each cycle), offer customizable dollar-value alerts, and include average monthly usage costs and kilowatt/therm amounts in notifications. Utilities must automatically enroll smart meter customers, provide opt-out options, advertise the program through multiple channels, and include specific billing details in all customer bills (previous cycle amount, current cycle amount, and the difference between them). This bill directly affects smart meter customers of New Jersey's electric and gas utilities.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A3540 establishes criminal penalties for creating or sharing deceptive audio or visual media (commonly called "deepfakes") that falsely depict someone doing something they didn't actually do. It makes it a crime to produce such media for unlawful purposes (like harassment, theft, or privacy violations) or to share it without clearly labeling it as fake. Individuals harmed by these deepfakes can sue for $1,000 per violation plus damages, attorney fees, and other remedies. The law exempts news media from penalties unless they knowingly share unmarked fake content created in violation of the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts to create written policies allowing students to use sunscreen and wear sun-protective clothing (like hats and sunglasses) outdoors during school and school events. It prohibits schools from demanding doctor’s notes for students to use these items and allows districts to require only parental permission for students to carry sunscreen. The policy must not mandate school staff to help students apply sunscreen. The law took effect in the first full school year after its passage in March 2025.

Maddy summaryAJR 217 is a commemorative resolution designating April 9 of each year as "Paul Robeson Day" in New Jersey. It honors Paul Robeson, a Rutgers University scholar, athlete, actor, singer, and civil rights activist born in Princeton, NJ, who broke racial barriers in the 1920s-1930s and advocated for global justice. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public observance of the day through activities and programs. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new laws or affect specific groups but formally commemorates Robeson's legacy.