Sen. Shirley Turner

Maddy summaryThis bill reduces the mandatory school transportation distance for preschool through grade four students in New Jersey from 2 miles to 1.5 miles from their public school of attendance. It directly affects students in these early grades who live beyond this new threshold, requiring school districts to provide transportation. The bill maintains existing distance requirements of 2 miles for grades five through eight and 2.5 miles for high school students. It also aligns transportation rules for the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program with this updated mileage standard.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state and private correctional facilities to allow inmates to make free phone and video calls to family members, with no fees charged to the inmate or the recipient. It prohibits facilities from adding commissions, surcharges, or additional fees beyond set rate limits (11 cents per minute for domestic calls, 25 cents for international calls). The bill mandates that facilities follow standard state procurement rules when contracting for phone services, but eliminates direct costs for inmates and their families. It aims to reduce the financial burden on low-income families who previously paid for prison phone calls.

Maddy summaryS 1392 creates an Office of Clean Energy Equity within New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to ensure clean energy programs benefit overburdened communities - areas facing environmental and economic challenges. The bill requires the BPU to establish solar programs reaching 250,000 low-income households by 2030 (reducing their energy costs to under 6% of income) and deploy 1,600 megawatt-hours of energy storage in these communities by 2030. It mandates at least $50 million annually for the office to fund workforce training, community outreach, and program evaluation, with strict requirements for community input and resiliency-focused energy storage. The law directly affects low-income households and overburdened communities through targeted energy cost reductions, job opportunities, and improved disaster resilience.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires pharmacists to verify the identity of anyone picking up Schedule II controlled substances (like opioids or stimulants with high abuse potential) by checking a photo ID (state/federal) or other acceptable identity documentation. The person must sign a logbook with their name, address, date, and time, and the pharmacist must confirm the name matches the ID and record the drug name and amount. Pharmacies must maintain these logs for two years, with strict rules limiting disclosure to drug recalls or law enforcement. It directly affects patients, caregivers, and pharmacists handling these high-risk medications in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires municipalities to use formal ordinances (not resolutions) when designating redevelopment areas, with enhanced notice requirements for affected property owners. It mandates detailed public notices that clearly identify properties in redevelopment areas and include a "Public Advisory Statement" explaining redevelopment powers, including the potential for eminent domain. Property owners must receive certified mail notice of proceedings with specific information about their rights, and municipalities must hold public hearings on redevelopment plans. The bill also removes exceptions allowing municipalities to lease or convey property without public bidding, increasing transparency in the redevelopment process for residents and property owners.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey's state pension funds from investing in corporations that shift operations or ownership outside the U.S. to reduce their tax rate by 20% or more within three years. It requires the state to sell all such investments within three years of the law's enactment and mandates two reports: one within 60 days listing current violations, and annual reports until all non-compliant investments are divested. The law directly affects the state's pension funds (which manage retirement savings for public employees) and corporations using tax-driven relocation tactics. It focuses on concrete policy changes without speculation, using plain language to define key terms like "shift in operations" or "effective tax rate."

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Senate resolution (SR 67) requests Congress to enact legislation providing Medicare coverage for eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dentures. The resolution highlights that these essential devices are currently not covered under Medicare, placing a significant financial burden on elderly beneficiaries who need them for daily living. It specifically notes that nearly 100% of seniors over 55 require reading glasses, 42% experience hearing loss requiring expensive aids, and many need dentures due to age-related dental issues. This non-binding resolution is a formal appeal to Congress, not a law, aimed at addressing gaps in Medicare benefits for seniors.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2516) establishes a central registry for newborns diagnosed with sickle cell trait in New Jersey. It requires labs performing newborn screenings to notify physicians and document diagnoses in the registry, and mandates physicians to provide parents with information about genetic counseling. The registry will track diagnoses to help provide follow-up services, including age-specific notifications: once in early adolescence (for athletic safety), once in later adolescence (for reproductive health), and when patients turn 18. All registry information is confidential, with penalties for unauthorized disclosure, and is used solely for statistical purposes and to connect families with counseling and educational resources. The bill directly affects newborns diagnosed with sickle cell trait, their parents, and healthcare providers involved in newborn screening.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows patients in New Jersey to request lab tests directly from clinical laboratories without needing a doctor's order. Laboratories performing such tests must provide patients with a clear notice about the benefits of discussing results with a healthcare provider and the risk of misinterpreting results without professional guidance. Labs must also maintain patient records securely in compliance with existing privacy rules (HIPAA). The law applies to all clinical laboratories in New Jersey and takes effect four months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2490) requires New Jersey public entities - including boards of education and local governments - to use competitive bidding for insurance products and insurance consulting services, ending their previous exemption from public procurement rules. It mandates that insurance consultants be paid directly by the public entity (not as a percentage of insurance costs or via commissions from insurers) and requires both consultants and insurers to disclose past commissions and certify compliance in proposals. Public entities must include specific disclosure requirements, cost analyses of joint insurance funds, and health insurance program options in their requests for proposals. The law aims to increase transparency and reduce costs by ensuring competitive, open processes for these significant public expenditures.