Sen. Shirley Turner

Maddy summaryS 2403 establishes New Jersey's Teaching Scholars Loan Redemption Program within the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. The program covers tuition and fees for qualifying high school graduates pursuing teaching degrees in exchange for five years of full-time public school teaching in the state. To qualify, participants must be NJ residents, graduates of NJ high schools, and exhaust all other grants/scholarships before receiving loans (capped at $40,000 undergrad, $10,000 grad). In return, the state redeems up to $10,000 per year of service, totaling no more than $50,000 over five years, with eligibility requiring academic achievement and a formal service contract.

Maddy summaryS 2396 exempts individuals receiving unemployment compensation benefits or who recently lost such benefits (within six months) from paying the $25 civil service exam application fee and $20 appeal fee. The bill amends New Jersey's civil service law to remove these fees for this group, which also includes veterans and public assistance recipients. This policy directly affects unemployed job seekers relying on unemployment support, reducing a financial barrier to applying for state government positions. The exemption applies to both initial exam applications and appeals under the civil service code.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts the sale of condoms from New Jersey's sales and use tax. It directly affects individuals purchasing condoms for personal use by removing the tax burden on these items. The key mechanism adds condoms to the existing list of tax-exempt items under the "Sales and Use Tax Act," specifically listing them as item (11) in the exemption criteria. The exemption applies to all sales made on or after the first day of the fourth month following enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2359) modifies annual reporting requirements for New Jersey's State Health Benefits Commission (SHBP) and School Employees' Health Benefits Commission (SEHBP). It mandates both commissions to publish two specific annual reports: (1) a fiscal report detailing program transactions for the prior year, and (2) an actuarial rate-setting analysis including trend data, financial projections, and plan overviews. These reports must be submitted to the Governor, Legislature, and posted publicly online, with a public comment period and at least one public hearing allowed after release. The changes directly affect state and school employees covered by these health benefit programs by increasing transparency around program costs and rate decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs to create a competitive selection process for companies conducting online tax lien sales. It mandates that the department solicit proposals from at least five qualified vendors (through public internet notices requiring 20-day responses), evaluate them based on experience, and publish a ranked list of approved vendors for municipalities to choose from. Municipalities must select vendors from this approved list and receive corporate ownership statements for significant subcontractors (those receiving 50%+ of contract revenue). The bill also directs the department to issue guidance on contract terms, bidding rules, and anti-collusion measures to prevent bid rigging. This directly affects all 565 New Jersey municipalities conducting online tax sales and the vendors providing those services.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits county clerks and election officials from publishing voter registration data from New Jersey's Statewide voter registration system online. It amends existing law to explicitly ban the internet publication of voter lists, while allowing physical or electronic copies to be provided for non-commercial election purposes (e.g., to political parties or voters requesting lists for $0.25-$375). The law does not restrict other authorized uses of the data, such as printing physical copies for polling places or providing electronic lists to election officials as permitted under current rules. It directly affects how election officials handle and distribute voter registration information.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates certain state employees critical to preserving the state's financial assets and revenue from State-licensed activities as essential workers during emergencies or budget shutdowns. It requires department heads to identify these personnel, who must continue working to maintain tax collection and revenue operations. The law applies specifically to employees in departments handling licensed financial activities (like businesses requiring state permits), ensuring uninterrupted tax collection during disruptions. This prevents gaps in revenue collection that could delay government recovery after an emergency or budget impasse.

Maddy summaryS 2358 requires investor-owned electric utilities in New Jersey to submit an annual emergency response plan to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) by May 15 each year. The plan must detail procedures for restoring power during widespread outages, including customer communication, medical needs coordination, employee safety protocols, and resource deployment. Utilities that fail to file the plan or meet BPU-established standards face fines of up to $10,000 per day per violation (capped at $1 million for related incidents). Collected fines fund grants for municipalities to maintain infrastructure near power lines - like tree trimming - to prevent future outages.

Maddy summarySJR 69 designates the first full week of March each year as "Civic Learning Week" in New Jersey. It encourages schools and civic organizations to hold educational programs about civic duty and urges residents to reflect on their civic responsibilities. The bill requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation to promote these activities, though it has no binding requirements. This procedural resolution focuses on raising awareness through voluntary educational efforts, not on implementing new policies or affecting specific groups through mandates.

Maddy summaryThis bill broadens New Jersey's definition of "harassment, intimidation, or bullying" to include any act that substantially disrupts school or harms students, regardless of whether it's motivated by characteristics like race, gender, or sexual orientation. It directly affects students, school staff, and school districts across New Jersey. The bill removes the requirement that bullying must be motivated by specific characteristics, updates the model anti-bullying policy, and requires schools to report bullying incidents disaggregated by factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation, and special education status. It also eliminates a requirement for training to specifically address bullying based on protected categories, since those categories are no longer part of the definition.