Sen. Andrew Zwicker

Maddy summaryThis bill removes an existing exception allowing smoking in casinos and simulcasting facilities under New Jersey's smoke-free law. It eliminates the specific exemption that previously permitted smoking in casinos with at least 150 slot machines or 10 table games, and in simulcasting facilities with dedicated seating for 50+ patrons. As a result, smoking will now be banned in these venues, aligning them with the general smoking restrictions in public places. The change directly affects all New Jersey casinos and simulcasting facilities operating under the state's regulations.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2345 creates a single online application for residents to pre-apply for multiple affordable and senior housing options across the state, including rental, for-sale, temporary, and priority housing. It consolidates 10+ housing subsidy programs - such as Section 8 vouchers, State Rental Assistance, Veterans Housing, and Homeless Prevention - into one streamlined portal, though the initial application only determines preliminary eligibility for waitlists. The system allows users to select specific municipalities, counties, or regions, with the consolidated application later serving as a final eligibility tool for these programs. The bill directs the Housing Agency to implement this system immediately via its website, aiming to simplify access to housing resources.

Maddy summaryS 2299 increases New Jersey's FY2024 state funding for the Center for Great Expectations by $1.5 million, raising its appropriation from $500,000 to $2.0 million. This funding directly supports the Center’s residential and outpatient programs serving vulnerable populations, including adolescents with mental health disorders (New Jersey’s only such residential program), pregnant or parenting individuals, and people experiencing homelessness or economic hardship. The bill specifies that these funds will cover the Center’s adolescent residential program, adult residential services for pregnant women, and outpatient substance abuse and mental health services. The additional funding addresses current budget shortfalls for these critical services, which serve over 1,000 people annually across Somerset and surrounding areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Budget and Accounting to establish a separate fringe benefit rate for public colleges and universities starting in fiscal year 2025. It directly affects employees at these institutions and the state budget, as current funding uses a general state rate that doesn't reflect their actual retirement costs (many use cheaper plans like ABP instead of the standard PERS). The new rate will be based on the actual cost of employee retirement programs at these schools, applied to all federal, dedicated, and non-State funded programs. This change aims to align state funding more accurately with the actual benefit expenses of public higher education employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public schools to maintain specific staffing ratios for certified school library media specialists based on student enrollment. Schools with fewer than 300 students must have at least a half-time specialist, those with 300-1,499 students must have one full-time specialist, and schools with 1,500+ students must have two full-time specialists. Additionally, schools with 500 or more students must employ at least one full-time library clerk, plus one additional clerk for every 500 students beyond 500. The bill includes limited waivers for schools unable to hire certified staff and specifies minimum daily time specialists must dedicate to library work based on school size. It applies to all public schools in New Jersey starting with the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases annual payments from New Jersey's Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund to municipalities over two years, replacing the current fixed $740 million allocation. It prohibits municipalities from counting anticipated revenue from this fund when creating their annual budgets and requires that any additional aid must be subtracted from their property tax levy amounts. The bill directly affects all New Jersey municipalities receiving these state aid payments, including cities, towns, and counties. If enacted, it would provide incremental funding increases while ensuring local tax burdens are adjusted downward proportionally.

Maddy summaryS 1590 establishes a three-year pilot program in New Jersey's Department of Education to help 12th graders in pandemic-impacted school districts access free college coursework during their senior year. The program targets districts with high economic disadvantage, low college enrollment rates, and significant learning loss from COVID-19. Participating students must take 6-15 postsecondary credits per semester (with a 2.0 GPA minimum), while partnering colleges provide free courses, waive fees, and charge districts no more than $100 per credit. Districts must collect demographic data on student progress, and the program will conclude with a state report evaluating its potential for statewide expansion.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey municipalities and school boards to adopt ranked-choice voting for local elections through a voter referendum or petition. It permits communities to choose this voting method for non-primary elections for mayor, municipal council, or school board positions, requiring a petition signed by at least 10% of voters from the last General Assembly election. The bill specifies two counting methods: instant runoff for single-winner races (like mayor) and single transferable vote for multi-winner races (like council seats). Implementation requires local governing bodies to submit the change for voter approval via ballot, with the state Division of Elections providing implementation guidelines.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Highway Traffic Safety to launch a public awareness campaign about bicyclist and pedestrian safety. The campaign must inform the public about specific existing laws, including rules for cyclists keeping to the right side of the road (C.39:4-14.2) and rules for motorists safely passing pedestrians or cyclists (C.39:4-92.4), along with associated penalties. It directly affects drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians by providing clear information on current safety regulations. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how New Jersey calculates school district funding by requiring the use of a five-year average of property values instead of a single year's data. It directly affects all public school districts and county vocational school districts in the state by altering the formula that determines their "local share" contribution toward state school aid. The key provision replaces the current method (which uses the prior year's equalized property valuation) with a rolling five-year average of those valuations. This change will take effect for the 2024-2025 school year, impacting how much state aid each district receives based on local property wealth.