Maddy summaryThis bill (S 970) extends existing motor vehicle registration fee exemptions to cover toll exemptions for certain disabled veterans on New Jersey's toll roads. It amends laws to require the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and South Jersey Transportation Authority to waive tolls for veterans already exempt from registration fees under Section 1 of P.L.1948, c.28. Eligible veterans include those qualifying under specific New Jersey statutes, federal laws (Public Law 663 and 187), World War I veterans with service-connected disabilities, or holders of the Congressional Medal of Honor. The exemption applies to veterans using electronic toll collection systems on toll facilities operated by these authorities. The bill is pending in the Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee as of January 2024.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 1203 allows New Jersey county election boards to open inner envelopes containing mail-in ballots up to five days before an election, clarifying a current practice. It also requires that voters with ballots rejected due to signature issues receive a "cure letter" within 24 hours, explaining how to correct the problem by providing identification details (like a driver's license number or last four Social Security digits) without signing an affidavit. Voters can submit corrections up to 48 hours before election results are certified. This bill does not change the requirement that mail-in ballots must be received by the county board by the day before the election.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1064) would create a faster path for paraprofessionals currently working in New Jersey school districts to become certified teachers. It requires the State Board of Education to establish an alternate certification program that counts their existing classroom experience (like tutoring) toward student teaching requirements, allows them to keep their current job while completing training, and permits GPA waivers for qualified candidates. The program must be developed with input from education stakeholders, including teacher unions and school administrators. Note: The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 9, 2024, but was immediately withdrawn.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Transportation (DOT) to create a standardized design for roadway signs marking historic districts or sites. The signs must include a clear historic symbol (like a flag or icon) showing the relevant time period, event, or war, and follow federal traffic device standards. State agencies replacing existing signs for historic areas must use this new design, ensuring consistency and clearer historical context for travelers. The bill affects how state entities maintain and update these signs, focusing on visual clarity rather than changing historic protections.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1491) reinstates automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits paid to members of New Jersey's state-administered retirement systems. It directly affects current and future retirees in these systems by ensuring their benefits automatically increase each year to match inflation, without requiring new legislative action each time. The key mechanism is restoring a provision that had been removed, so benefits rise automatically based on the Consumer Price Index rather than relying on annual budget decisions. This change provides predictable income stability for retirees as living costs change. The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 9, 2024.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a four-year "New Jersey STEM Scholars Grant Pilot Program" within the Department of Education to fund school districts enhancing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education. It provides competitive grants for school districts to expand or create programs in three specific areas: project-based learning, after-school STEM activities, and out-of-school STEM experiences. Grant funds must supplement, not replace, existing STEM funding and can only be used if the Legislature appropriates money for the program each year. The program will be funded through state appropriations, private donations, and federal STEM-related funds, with districts required to detail how they'll recruit students, support staff, and sustain programs beyond the grant period.
Maddy summaryS 919 establishes a nine-member "New Jersey Transit ADA Task Force" to study and improve accessibility at New Jersey Transit facilities. The task force will examine all terminals, stations, stops, and equipment owned or operated by NJ Transit or its contracted partners to ensure compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It must identify needed upgrades, estimate costs for each improvement, and evaluate whether ramps could replace non-compliant elevators. The task force has two years to submit a final report to the Governor and Legislature, after which it will expire. This bill directly affects NJ Transit's infrastructure and the accessibility experience of people with disabilities using public transit.
Maddy summaryS 1345 creates a permanent "New Jersey Anti-Semitism Task Force" within the Department of State. The task force, composed of 18 members including legislative leaders, community representatives (like Hadassah and ADL), and experts, will research anti-Semitism and develop recommendations to address its harms. Its work directly affects Jewish communities in New Jersey, aiming to improve safety at synagogues, schools, and institutions amid rising hate incidents. The bill requires the task force to produce actionable plans based on its research, without specifying new funding or enforcement measures.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school students who suffer a concussion to get a medical evaluation and written clearance from a physician trained in concussion management before returning to school or school-related physical activities. It directly affects students, school districts, and healthcare providers, mandating that schools cannot allow concussed students to participate in recess, physical education, sports, or other physical activities until cleared. Schools must also implement any restrictions recommended by the physician and inform all relevant staff about these limitations. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2013) expands eligibility for New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to include local government business administrators. Currently excluded from PERS, these administrators - such as city or county financial managers - would now qualify for membership and could transfer their retirement benefits from the Defined Contribution Retirement Program into PERS. The change specifically targets business administrators as defined in pending legislation, removing their prior exclusion from PERS. This policy shift directly affects local government employees in these administrative roles by providing access to PERS benefits instead of the alternative retirement program.