Maddy summaryS 4051 allows New Jersey school districts to appoint qualified "school security specialists" to provide security services, directly affecting schools and district safety planning. To qualify, specialists must have 20+ years of supervisory law enforcement experience, pass background checks, hold a valid driver's license, be registered with the Security Officer Registration Act, and complete specific training in emergency response, de-escalation, and school safety protocols. Districts may permit these specialists to carry handguns in schools only if they meet state firearm laws and receive superintendent approval. The bill also establishes certification requirements through the state's School Safety Academy and integrates specialists into existing school safety information systems.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Transportation (DOT) and Division of Motor Vehicles (DLPS) to establish an automated weigh-in-motion monitoring program. The program would use sensors on roadways to automatically measure commercial vehicle weights without stopping traffic, replacing some manual roadside inspections. Commercial drivers would be able to use data from these systems as evidence to defend against weight violation claims. The law updates existing weight enforcement procedures in Title 39 of New Jersey statutes to incorporate this technology.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands the scope of practice for licensed audiologists in New Jersey, allowing them to select, prescribe, and order hearing aids in addition to their current ability to dispense and fit them. To qualify, audiologists must complete an accredited program of coursework and clinical training covering these specific services. The change aligns New Jersey law with new federal regulations that created a distinct category for prescription hearing aids. It directly affects licensed audiologists who meet the training requirements and their patients seeking prescription hearing aids.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands eligibility for New Jersey's homestead property tax reimbursement program to include disabled individuals receiving disability payments under the federal Railroad Retirement Act. Previously, only those receiving disability payments under the Social Security Act qualified. The amendment adds Railroad Retirement Act recipients to the definition of "disabled person" in the law, allowing them to claim the reimbursement if they meet other standard requirements like income limits and residency. This change directly affects disabled railroad workers who previously could not access this property tax relief.
Maddy summaryS 4013 allows New Jersey clinical laboratories to offer discounts to patients facing financial hardship without reducing their NJ FamilyCare reimbursement rates or violating anti-rebate regulations. The bill permits labs to charge uninsured, underinsured, or vulnerable patients (including those experiencing homelessness, extreme poverty, awaiting Medicaid enrollment, or required for substance use disorder testing) less for services while maintaining standard reimbursement rates from NJ FamilyCare. To qualify for a discount, patients must demonstrate financial hardship through income documentation or evidence of exceptional circumstances. The bill also requires dismissal of pending enforcement actions against labs for previously offering such discounts, ensuring these discounts won't be considered violations of anti-rebate rules. This change aims to improve access to laboratory services for vulnerable populations without penalizing providers for offering financial assistance.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires Medicaid to cover substance use disorder treatment services provided by community-based organizations that are licensed by the Department of Health. It establishes standards for these organizations' licensure and creates a training program to help them meet requirements. The bill also allows opioid treatment programs to create medication units (which can be mobile) to provide medication-assisted treatment like methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. Additionally, it prohibits denying treatment based on a patient's refusal of counseling and limits required drug screenings to eight per year, aiming to increase access to substance use disorder treatment.
Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $3 million from the General Fund to provide one-time bonus awards to specific state workers. It directly affects members of Local 195 of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFTPE) who worked frontline, essential roles during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be distributed by the Division of Budget and Accounting in consultation with the union president to eligible employees across state agencies. The appropriation is supplemental to the 2025 budget and requires no new policy changes, focusing solely on compensating pandemic-era frontline staff.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3998) standardizes benefits for New Jersey teachers' pension members by removing tiered eligibility. It requires all current non-retired members of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) to receive the same benefits as those enrolled before July 1, 2007, effectively moving everyone to "Tier 1" benefits. Public employees meeting salary minimums but not hour requirements will be enrolled in TPAF, and current Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) members can transfer service credit to TPAF (without transferring contributions) to qualify for retirement benefits. Changes apply only to retirement applications processed after the bill's effective date.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "New Jersey Target Zero Commission" within the Department of Transportation, consisting of 13 state agency representatives (including Transportation, Health, and Public Safety officials). The commission’s primary duty is to develop a statewide action plan by 2040 aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries through engineering, education, and enforcement strategies focused on equitable road safety for all users. Key mechanisms include creating a public data portal for crash statistics, requiring annual public hearings and reports to the Governor and Legislature, and advising on policy changes to support safer transportation infrastructure. The commission must adopt its action plan within 12 months of the bill’s effective date and host public feedback sessions before finalizing it. This is a procedural bill creating a study body, not a direct policy change.
Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $49.5 million from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for land acquisition and conservation efforts. The funds will be allocated as $23.7 million for acquiring lands across 14 specific recreation and conservation project areas throughout the state, and $23.7 million specifically for Blue Acres projects that protect properties from storm and flood damage. Additionally, $2.05 million is designated for administrative costs associated with the Green Acres program. The funding comes from revenues dedicated by voters in 2014 to support open space preservation, farmland protection, and historic conservation under the Preserve New Jersey Act.