Sen. Vince Polistina

Maddy summaryThis bill requires owners of low-speed electric bicycles and scooters in New Jersey to register these devices with the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) and maintain specific insurance coverage. Owners must complete a safety training module developed by the MVC before registration, and devices must display a registration label. The bill establishes an $8 registration fee for initial registration and annual renewals, and prohibits operation without proper registration. Owners must maintain liability insurance, pedestrian personal injury protection coverage, and uninsured motorist coverage for these devices.

Maddy summaryThe "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act" (S 3309) requires used car dealers to check for open recalls on vehicles before sale using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website and provide prospective buyers with printed recall information if any are found. Dealers cannot sell vehicles subject to stop-sale or do-not-drive notices issued by NHTSA. The bill mandates dealers to report vehicles with unresolved recalls (for which repairs remain uncompleted six months after initial notice) to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission every 180 days, prompting the Commission to send notices directly to vehicle owners. For vehicles with unavailable parts for recalls, dealers receive monthly compensation equal to 1.75% of the vehicle's value until repairs are completed.

Maddy summaryThis bill would amend New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) rules to include pay for extracurricular activities in teachers' compensation calculations. Currently, additional pay for activities like coaching sports teams, directing school plays, or advising clubs isn't counted toward pension benefits. The bill would require that such additional pay be included when calculating a teacher's final compensation for pension purposes. It specifically defines extracurricular duties to include preparation for and involvement in public performances, contests, athletic competitions, demonstrations, displays, and club activities. This change would directly affect teachers who receive extra pay for these activities, potentially increasing their future pension benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3812) removes a restriction that allowed the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) to withhold retirement or death benefits from members due to ongoing civil lawsuits related to their employment. It directly affects current and future PFRS members (police officers and firefighters) who are involved in civil litigation over their jobs. The bill requires the PFRS Board to pay benefits immediately, but permits adjustments if a legal case later results in penalties. It maintains existing rules that allow withholding for criminal charges or administrative dismissals from public employment.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing Schedule I or II controlled dangerous substances by lowering the quantity thresholds that determine criminal severity. For example, possessing one ounce or more of such substances is now a first-degree crime (previously second degree), while quantities between one-half ounce and one ounce are classified as second degree (previously third degree). Offenders face harsher sentences, including mandatory minimum prison terms and fines up to $500,000 for first-degree offenses. The bill aims to address a penalty disparity where fentanyl - more dangerous than heroin - currently has lighter penalties despite its potency.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Attorney General to launch a 90-day pilot program in the state's 10 municipalities with the highest violent crime rates, as identified in the latest Uniform Crime Report. Participating local law enforcement agencies would receive ballistics scanning devices to analyze cartridge cases at crime scenes, instantly generating investigative reports to speed up firearm-related investigations. After the pilot, each agency must submit a usage report with recommendations on continuing the device, and the Attorney General must then advise the Governor and Legislature on whether to make the program permanent with annual funding. The bill directly affects law enforcement in these high-crime communities and focuses on improving firearm investigation efficiency through technology.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires employers to provide up to two full working days of paid leave for employees to attend school-related events (like conferences or meetings) for their children. Employers who offer this leave can claim tax credits equal to the wages they paid for the leave, offsetting the cost. The tax credits are limited to $10 million annually across all employers, and the program applies to most private businesses, nonprofits, and other non-governmental entities. The law does not change existing sick leave requirements but adds this specific benefit for school-related child events.

Maddy summaryS 4004 updates New Jersey's law governing employment programs for people with disabilities by renaming the "Sheltered Workshop Act" to the "Extended Employment Act" and replacing outdated terminology. It expands eligibility to include individuals with "significant" disabilities (not just "severe" ones) and removes requirements like prior workshop completion or proof of inability to compete in the open labor market. The bill shifts oversight from the New Jersey Commission for the Blind to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, revises funding to tie annual increases to inflation or 80% of provider expense reports (whichever is greater), and repeals outdated labeling and transportation rules for program products. This directly affects nonprofit extended employment providers, people with disabilities using these programs, and state agencies managing vocational rehabilitation services.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey law to allow soil conservation districts to have more than five supervisors, with the State Soil Conservation Committee now authorized to set the maximum number for each district. Currently, districts must have at least five supervisors but lack a defined upper limit. The change gives districts flexibility to adjust governance structures based on local needs, while the Committee determines appropriate supervisor counts. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic annual cost-ofiving adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits of certain retired police and firefighters in New Jersey's Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS). It applies to members who have received retirement benefits for at least 10 years, excluding those who retired with 20-24 years of service, are in deferred retirement, or were hired more than 30 days after the bill's effective date. COLAs will be calculated based on the Consumer Price Index, with a $75,000 annual benefit threshold for the first year (adjusted annually thereafter), and capped at a 1% increase for benefits exceeding this amount. The bill requires the Legislature to appropriate funds from the General Fund to cover these adjustments, with the State Treasurer taking over implementation if the Board of Trustees fails to comply within six months. The adjustments apply only to future benefit payments, not retroactively.