Sen. Joe Cryan

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Task Force on Higher Education Governance and Funding to examine New Jersey's higher education system, including how colleges and universities are governed, funded, and overseen. The task force, composed of 14 members representing universities, faculty, students, and state officials, will analyze current challenges and identify best practices to develop recommendations. The bill appropriates $200,000 to fund the task force's work and requires a final report with findings to be submitted to the Governor and Legislature within one year.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates online sweepstakes casinos as a form of internet gaming requiring licensure, oversight, and taxation under New Jersey's existing regulatory framework. It defines online sweepstakes casinos as platforms where users play with "free currency" that can be converted to redeemable credits through purchases, random rewards, or completing tasks, requiring operators to obtain casino service industry enterprise licenses. Operators must undergo independent third-party audits before and after licensing, partner with licensed casinos, and follow the same rules as other internet gaming businesses regarding background checks, age verification, fees, and taxation. The Division of Gaming Enforcement will oversee enforcement, investigate unauthorized operations, and work with telecom providers to restrict access to illegal services.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends lifetime protected tenancy for senior citizens (62+ years old) and disabled tenants when their rental building is converted to condominium or cooperative ownership. It applies to tenants who have lived in the unit for at least one year before conversion and meet income requirements. The law prevents forced evictions and rent hikes solely due to conversion, ensuring these vulnerable tenants can remain in their homes without disruption to their health and community ties. The protection lasts for the tenant's lifetime, addressing concerns about housing instability for seniors and disabled residents amid rising costs and economic challenges.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires dental insurance companies in New Jersey to annually report detailed data on how premiums are spent, including the percentage of premiums used for patient care versus overhead. It directly affects all dental carriers (insurers offering standalone dental plans) by mandating they submit reports containing covered members, deductibles, and coverage limits to the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance. The reports must mirror federal medical loss ratio standards, and the data will be made publicly searchable online to allow comparison between carriers. If a carrier’s ratio falls significantly below the average (an "outlier"), the commissioner may require premium rebates to policyholders, with rebates due by September 30 of the following year.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill S 3179 requires sports/entertainment facilities (over 5,000 seats), movie theaters (over 1,000 seats), and places of worship (now over 300 seats, down from 500) to submit annual electronic emergency plans to local law enforcement. The plans must include specific "emergency mapping data" like digital floor plans, aerial images, hazard locations, and access routes, formatted for public safety software systems. This replaces current requirements to submit paper copies of building layouts and explicitly excludes these plans from public record laws. The bill aims to improve law enforcement preparedness for mass casualty incidents at these venues by standardizing accessible emergency information.

Maddy summaryThis bill grants New Jersey state employees, including those at Rutgers and other public universities, one additional administrative leave day per year for each of the two Muslim holidays - Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha - without reducing their regular leave allowance. It also requires public school districts to excuse student absences for these holidays, ensuring such absences do not appear on transcripts or affect eligibility for awards, tests, or opportunities. Students must provide a parent or guardian’s written excuse to qualify for these protections. The law explicitly adds Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha to the list of religious holidays recognized for excused absences under state education rules.

Maddy summaryS 4024, the "Transparency in Prosecutorial Communication Act," requires New Jersey's Attorney General to publish an updated press release on its website when an investigation concludes, if an initial press release was issued at the investigation's start. The updated release must include the investigation's outcome. This applies to all investigations initially announced via a public press release. The law ensures the public can access final investigation results through the same website where initial information was posted.

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.