Maddy summaryThis bill requires Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) of the Office of Administrative Law within the Department of State to enroll in the Workers Compensation Judges Part of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) instead of the current Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP). It mandates that ALJs currently enrolled in the DCRP be transferred to the Workers Compensation and Administrative Law Judges Part of PERS within 90 days of the bill's effective date, while those already in PERS will be moved into this specific part of the system. The bill also specifies that the unfunded liability for benefits provided by this transfer will be paid by appropriations from the State General Fund. This change makes PERS enrollment a condition of employment for ALJs, aligning their retirement system with that of Workers' Compensation Judges.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2295) amends New Jersey law on reckless vehicular homicide to strengthen penalties for drivers causing death while operating vehicles under the influence (DUI), with a suspended license, or near schools. It mandates a license suspension of 5 years to life for these offenses, requires courts to consider pretrial detention for certain DUI-related cases, and allows vehicle forfeiture unless hardship is proven. The law also increases penalties to a first-degree crime for driving under the influence near schools (within 1,000 feet or through designated crossings), with no defense for ignorance of school zones. These changes directly affect drivers convicted of vehicular homicide involving DUI, license violations, or school zone offenses.
Maddy summaryThe Freedom to Read Act establishes requirements for library materials in New Jersey public school libraries and public libraries, requiring school boards and library governing bodies to adopt policies that ensure access to diverse and inclusive materials. The bill defines "diverse and inclusive material" as content reflecting protected classes under New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination, materials produced by authors regardless of their protected class status, and materials containing authors' views on contemporary issues, while excluding age-inappropriate content. It creates procedures for challenging library materials, including review committees and requiring that challenged materials remain available until a final decision is made. The bill also provides legal protections for school library media specialists and librarians, granting them immunity from liability for good-faith actions and a civil cause of action against those who harass them for complying with the law.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school districts to add classroom instruction about social media and cell phone addiction risks for students in grades 6 through 12. It expands current requirements by moving this education from technology classes (for grades 6-8) to the health curriculum (for all grades 6-12), covering topics like mental health impacts, cyber safety, and consequences of irresponsible use. Schools must teach about risks including cyberbullying, addiction effects on relationships, and responsible platform use. The instruction must be implemented starting in the first full school year after the bill takes effect.
Maddy summaryS 3857 would require farm tractors and traction equipment used for farming to carry a minimum of $300,000 in liability insurance, instead of the $1.5 million required for most commercial vehicles. The bill applies to these vehicles when registered under New Jersey law for agricultural operations. This reduces the insurance coverage standard specifically for farm vehicles, lowering their requirement from the general commercial vehicle threshold. The policy change modifies existing insurance law to create a distinct coverage category for farm operations.
Maddy summaryS 2421, the "Freedom to Read Act," requires New Jersey public school and public libraries to adopt policies protecting access to diverse library materials. The bill mandates that school boards establish collection guidelines based on professional librarian judgment, prohibiting removal of materials solely due to disagreement with their content or viewpoint. It defines "censorship" as blocking materials over disagreement with ideas (excluding developmentally inappropriate content) and requires policies to ensure school library staff can curate collections reflecting diverse perspectives. The law aims to shield librarians and school library staff from harassment while maintaining their role in providing equitable access to resources.
Maddy summaryThis bill would allow New Jersey residents to exclude from state gross income tax any distributions from their individual retirement accounts (IRAs) that are given to qualified charitable organizations. The exclusion applies to both Roth IRAs and traditional IRAs, making charitable contributions from these accounts tax-free at the state level. A "qualified charitable organization" is defined as one with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code. This change would make it more financially beneficial for New Jersey residents to make charitable gifts from their retirement accounts.
Maddy summaryS 3675 allows prosecutors to combine the value of stolen property from multiple theft incidents within a two-year period when those incidents are part of the same scheme or course of conduct. This means that if someone commits several thefts over time (within two years) that would individually be lower-level offenses, the total value could push the case to a higher criminal grade. The bill applies to various theft-related offenses including shoplifting, receiving stolen property, and motor vehicle theft, clarifying that multiple thefts can be aggregated if they involve the same person, are similar in nature, and occurred within a two-year window. This change affects how New Jersey prosecutes repeat theft offenses and could lead to more severe penalties for individuals committing multiple thefts over a short period.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3698) allows surviving spouses of retired police or firefighters (PFRS members) who died due to work-related injuries or complications to keep state-paid health insurance (SHBP) and continue receiving pension benefits even after remarriage. It requires surviving spouses to provide documented proof that the injury causing the member's disability was a significant factor in their death. Eligible spouses can also apply to reinstate pensions terminated due to remarriage before this law took effect. The state covers all health insurance premiums for the spouse and dependent children and pays any increased retirement system costs from continued pension payments.
Maddy summaryS 3597 requires Internet dating services operating in New Jersey to conduct criminal record screenings upon a member's request and with the consent of the person being screened. The bill mandates that services provide clear safety information to users and disclose their screening policies, including whether they perform automatic checks or not, using bold, large text on signup pages and profiles. Services must also explain that screenings only cover public records, aren't foolproof, and don't include all offenses or foreign convictions. This directly affects New Jersey users and the dating platforms they use, focusing on transparency about safety measures.