Sen. Nick Scutari

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's four-year public colleges to create and maintain a reproductive health services plan for students. The plan must ensure access to contraception (including emergency contraception), STI testing/treatment, prenatal care, and abortion services through on-campus clinics or verified off-campus referrals. It also mandates 24-hour access to over-the-counter contraception via campus retail or vending machines, along with reproductive health education. County colleges must develop a referral network connecting students to local reproductive health providers. The bill clarifies institutions aren't required to directly provide services like abortion care.

Maddy summarySJR 85 is a symbolic resolution designating September of each year as "Menopause Awareness Month" in New Jersey. It does not create new laws or funding but aims to raise public awareness about menopause, a natural biological process affecting women typically aged 40-59. The resolution requests the Governor issue annual proclamations encouraging community activities to foster discussion about menopause symptoms and experiences. It specifically references New Jersey's 2019 population of 1.2 million women in this age group. The bill is procedural and has no direct regulatory or financial impact.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the portion of rental payments that New Jersey renters can count toward property tax deductions from 18% to 30% of rent paid for a unit used as their primary residence. It also raises the maximum property tax credit amount from $50 to $250 for eligible seniors (65+), blind, or disabled taxpayers who pay property taxes or qualifying rent. The change applies to residential rental properties, including manufactured homes in mobile home parks, and affects renters who use their housing as their principal residence. The bill amends existing tax code provisions to adjust these specific deduction and credit thresholds.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 16-member Task Force on Student Mental Health to examine mental health support in New Jersey public schools. The task force, including school staff, mental health officials, parents, and legislative appointees, will study how schools identify students with mental health challenges (like anxiety or depression), evaluate counseling services, connect mental health to school safety, and determine funding needs. It will also research successful programs from other states and must issue a final report to the Governor and Legislature within one year. The task force expires 30 days after submitting its report, with no direct policy changes enacted by the bill itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Stay NJ property tax credit program, providing eligible senior citizens (65+ years old) with a property tax credit equal to 50% of their property tax bill, up to a maximum of $6,500 for tax year 2026 (with annual adjustments based on property tax increases). The program targets New Jersey residents with annual income under $500,000 who own or rent their principal residence as a homestead. Eligible claimants will receive the greater of the Stay NJ credit or the combined ANCHOR rebate and homestead property tax reimbursement, with a single application process to replace current multiple programs. The credit will be implemented starting in 2026, with applications accepted February 1 through October 31 each year.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 3838 allows the Director of the Division of Pensions and Benefits to temporarily transfer funds between two health benefits funds when the target fund (for dependents and employer health benefits) falls below a 10-day funding threshold. The Director can move funds from the main health benefits fund to cover up to 30 days of anticipated payments, including premiums, claims, and other charges, based on six-month averages. Transferred funds, plus interest, must be repaid within 120 days (with possible extensions up to 365 days total) to the target fund. The Director must notify the State Health Benefits Commission within 30 days and provide monthly reports to the State Treasurer detailing transfers, balances, and repayments.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Stay NJ property tax credit program, providing property tax relief to New Jersey seniors aged 65 or older with annual income under $500,000. It consolidates three existing property tax relief programs into a single application process, allowing eligible claimants to receive the greater of the Stay NJ credit or the combined amount of the ANCHOR rebate and homestead property tax reimbursement. The credit equals 50% of the claimant's property tax bill, capped at $6,500 in 2026 with annual adjustments based on property tax increases. The bill requires a single combined application form to be available from February 1 through October 31 each year, and revises income definitions to include Social Security payments and other excluded income sources for eligibility purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a voluntary contribution option on New Jersey's state income tax returns to fund reproductive health care services. Taxpayers can choose to add a contribution to their refund or send an extra payment to a new "Reproductive Health Care Equitable Access Fund" in the Treasury. The fund would receive these voluntary contributions, and the state would annually distribute all collected money equally to the three largest Medicaid reproductive health care providers in the state. These funds must be used to provide reproductive health services - including pregnancy care and pregnancy termination - to individuals who cannot afford them.

Maddy summaryS 507 (New Jersey) requires all motor vehicles to have mufflers and exhaust systems that do not amplify noise beyond the original factory level, prohibiting modifications that increase sound. It directly affects vehicle owners, auto body repair shops, and inspectors by mandating that exhaust systems be inspected for excessive noise during annual vehicle safety/emissions checks. The bill amends existing laws to specify that repairs or installations must not exceed original noise levels, with violations punishable by fines up to $500. Collector vehicles (e.g., historic or low-mileage cars) may be exempt from certain inspection requirements under defined criteria. This focuses on reducing noise pollution through enforceable inspection standards rather than restricting vehicle types.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health care providers and insurance companies to obtain explicit written consent from patients before sharing their medical information related to reproductive health care services (such as pregnancy, contraception, or abortion care), unless disclosure is necessary for treatment or falls under specific exceptions. The written consent must be a standalone form that clearly explains how the information might be used and to whom it could be disclosed, allowing patients to refuse specific disclosures. Exceptions include medical emergencies, court orders, child abuse investigations, and disclosures required by law. The bill does not override existing federal HIPAA privacy protections. Violations could result in $1,000 in damages per violation plus legal fees for the provider or insurer.