Maddy summaryS 2207 establishes New Jersey's three-year "Summer Earn and Learn Pilot Program" through the Department of Education. It directly affects eligible New Jersey public school students (residents meeting employment age, enrolled in district/charter schools, and maintaining a 3.0 GPA) by providing summer learning sessions (3 hours/day, 5 days/week) to address pandemic-related learning loss while pairing them with paid work opportunities. Key provisions include using federal pandemic relief funds (CARES, CRRSA, ARP) to pay students at least minimum wage for roles like tutoring, with schools applying to participate and the state developing guidelines for learning content, employer partnerships, and stipend rates based on age. The program aims to prevent students from choosing between school and work during summer breaks.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school districts with grades 9-12 to add bleed control instruction to their existing health education curriculum, aligning with state learning standards. It directly affects high school students and school districts, mandating they incorporate this practical life-saving skill into health classes. Districts may choose free, non-certification training programs to meet this requirement. The law takes effect immediately for the next full school year after enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state agencies to promote manufacturing career pathways for students through higher education. It creates a $10 million annual grant program for colleges, universities, and vocational schools to establish or expand manufacturing programs (with 50% of funds going to county colleges, 25% to four-year schools/private colleges, and 25% to vocational districts). The bill also directs a state liaison to assist manufacturing businesses with marketing, referrals to support services, and workforce reskilling initiatives. These provisions directly affect students seeking manufacturing careers, educational institutions developing relevant programs, and manufacturing businesses statewide.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires leaders of New Jersey education unions - specifically presidents or vice-presidents of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), the American Federation of Teachers-New Jersey (AFT-NJ), and their local bargaining units representing K-12 teachers - to sign an acknowledgment of existing child abuse reporting duties under state law and complete training on those requirements before taking office. It directly affects union leadership roles in K-12 education, ensuring they understand their obligation to report suspected child abuse, missing children, or neglect as mandated by current statutes (C.9:6-8.10 and C.18A:36-25) and state regulations. The training focuses on the protocols for school employees to notify authorities about potential child safety concerns. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates two tax benefits in New Jersey. First, it permanently exempts from sales tax retail purchases of specific school-related items bought by individuals for personal use, including computers under $3,000, school supplies (like notebooks and pencils), art supplies, and instructional materials. Second, it allows eligible K-12 teachers to deduct up to $500 annually from their gross income for unreimbursed classroom supply expenses, such as books, computers, or lab equipment. The sales tax exemption applies to all sales after the fourth month following enactment, replacing the temporary annual "back-to-school" tax holiday. It directly affects individual consumers buying school items and public/private school teachers purchasing classroom materials.
Maddy summaryS 2174 removes a U.S. citizenship requirement for student representatives serving on boards of trustees at New Jersey public colleges and universities. The bill amends existing statutes to eliminate the phrase "and citizens of the United States" from eligibility criteria, meaning international students who meet other requirements (full-time enrollment, good academic standing, age 18+) can now serve. This change directly affects student representatives elected to boards at institutions covered by the law, including state colleges and universities like Thomas A. Edison State University. The bill does not alter other requirements such as election procedures, term lengths (with a first-year alternate role), or limitations on student board participation during sensitive discussions. The key change is a straightforward removal of a citizenship barrier for student representation.
Maddy summaryS 1321 amends New Jersey's tax sale law to require that after a lienholder (whether a municipality or private entity) forecloses a tax lien and is reimbursed for the property taxes and interest they paid, any remaining equity from the property sale must be returned to the original property owner. This directly affects property owners who fall behind on taxes but whose properties sell for more than the owed amount, preventing "equity theft" where excess proceeds were previously kept by lienholders. The bill responds to the U.S. Supreme Court's *Tyler v. Hennepin County* ruling (2023), which found retaining excess sale value without compensation violates constitutional protections. It mandates that courts return excess equity to owners after reimbursing lienholders for taxes and interest, aligning New Jersey law with constitutional requirements.
Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's Work First New Jersey program, which provides cash assistance to low-income residents. It directly affects individuals receiving public assistance by clarifying that enrollment in higher education no longer makes someone ineligible for benefits. Key changes include adding exemptions for people with physical/mental impairments, caretaker responsibilities, or other barriers to work, and specifying that community work assignments cannot be with for-profit employers. The bill also updates definitions of terms like "dependent child" and "income" to align with program requirements.
Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2211 requires all public colleges and universities to create detailed diversity plans for faculty, staff, and students, setting specific recruitment and retention goals aligned with local or state demographic data. Institutions must annually report student diversity metrics (including enrollment, retention, and graduation rates by race, ethnicity, and gender) to the state's Higher Education Secretary and submit annual faculty search diversity reports. The bill mandates annual bias training for hiring committees and directs the Higher Education Secretary to develop state guidance on inclusive faculty recruitment practices, including strategies for broad outreach and addressing unconscious bias. These requirements apply to all public higher education institutions in New Jersey, with plans updated every three years.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires all correctional police officers in New Jersey state facilities to wear body cameras that record both audio and video during their duties, with limited exceptions (like restroom use or medical appointments). It mandates that recordings be retained for at least 180 days, extending to three years for incidents involving complaints, disciplinary actions, criminal investigations, or requests from officers, inmates, or victims. The law also specifies that cameras must remain active during violent incidents, use of force, or riots. It directly affects correctional officers, inmates, and visitors by creating a permanent record of interactions within state correctional facilities.