Sen. Bob Singer

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey public and private colleges and universities from considering "cultural competency skills" or "knowledge of any particular ethnic or religious group" when reviewing candidates for hiring or promotion. It allows exemptions for roles where such skills are essential (e.g., diversity officers), as determined by the state education secretary. Institutions found non-compliant face loss of state funding for operational and capital costs. The law applies immediately to all higher education personnel decisions, excluding positions requiring specific cultural expertise.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3208 prohibits public colleges and universities from receiving state funds if they boycott or divest from Israel-supporting businesses or Israeli entities. Specifically, institutions violating this rule lose access to state operating aid, education facility bonds, general obligation bonds, and student scholarship funds administered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. The bill defines prohibited actions as boycotting Israel-related businesses, divesting due to a company's support for Israel, or participating in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. It explicitly excludes divestment for prudent economic reasons, focusing only on actions tied to Israel-related pressure campaigns.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3223 removes the requirement that health sharing ministries must have operated continuously since December 31, 1999, allowing new organizations to form. It exempts members of these ministries from the state's health insurance mandate, meaning they no longer need to maintain coverage or pay related taxes. The bill requires ministries operating in New Jersey to publicly report detailed data - including participant numbers, fees collected, reimbursement rates, and denials - via their websites. Non-compliant ministries face penalties such as fines or legal action initiated by the Director of Consumer Affairs.

Maddy summaryS 3175 removes the requirement that public work contractors must participate in a registered apprenticeship program to bid on or perform construction projects covered by New Jersey's prevailing wage laws. The bill repeals a previous provision (P.L.2021, c.423, section 6) that mandated this participation. Instead, it establishes standards for apprenticeship programs that contractors may choose to use, requiring that any such program's training requirements meet or exceed U.S. Department of Labor standards. This change directly affects contractors bidding on or working on public construction projects subject to prevailing wage requirements.

Maddy summarySCR 104 is a symbolic resolution (not a law) passed by the New Jersey Senate condemning hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry. It formally declares New Jersey's opposition to prejudice against Hinduism and Hindus, recognizing the religion's global significance and Hindu Americans' contributions to society. The resolution defines hinduphobia as "antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes" toward Hinduism and Hindus, citing documented hate crimes. Copies will be sent to the Governor, New Jersey's Congress members, and the Hindu American Foundation. It has no legal effect beyond expressing the state's stance.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all licensed hospitals and nursing homes in New Jersey to provide 24/7 interpreter services for deaf and hard-of-hearing patients. It mandates that these services include electronic options like video remote interpreting and AI-assisted interpreting (approved by the Health Commissioner). The law applies to all facilities licensed under New Jersey's health regulations and takes effect 180 days after enactment. The change directly affects healthcare facilities and ensures patients have consistent access to communication support during medical care.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 2015) requires public institutions of higher education to pay prevailing wages for construction and maintenance work on projects intended for use by the institution at the time of construction. It clarifies that this applies to work done under contracts with entities associated with public bodies (such as university foundations) and to projects receiving financial assistance from public bodies. The bill ensures workers on these projects receive the prevailing wage rate determined by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, with limited exceptions for housing-related projects. This directly affects contractors, subcontractors, and workers involved in construction for public colleges and universities across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Attorney General to repeal Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive No. 2018-6, which restricted local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The directive prohibited police from sharing release dates of detained individuals, extending detention based solely on immigration requests, or assisting with civil immigration enforcement. It directly affects all state, county, and local law enforcement agencies in New Jersey. The bill aims to remove these restrictions by mandating the repeal of the 2018 directive.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores state school aid for certain New Jersey school districts that faced funding reductions in the 2023-2024 school year and would face further cuts in 2024-2025. It shifts $64.9 million from existing appropriations and adds $145.2 million in new funding from the General Fund, totaling $210.1 million to cover the difference between prior aid levels and proposed 2024-2025 amounts. The funding specifically targets districts that received Supplemental Stabilization Aid under prior law (P.L.2023, c.32) or have a positive "State aid differential" under P.L.2018, c.67. This ensures affected districts receive aid equal to their 2023-2024 funding level, preventing further reductions.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 15-member "College Child Care Advisory Commission" to study and recommend improvements for child care access at New Jersey colleges. The commission includes state education officials, legislative appointees, and community representatives (like school principals, child care providers, and a student parent) who will gather data on student child care needs and review existing college programs and subsidies. It will examine successful models from other states, explore campus-based child care partnerships, and assess available grants. The commission must submit a final report with recommendations to the Governor, Legislature, and college leaders within one year of forming.