Sen. Britnee Timberlake

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Police Superintendent to create a policy within six months that prioritizes recruiting women and minorities as civilian instructors and contractors at the State Police Academy. It directly affects State Police recruits by mandating more diverse instruction, as the policy aims to diversify the civilian staff delivering their training. Key provisions include annual policy reviews and updates, plus annual reports to the Attorney General and Legislature detailing the demographics (age, gender, race, ethnicity) of all civilian instructors/contractors and summaries of policy changes. The bill takes effect immediately, focusing on concrete reporting and recruitment requirements rather than outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $125 million from the General Fund to the New Jersey Affordable Housing Trust Fund (NJAHTF) to restore funds previously diverted for affordable housing. It directly affects municipalities that have certified compliance with fair share housing plans and housing elements, enabling them to access grants and loans for new affordable housing projects. The funds will support housing development in communities meeting state housing obligation requirements, as authorized under existing law. This is a funding restoration measure, not a new policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires developers building large residential projects (30+ units with high density) to reserve specific percentages of units for income-based housing: 5% very low income, 10% low income, 5% moderate income, and 5% middle income. Developers may instead pay a fee equal to 30% of the project cost (reduced to 25% for green-certified projects) to fund affordable housing through a municipal trust fund. All reserved housing units must remain affordable for at least 98 years, and municipalities must ensure at least 30% of these units are two-bedroom and 20% are three-bedroom. The fee funds either affordable housing development or community centers, depending on municipal choice. This directly affects developers of qualifying new housing projects in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 524 requires public schools with 5% or more students qualifying for federal free/reduced-price meals to offer a school breakfast program, lowering the current threshold from 20%. This applies to all schools meeting the 5% eligibility rate, including those serving pre-K through 6th grade (requiring implementation by September 1, 2023) and other grades (by September 1, 2024). School districts must submit implementation plans to the Department of Agriculture by specific deadlines, with waivers available for schools lacking resources to comply. The bill aligns breakfast program requirements with existing lunch program rules, aiming to expand access to school breakfasts for more students.

Maddy summarySCR 67 is a New Jersey legislative resolution urging the U.S. President and Congress to adopt two specific federal bills addressing housing instability. It references the "Eviction Crisis Act of 2019," which would improve eviction data analysis and reduce preventable evictions, and the "Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act of 2019," which would create 500,000 new housing vouchers over five years for low-income families with children. The resolution highlights that millions of U.S. households face housing insecurity, with over 8 million very low-income families spending more than half their income on housing. As a concurrent resolution, SCR 67 has no legal effect and serves only to express support for these federal proposals.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state grant program to provide thermal imaging body cameras, thermal imaging masks, and radio repeaters to fire departments serving municipalities with 100,000+ residents. Qualifying fire departments in cities with 100,000-299,000 residents receive $150,000 every three years (divided equally among departments), while those in cities with 300,000+ residents receive the same amount. The grant covers purchasing or reimbursing costs for equipment that helps firefighters see through smoke, communicate across obstacles, or record incidents. The Division of Fire Safety must review the program every five years to ensure departments use updated equipment and decide whether to continue it. The bill is pending legislative action and not yet law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires homeowners of homes built before 1979 to obtain a construction permit before painting or removing exterior paint if lead-based paint may be present. Before issuing a permit, local building departments must determine if lead paint is likely in the work area - using inspections or building records - and notify owners if lead is suspected. If lead paint is to be sanded or scraped, owners must hire certified contractors, and departments must conduct two unscheduled site inspections to ensure compliance with lead-safe work standards. Violations carry a $150 penalty for first offenses and $1,500 for repeated violations, with permits capped at $50 in fee.

Maddy summaryS 2685 requires New Jersey public school districts to include age-appropriate instruction on menstrual health and hygiene for students in grades 4-12 as part of their health and physical education curriculum. The bill mandates teaching about proper use of menstrual products (including risks like Toxic Shock Syndrome), symptoms of menstrual disorders, effects of period poverty, and when to seek medical help. Schools must notify parents before starting this instruction, and the law takes effect for the first full school year after enactment. This directly affects all New Jersey public school districts and their students in the specified grade range.

Maddy summaryS 2698 establishes five new centers and programs at Rutgers University - Newark and appropriates $6.5 million annually for their operation. The centers include the Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race (researching race and politics connections), CLiME (studying systemic inequality and racism in policy), CLSCR (building local business supply chains), RE-OPEN (supporting justice-impacted individuals re-entering communities), and NJSTEP (providing college courses to incarcerated people). Each center receives specific annual funding: $1 million for the first four and $2.5 million for NJSTEP. This bill directly affects Rutgers University - Newark, which will manage the programs, and the communities they serve, including students, justice-impacted individuals, and local businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2726) would allow New Jersey's Governor to issue an executive order preventing evictions and foreclosures for two specific groups during a federal government shutdown: federal employees who are furloughed or unpaid, and recipients of SNAP food assistance. The order would pause enforcement of eviction/foreclosure judgments (like removals or warrants) but not stop the legal proceedings themselves. Exceptions permit enforcement only if a court deems it necessary for justice or if the eviction isn't based on nonpayment of rent. The order would remain in effect for up to one month after the shutdown ends.