Sen. Britnee Timberlake

Maddy summaryThis bill extends lifetime protected tenancy for senior citizens (62+ years old) and disabled tenants when their rental building is converted to condominium or cooperative ownership. It applies to tenants who have lived in the unit for at least one year before conversion and meet income requirements. The law prevents forced evictions and rent hikes solely due to conversion, ensuring these vulnerable tenants can remain in their homes without disruption to their health and community ties. The protection lasts for the tenant's lifetime, addressing concerns about housing instability for seniors and disabled residents amid rising costs and economic challenges.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state-funded transportation projects needing geotechnical testing to hire a geotechnical engineer. The engineer must recommend testing types and frequency during design, and all recommended testing must be completed during construction unless exempted by the State transportation engineer. It also mandates groundwater testing and monitoring before construction begins, with ongoing monitoring if site conditions require it (capped at three years), and requires deformation monitoring if needed, with advanced tracking if limits are exceeded. The Department of Transportation must follow all internal standards without waiving them, except as authorized by the State transportation engineer.

Maddy summaryS 3879 amends the lists of environmental infrastructure projects eligible for loans from the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank for FY2025. The bill updates the "Storm Sandy and State Fiscal Year 2025 Clean Water Project Eligibility List" (152 projects) and the "Storm Sandy and State Fiscal Year 2025 Drinking Water Project Eligibility List" (67 projects) by adding new projects, removing some projects, and adjusting loan amounts for certain projects. This affects local governments, public water utilities, and other project sponsors seeking funding for clean water and drinking water infrastructure improvements. The bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to provide loans for a total of 219 eligible projects for FY2025, with a total authorized loan amount of $2.47 billion (down from $2.73 billion).

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Attorney General to create an internet-based tracking system for rape kits (also called sexual assault forensic evidence kits). The system will allow victims, law enforcement officers, healthcare providers, and labs to monitor a kit's journey from collection at a medical facility through testing and final disposal. It mandates the Attorney General to issue guidelines for this tracking system, ensuring transparency in the chain of custody. The law, which became effective in January 2025, directly affects victims of sexual assault, healthcare facilities, law enforcement, and forensic labs handling these kits.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3998) standardizes benefits for New Jersey teachers' pension members by removing tiered eligibility. It requires all current non-retired members of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) to receive the same benefits as those enrolled before July 1, 2007, effectively moving everyone to "Tier 1" benefits. Public employees meeting salary minimums but not hour requirements will be enrolled in TPAF, and current Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) members can transfer service credit to TPAF (without transferring contributions) to qualify for retirement benefits. Changes apply only to retirement applications processed after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "New Jersey Target Zero Commission" within the Department of Transportation, consisting of 13 state agency representatives (including Transportation, Health, and Public Safety officials). The commission’s primary duty is to develop a statewide action plan by 2040 aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries through engineering, education, and enforcement strategies focused on equitable road safety for all users. Key mechanisms include creating a public data portal for crash statistics, requiring annual public hearings and reports to the Governor and Legislature, and advising on policy changes to support safer transportation infrastructure. The commission must adopt its action plan within 12 months of the bill’s effective date and host public feedback sessions before finalizing it. This is a procedural bill creating a study body, not a direct policy change.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "New Jersey Target Zero Commission" within the Department of Transportation to develop strategies for eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2040. The 13-member commission - including agency heads from transportation, public safety, health, and environmental departments - will create a statewide action plan, promote data transparency through a public safety portal, and advise state and local governments on equitable road safety improvements. It requires annual reporting to the Governor and Legislature on progress, including traffic crash data and demographic information. The commission focuses on "safe system approach" strategies like roadway design, speed management, and expanding accessible transportation options for all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and people with disabilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 4148, now P.L.2024, c.103) requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education (DOE) to create and distribute informational materials about type 1 diabetes to parents and guardians of public school students. The materials must explain type 1 diabetes, its warning signs, screening recommendations, treatment planning, and school care protocols, as specified in the law. School districts must make these resources available to families through the DOE website. The law took effect immediately upon approval and directly affects all parents/guardians of students in New Jersey public schools.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey optometrists' scope of practice to include prescribing pharmaceutical agents (including controlled substances for eye conditions), administering immunizations for coronavirus, flu, and shingles (for patients 18+), and performing minor procedures like removing superficial foreign bodies, treating chalazions, and simple ophthalmologic treatments (e.g., trabeculoplasty) using topical anesthesia. It explicitly prohibits invasive eye surgery, orbital procedures, or general anesthesia. The law requires optometrists to report administered immunizations to the state's immunization registry and mandates they follow CDC guidelines for vaccine administration. This directly affects optometrists by broadening their clinical capabilities and patients by increasing access to certain eye care services within defined limits.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Fire Station Rehabilitation and Maintenance Code requiring paid and part-paid fire departments serving municipalities with over 300,000 residents to implement specific safety measures. Key provisions include annual testing for hazardous substances (every six months for pre-1978 stations), remediation within six months, installation of HEPA-filtered HVAC systems, and inclusion of steam rooms for firefighter detoxification. It appropriates $140 million total - $110 million to a rehabilitation fund for grants/loans and $30 million to an equipment replacement fund - to cover fire station modifications, safety equipment maintenance, and replacing fire trucks every 10-15 years. The funding is allocated exclusively to qualifying large-municipality fire departments, with additional flexibility for municipalities to impose fire inspection fee surcharges to support compliance.