Sen. Gordon Johnson

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $615,000 from the General Fund to the New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS) for a grant to the NJ 2-1-1 Partnership. The funding directly supports the NJ 2-1-1 Partnership, which operates New Jersey’s statewide 2-1-1 service providing free information and referrals to health, social, and emergency services. The bill adds this amount to the existing fiscal year 2026 budget for DHS’s Behavioral Health Services division. The 2-1-1 service, designated by New Jersey in 2002 as the sole state administrator for the nationwide 2-1-1 dialing code, connects residents to community resources through a single phone number.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a three-year pilot program in eligible New Jersey counties (population over 950,000) to provide nursing services for students in nonpublic schools. It shifts funding directly to county consortia of nonpublic schools - replacing the previous system where school districts received funds - to cover nursing services for participating schools. Nonpublic schools in the pilot must stop offering "courtesy nursing services" to students and instead rely entirely on the county consortium for these services. The program requires schools to formally join the consortium by June 1 each year and includes annual audits and a state report on the pilot's effectiveness after two years.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts health care professionals licensed in foreign nations from New Jersey's standard licensing requirements when providing medical services exclusively to athletes or team personnel affiliated with international teams participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The exemption applies only during the tournament period (June 1-July 31, 2026), covering services related to training and events leading up to and during the World Cup (June 11-July 19, 2026). It does not affect licensing for general practice in New Jersey or services outside this specific event. The policy aims to streamline medical support for participating teams without altering permanent licensing standards.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution designates July 30 of each year as "Brian Sicknick Day" in New Jersey to honor Officer Brian Sicknick, a U.S. Capitol Police officer who died protecting the Capitol on January 6, 2021. It requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation recognizing the day. The resolution commemorates Sicknick’s service, including his 12-year career with the Capitol Police and his New Jersey roots (born in New Brunswick, served in the NJ Air National Guard). As a ceremonial resolution, it has no legal effect beyond recognition.

Maddy summaryThe Climate Superfund Act would require fossil fuel companies that extracted or refined fossil fuels between 1995 and the bill's effective date to pay compensatory damages for climate change impacts they caused. Companies responsible for over one billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions during this period would pay based on their proportional share of emissions. The Department of Environmental Protection would collect these payments into a special fund and distribute them as grants for climate adaptation projects like flood protection, infrastructure upgrades, and health programs. Companies would have six months to pay in full or choose nine annual installments, with potential for administrative appeals if they disagree with the assessment.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts stipends paid to volunteer first responders (like firefighters or EMTs) from being counted as taxable income under New Jersey's income and payroll tax laws. It specifically excludes payments for volunteer emergency services from gross income calculations, meaning these stipends won't be subject to state income tax or payroll taxes. The bill amends existing unemployment compensation law (R.S.43:21-19) to clarify that such stipends aren't considered "wages" for tax purposes. This directly affects volunteer emergency personnel who receive small payments for their service, reducing their tax burden on those stipends. The policy change is purely administrative, adjusting how existing tax laws apply to volunteer compensation.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a crime for unlicensed individuals to possess digital instructions that could be used to 3D print firearms, firearm receivers, magazines, or components. The law targets digital files in computer-aided design or similar electronic formats that could program 3D printers to create these items. Possessing such digital instructions without a firearms manufacturing license would be a third-degree crime punishable by up to five years in prison or a $15,000 fine. The bill implements a recommendation from the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation to address a gap in existing law regarding digital firearm manufacturing instructions.

Maddy summarySCR 134 is a New Jersey Senate resolution urging Congress to provide emergency funds to modernize air traffic control infrastructure and increase staffing at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). It directly addresses EWR’s ongoing issues, including system disruptions from outdated equipment (like aging copper lines), staffing shortages (with only 22 certified controllers at Philadelphia TRACON managing EWR airspace), and resulting flight delays/cancellations affecting its 50 million annual passengers. The resolution requests immediate action to resolve these critical safety and operational challenges, noting that a long-term FAA system upgrade announced in May 2025 will not solve urgent needs. As a non-binding request, it formally asks Congress to appropriate emergency funds to support EWR’s safety and efficiency.

Maddy summaryACR 169 is a New Jersey legislative resolution urging Congress to provide emergency funds for Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). It specifically requests immediate action to modernize EWR's aging air traffic control infrastructure and increase staffing at facilities supporting the airport. The resolution cites recent disruptions - including radar outages, flight delays, and cancellations - stemming from outdated FAA systems (like aging copper lines) and staffing shortages (only 22 certified controllers at Philadelphia TRACON managing EWR airspace). This resolution directly affects EWR passengers (nearly 50 million annually), airport operations, and regional economic activity, emphasizing the urgent need for federal intervention before a long-term FAA system upgrade becomes operational.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4312) changes how New Jersey allocates state funds to school districts for providing auxiliary and remedial services (like speech correction and academic support) to students attending nonpublic schools. It requires districts to calculate aid based on fixed rates per service type: $990.73 for initial evaluations, $297.06 for annual reviews, and $786.70 for speech correction, plus $752.41 for supplementary instruction. Districts receive 10% of the estimated annual cost on September 1st and monthly thereafter, must refund unspent funds by December 1st, and can request additional aid if needed. The bill directly affects school districts, nonpublic schools, and their students by standardizing funding calculations and payment schedules.