Maddy summaryS 773 allows New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to postpone a school district's annual comprehensive review under the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC) for one year if a school building is damaged, destroyed, or lost due to a disaster or hazardous weather event. This directly affects school districts impacted by such events, giving them temporary relief from the standard accountability review process. To request a postponement, a school district's board of education must pass a resolution directing the superintendent to apply, and the Commissioner must decide within 15 business days. The bill does not change the NJQSAC's overall purpose, which is to monitor school district performance, but provides a one-year delay for disaster-affected districts. The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 9, 2024.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill changes the qualifying date range for existing low/moderate income housing units that municipalities can count toward their housing obligation. Specifically, it expands the eligible construction/rehabilitation period from April 1, 1980, to December 15, 1986, to include units built or rehabilitated between January 1, 1948, and December 15, 1986. To qualify for credit, municipalities must verify unit occupancy, income eligibility, structural compliance, and affordability through specific certification processes. The bill maintains the existing 1,000-unit cap for municipalities' housing requirements over a 10-year period.
Maddy summaryThis bill re-establishes New Jersey's Arthritis Quality of Life Initiative and an Advisory Council on Arthritis within the Department of Human Services. It requires the department to create two regional arthritis centers (one northern, one southern), develop public education materials about arthritis prevention and treatment, and establish a phone-based referral system connecting people with arthritis to healthcare providers and support services. The initiative directly affects New Jersey residents with arthritis - approximately 1.6 million people in the state - who will gain access to improved resources and information. Key provisions include public awareness campaigns, professional training for healthcare providers, and outcome-based research to enhance arthritis care and reduce related healthcare costs.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires every New Jersey county to install at least one drive-up ballot drop box accessible 24/7, with security cameras and ADA-compliant access. It mandates specific locations for all ballot drop boxes, including county government buildings, municipalities over 5,000 residents, and large colleges/universities, while ensuring at least one box serves areas with lower median incomes. The bill also prohibits boxes within 100 feet of police station entrances (unless pre-approved), bans political materials near boxes, and requires county boards to establish a minimum of 10 secure drop locations per county. These changes directly affect all New Jersey voters who use mail-in ballots, ensuring accessible and secure drop-off options statewide.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2164) changes liability rules for residential landlords operating through LLCs or corporations. It allows courts to hold individual members, managers, directors, or officers personally responsible for unpaid housing, building, or health code violations - like fines or penalties - when a property has at least three unpaid charges after 13 months. To trigger this, proper notice must be sent to all relevant parties (including owners and lienholders), and the individual must own at least 10% of the LLC. The bill directly affects landlords using corporate structures, making key individuals personally accountable for repeated code violations on residential properties.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new licensing system for home improvement and home elevation contractors in New Jersey. It establishes a State Board to oversee licensing, requiring contractors to be licensed for work valued at $120,000 or more (or involving complex plans), and defines "home elevation" as raising entire residential structures. The law directly affects contractors performing these services, setting standards for licensing, board composition, and enforcement, while excluding unlicensed individuals, employees, and those doing work without compensation.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2128) exempts local utilities from specific reporting requirements related to pandemic impacts. It removes the obligation for entities like municipal sewer, water, or utility authorities (defined as "local utilities") to submit detailed quarterly reports on customer disconnections, arrears, assistance programs, and financial data. The exemption applies to the reporting rules established in P.L.2022, c.107, which previously required these reports during the pandemic response period. This change directly affects local utilities that provide essential services but are not regulated by the Board of Public Utilities. The bill does not alter utility rates or customer service requirements, only the administrative reporting burden.
Maddy summaryS 668 increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for two specific behavioral health services for adults aged 21+ with severe mental illness or substance use disorders. It raises reimbursement for "partial care" (minimum 20 hours/week) and "intensive outpatient" (minimum 9 hours/week) services by 35%, covering related services like counseling and evaluations. The bill also sets a minimum $10 reimbursement for each one-way Medicaid-covered transportation trip to these providers. These changes apply to all licensed outpatient facilities providing these services to eligible Medicaid beneficiaries starting on the bill's effective date.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits creating or using false or secret compartments in vehicles to conceal contraband like drugs, weapons, or people. It makes possessing such a compartment (for unlawful purposes) a third-degree crime (up to 5 years in prison), while designing or building one is a second-degree crime (5-10 years). Vehicles containing these compartments and their contents can be seized and forfeited by law enforcement. The law defines "false compartments" broadly - including modified fuel tanks or added spaces - and states that even inoperable compartments or known locations don’t excuse the crime.
Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $70 million in federal pandemic relief funds to New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (EDA) to support arts and culture organizations negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The EDA will award $50 million in grants for general financial recovery (including $10 million specifically for arts education programs in schools and after-school settings) and $20 million for placemaking projects that beautify public spaces like sidewalks and parks with art installations. Qualifying groups include both for-profit and nonprofit arts organizations that experienced pandemic-related revenue losses. The funds come directly from New Jersey's allocation of federal "Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund" money under the American Rescue Plan Act.