Sen. Gordon Johnson

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's property tax law to explicitly remove tax exemption status for housing provided to school faculty. Currently, faculty housing is excluded from exemption under existing law, but this bill clarifies and strengthens that exclusion by removing it from the list of exempt properties. It would require schools to pay property tax on faculty housing units, directly affecting faculty members living in school-provided housing. The change applies to all schools and colleges covered by the tax exemption rules in R.S.54:4-3.6.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that civilian public safety directors (non-sworn staff leading police departments) cannot exercise police powers. It directly affects municipal, county, and state police departments where civilian directors are appointed. Key provisions explicitly prohibit these directors from performing police duties like making arrests, operating police vehicles, wearing uniforms, accessing criminal records, directing investigations, or carrying firearms. The law ensures only sworn law enforcement officers can perform these specific duties, while allowing civilian directors to manage administrative operations under police oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 779, would extend full NJ FamilyCare health coverage to pregnant undocumented immigrants and their children under age one. It specifically provides pregnant individuals with coverage through 60 days after delivery and ensures their dependent children receive coverage until age one, addressing a gap where undocumented people currently only qualify for emergency medical care under existing law. The coverage would be implemented using federal funds if available (with the state covering costs if federal funding isn’t approved), and only to the extent permitted by federal law. The bill defines "undocumented immigrant" as someone unable to verify legal status or lawful presence in the U.S.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 755 requires the Department of Corrections (DOC) to produce an annual report to the Governor and Legislature detailing specific operational and inmate-related data for all state correctional facilities. The report must include facility occupancy rates, use-of-force incidents (with injury details), recidivism rates broken down by release type, reentry services provided (such as driver's licenses or birth certificates), mental health treatment statistics, staff training demographics, and commutation credit status. This data collection aims to increase transparency about prison conditions and services without including personally identifiable inmate information. The bill directly affects DOC operations and oversight of New Jersey's correctional system.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 313) makes property tax exemptions for 100% disabled veterans retroactive to the date they were declared disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It directly affects veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities (like paraplegia, blindness, or amputations) who previously paid property taxes on their homes. The key provision requires the state to reimburse municipalities for property taxes paid by these veterans during the retroactive period. This changes the existing law (P.L.1948, c.259) to ensure veterans receive refunds for past taxes, rather than only future exemptions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health club subscription providers selling services online to offer an easy, direct way for consumers to cancel automatic renewals. Specifically, it mandates that providers include a prominent, accessible link or button on their website (in user accounts or settings) or a simple email option for cancellation. The law applies to online health club subscriptions in New Jersey, directly affecting consumers who sign up for these services digitally. It updates existing contract rules to include these online cancellation methods alongside traditional written or phone cancellations. The key change is making it as simple to end a subscription online as it is to sign up.

Maddy summaryS 766 would have permitted New Jersey school districts affected by natural disasters to issue bonds for facility repairs without voter approval, provided costs were eligible for FEMA reimbursement. It applied to districts without elected school boards (Type II) or under state intervention, requiring two-thirds board approval and Commissioner of Education review. The bill mandated detailed cost estimates, FEMA reimbursement documentation, and compliance with state emergency declarations. However, it was introduced in the Senate on January 9, 2024, and withdrawn the same day without further action.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to expand eligibility for accidental disability benefits. It allows state employees who worked at a psychiatric institution or correctional facility immediately before joining PERS to apply for benefits if they sustained a work-related injury after January 2003 - even if the injury occurred before they became a PERS member. The key change deems such injuries as happening during membership, making the employee eligible for the benefit. This adjustment specifically applies to injuries from duties at these facilities, without altering the requirement that injuries must be work-related and reported within five years (with exceptions for delayed symptoms).

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Transportation (DOT) to inspect all traffic signs on state highways at least once yearly to ensure they are maintained, legible, and visible. The DOT must document each inspection and submit an annual report to the legislature. It also mandates a public awareness campaign to inform residents about how to report missing, damaged, or unreadable signs via the DOT. The law directly affects the DOT's operations and empowers the public to help maintain road safety signage.

Maddy summaryS 771 requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and South Jersey Transportation Authority to install at least one hydrogen refueling station at every service area on their respective toll roads (Turnpike/Garden State Parkway and Atlantic City Expressway) within two years of the bill's effective date. The bill directs these authorities to recover installation and operational costs from motorists using the stations, based on their usage. It specifically targets hydrogen fuel cell vehicles - which produce only water vapor and refuel similarly to gasoline vehicles - by creating refueling infrastructure at toll road service areas. The law applies directly to the two transportation authorities and future users of hydrogen-powered vehicles traveling these routes.