Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey counties to establish crisis intervention services programs providing mental health support for law enforcement officers, firefighters, and sheriff's officers following critical incidents. The programs must offer up to 12 counseling sessions (with up to 24 additional sessions possible within a year) for eligible personnel, including volunteer firefighters and 9-1-1 dispatchers, while prohibiting employers from requiring employees to use accrued leave for counseling sessions. The bill expands the definition of "critical incidents" to include witnessing death or maiming, dangerous child crime investigations, and life-threatening rescue situations, and requires counties to compile data on program usage with the state reimbursing counties for program costs.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1 million from the Property Tax Relief Fund to the New Jersey Department of Education to fund the Pantoliano-DePass School-Based Mentoring Pilot Program in 14 specific Bergen County school districts. The funds may cover administrator salaries, program administrative costs, and stipends for staff and mentors within those districts. Each district's allocation will be determined by the Commissioner of Education through a competitive application process. At the program's conclusion, the Commissioner must submit a report to the Governor and Legislature evaluating implementation and recommending whether to expand the program statewide.
Maddy summarySJR 112 establishes a 15-member task force to address the under-reporting and lack of attention to missing and murdered Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) women and girls in New Jersey. The task force, including state agency leaders and community representatives, will develop culturally competent first responder training, create prevention education materials for BIPOC communities, and recommend strategies for collecting and sharing data on these cases. It will also identify high-risk locations and design a statewide public awareness campaign. The task force must submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within 18 months of its formation.
Maddy summaryS 3175 removes the requirement that public work contractors must participate in a registered apprenticeship program to bid on or perform construction projects covered by New Jersey's prevailing wage laws. The bill repeals a previous provision (P.L.2021, c.423, section 6) that mandated this participation. Instead, it establishes standards for apprenticeship programs that contractors may choose to use, requiring that any such program's training requirements meet or exceed U.S. Department of Labor standards. This change directly affects contractors bidding on or working on public construction projects subject to prevailing wage requirements.
Maddy summaryS 3011 directs New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) to create a multimedia advertising campaign promoting health care careers as engaging and rewarding, with a focus on attracting candidates to high-demand fields and underrepresented racial groups. The campaign must highlight available scholarships, student loan programs, and financial support through digital, TV, radio, and print media. The bill appropriates $1 million from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to cover the campaign costs, effective immediately.
Maddy summaryS 3060 requires all health insurance carriers in New Jersey to cover annual prostate cancer screening without out-of-pocket costs for men aged 40 to 75. This expands current law, which previously only mandated coverage for men 50+ or 40+ with risk factors, by broadening the age range and defining "prostate cancer screening" to include digital rectal exams, PSA tests, and follow-up diagnostics like imaging and biomarker tests. The bill applies to all health plans, including group policies, HMOs, individual plans, and state health benefit programs. It takes effect 90 days after enactment for all new or renewed contracts.
Maddy summaryThis bill exempts sales of materials, supplies, and services used in building or improving affordable housing projects from New Jersey's sales and use tax. It specifically applies to projects where all housing units are intended for moderate, low, or very low-income residents, as defined by state law. The exemption covers transactions with contractors or repairmen for these projects, reducing development costs for housing sponsors. This expands existing tax exemptions to include a new category of affordable housing developments.
Maddy summarySCR 97 proposes a constitutional amendment to provide a $250 annual property tax deduction for New Jersey law enforcement officers who have a permanent disability directly caused by their job. This deduction would apply to property taxes on their primary residence (including cooperative housing) and extend to surviving spouses over 65 who remain unmarried and live in the same home. The amendment requires the legislature to define "law enforcement officer" and specifies the disability need not be total, only permanent. If approved by voters, this would become a constitutional requirement for future legislation.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "New Jersey Works Dual Enrollment Option Program" to help at-risk high school students (identified by school districts as likely to drop out) and recent high school dropouts earn their diplomas. Students in the program complete high school requirements through coursework at county colleges, with credits counting toward both their diploma and a college credential, certificate, or degree. The state covers all program costs (tuition, fees), and students cannot participate in school athletics or extracurricular activities while enrolled. Upon successful completion, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development must provide job placement assistance. The program requires school districts and county colleges to create agreements outlining course credit application and funding.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1484) exempts sales tax on construction materials, supplies, and services used for specific affordable housing projects. It directly affects housing sponsors who have secured federal, state, or local subsidies for projects where all units are restricted to moderate, low, or very low-income residents (as defined by state law). The exemption applies to materials/services used in building, improving, or repairing qualifying housing, requiring sponsors to apply through state-prescribed procedures. This policy change reduces construction costs for affordable housing developers by removing a sales tax burden on essential building inputs.