Sen. Holly Schepisi

Maddy summaryThis bill extends membership in New Jersey's Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) for public school teachers who leave their positions. It changes the time limit for maintaining membership from two years to four years after discontinuing service for most teachers. For teachers who were laid off or voluntarily left after 10+ years of continuous service, membership is extended to 20 years. This allows affected teachers more time to return to teaching or access pension benefits without losing their membership status. The change directly impacts current and former public school teachers in New Jersey who transition out of teaching roles.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens New Jersey's Crime Victim's Bill of Rights by explicitly prohibiting defendants from entering a crime victim's home at any point during the criminal justice process - including for investigations or discovery. The only exception allows a court to permit a defendant to inspect a crime scene that is the victim's home if the defendant makes a legitimate request with a reasonable basis for the inspection, and the court imposes strict time, place, and manner restrictions to protect the victim's privacy. This directly affects crime victims in New Jersey by adding a clear safeguard against defendants accessing their homes, which was not explicitly covered under prior law. The change does not alter other existing victim rights but specifically addresses home privacy concerns during criminal proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 1976) prohibits hospitals from charging patients for medical transport between hospitals when no alternative transport options (like private vehicles) are clinically appropriate for the patient's condition. It directly affects patients requiring such transport who have no other safe or medically suitable choices. Hospitals may still bill health insurance plans for these services, and the bill does not apply to nonvolunteer ambulance services responding to 911 calls for transport to the nearest appropriate hospital. The law would take effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey school buildings (with two or more rooms, or single-room schools above the first floor) to keep exterior exit doors locked from the outside access side at all times but unlocked on the inside exit side for safe evacuation. During emergencies like fire alarms, school staff must manually unlock exterior doors or use automatic systems to allow outside access. Schools must also conduct monthly security drills (with police presence at least once yearly) and fire drills using fire escapes where available. The law directly affects all New Jersey public schools and aims to balance security with rapid emergency egress.

Maddy summaryS 1973 exempts local utilities - including sewerage authorities, municipal utilities, and other local government entities providing electricity, gas, sewer, or water services - from certain reporting requirements under New Jersey law. Specifically, it removes "local utility" from the list of entities required to submit detailed pandemic-impact reports to the Board of Public Utilities. The bill amends existing law to exclude these local entities from submitting quarterly reports on customer disconnections, arrears, assistance programs, and financial impacts related to the coronavirus pandemic. This change directly affects local utility providers not regulated by the Board of Public Utilities, reducing their administrative reporting burden.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey residents to deduct the full amount of state property taxes paid on their primary home from their state income tax bill, removing a previous $15,000 annual cap. It applies to homeowners and renters of residential properties, with income-based limits: taxpayers earning over $150,000 but under $250,000 face a $5,000 deduction limit, while higher earners ($250,000+) are ineligible unless they qualify as elderly or disabled. The deduction covers property taxes paid during the calendar year and aligns with existing tax code provisions for primary residences. The bill amends New Jersey's Gross Income Tax Act to implement this change, effective for the 2026 tax year.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates New Jersey's Transfer Inheritance Tax for estates of decedents dying on or after July 1, 2021. It repeals all remaining tax provisions (sections R.S.54:33-1 through R.S.54:37-8 and related amendments) that imposed taxes on beneficiaries receiving assets from New Jersey residents or certain New Jersey assets from nonresidents. The tax, which had exempted transfers to spouses, ancestors, and descendants but taxed "lateral" transfers (like to siblings) at up to 16%, is fully removed. This change ends New Jersey’s status as one of only six states with an inheritance tax, affecting all beneficiaries of estates meeting the effective date criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all vehicles used to transport children to and from licensed child care centers (excluding private passenger cars) to have an approved alarm system that prompts drivers to check for children before exiting. It directly affects child care centers and their transportation providers by mandating this safety feature to prevent children from being left unattended in vehicles. The Department of Children and Families must establish safety standards for these alarms and approve compliant systems, working with the Motor Vehicle Commission. The requirement takes effect six months after the bill is enacted.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's unemployment insurance law (R.S.43:21-19) by revising definitions related to benefit calculations, not employment classification. It updates how "base years" are determined for unemployment claims, including rules for alternative base years when standard criteria aren't met (e.g., due to disability or military service), and clarifies payroll calculations for determining benefit eligibility. The changes directly affect individuals filing for unemployment benefits and the Division of Unemployment and Temporary Disability Insurance in processing claims. The bill focuses on procedural adjustments to benefit eligibility rules, not worker classification as suggested by its title.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to reimburse volunteer firefighters for cancer screenings not covered by their insurance. It mandates coverage for 11 specific cancer types (including colon, lung, breast, and prostate) starting five years after beginning service, then every three years thereafter. The state will cover up to $1,250 per three-year period (adjusted for inflation), with no out-of-pocket costs for firefighters. Volunteer firefighting status is treated as a pre-existing condition for coverage, and annual state funding must be appropriated to support reimbursements.