Sen. Holly Schepisi

Maddy summaryS 2535 establishes a new minimum Medicaid reimbursement rate for structured day program services provided to Medicaid beneficiaries with brain injuries. The bill requires that these services be reimbursed at the average rate of $9.09 per 15 minutes (currently $3.65), aligning with reimbursement rates for similar services under the Division of Developmental Disabilities. This change directly affects approved brain injury service providers who deliver structured day programs to Medicaid beneficiaries. The policy applies to services provided on or after the bill's effective date, ensuring consistent reimbursement for brain injury care.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $12 million from the state General Fund to the Village of Ridgewood for drinking water infrastructure upgrades specifically addressing PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) contamination. The funds directly benefit over 60,000 residents in Ridgewood, Midland Park, Glen Rock, and Wyckoff who rely on the Ridgewood Water system. The key provision provides state funding to cover the cost of required infrastructure improvements, preventing the village from needing to raise water rates for its customers. This is a direct financial allocation to address a public health concern identified in the community's water supply.

Maddy summaryS 3327 requires New Jersey's Commission on Human Trafficking to prepare a report on preventing human trafficking during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be partially hosted in the state. The report must include recommendations for public awareness campaigns (such as signs with the national trafficking hotline and public service announcements), expanding victim assistance programs, and updating law enforcement protocols to address trafficking risks. The Commission must coordinate with non-profits and submit the report to the Governor and Legislature within 180 days of the bill's enactment, while the Attorney General will issue specific guidelines for law enforcement on trafficking response during the event.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the filing deadline for New Jersey public safety workers and retirees to apply for accidental disability retirement benefits related to 9/11 World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations. It allows two years after the bill's effective date for filing a written statement about their service, with the possibility of two-year extensions, and modifies medical documentation requirements to accept evidence from medical exams performed within a reasonable time before or after entering public service. The bill applies to members of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS), State Police Retirement System (SPRS), and certain members of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) who participated in 9/11 operations for at least eight hours. It ensures individuals with health conditions resulting from 9/11 exposure can access appropriate retirement benefits without strict timeline constraints.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey volunteer firefighters, first aid squad members, and rescue squad members who meet specific service and training requirements to claim a $2,000 deduction from their state gross income tax. To qualify, volunteers must complete either 10% of rescue duty (with EMS training or EMT certification) or 60% of fire duty (with Firefighter I certification), while serving the entire tax year. The exemption applies directly to qualifying volunteers who meet these thresholds, adding to existing state tax exemptions. It does not create new benefits but provides a concrete tax deduction for eligible volunteers.

Maddy summaryThis bill excludes environmentally sensitive and flood-prone land from being counted as available for affordable housing construction under New Jersey's fair share housing law. Specifically, it requires municipalities to exclude lands regulated by state or federal agencies - including those in Highlands Preservation Areas, flood hazard zones under the Flood Hazard Area Control Act (P.L.1962, c.19), and wetlands protected by the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act (P.L.1987, c.156) - from calculations of "vacant" land. Municipalities must now exclude these areas when determining their affordable housing obligations, preventing such lands from being used to meet housing requirements. The change updates existing law to explicitly include these regulated lands in the exclusion list.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey Transit's Access Link paratransit service to include all U.S. Veterans Health Administration facilities in the state. It requires NJ Transit to provide origin-to-destination service to these facilities regardless of location, creating a 1.5-mile service radius around each facility and a 1.5-mile-wide corridor along the most direct route connecting each facility to the nearest NJ Transit bus or rail stop. The bill appropriates $1 million from the state General Fund to cover implementation costs for NJ Transit. This change directly affects veterans using VA healthcare facilities by improving their access to paratransit service.

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 summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey ratepayers from being charged upfront for subsidies related to offshore wind projects. It specifically bans electric utilities from collecting OREC surcharges or other fees meant to recover these costs before the projects generate revenue. Currently, utilities collect these surcharges from customers in advance and later refund them based on revenue from selling offshore wind renewable energy certificates (ORECs). The bill would require that subsidies be funded only after offshore wind projects generate electricity and revenue, shifting financial risk from ratepayers to project developers. This directly affects all residential and commercial electricity customers in New Jersey who pay utility bills.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores state school aid for certain New Jersey school districts that faced funding reductions in the 2023-2024 school year and would face further cuts in 2024-2025. It shifts $64.9 million from existing appropriations and adds $145.2 million in new funding from the General Fund, totaling $210.1 million to cover the difference between prior aid levels and proposed 2024-2025 amounts. The funding specifically targets districts that received Supplemental Stabilization Aid under prior law (P.L.2023, c.32) or have a positive "State aid differential" under P.L.2018, c.67. This ensures affected districts receive aid equal to their 2023-2024 funding level, preventing further reductions.