Sen. Holly Schepisi

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 855) amends election law to clarify police presence near polling places. It specifically allows police officers to travel to, remain at, or work from a police station located within 100 feet of a polling place during election-related duties. The bill also permits Class Three special law enforcement officers (defined under existing law) to be assigned to polling places at public schools for security. These changes update prior restrictions that generally prohibited police from being within 100 feet of polling places, except for emergencies or specific election tasks. The bill directly affects election operations, police assignments, and polling place security protocols.

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 summaryThis bill reduces the tax rate for cider and low-alcohol beverages to align with beer's rate. Currently, cider (3.2%-7% alcohol) is taxed at $0.15/gallon, while beer is taxed at $0.12/gallon; the bill lowers cider's rate to $0.12/gallon. It also changes the tax for low-ABV liquors (under 9.9% alcohol) from $5.50/gallon (the liquor rate) to $0.12/gallon. These changes directly affect cider producers and manufacturers of low-alcohol drinks like certain canned cocktails. The policy shift simplifies tax classification for these products by matching the lower beer tax rate.

Maddy summaryS 995 establishes New Jersey's Household Water Assistance Program, appropriating $75 million to help low-income households afford water, sewer, and stormwater services. It directly affects households with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, those receiving specific benefits (like SNAP, SSI, or veterans' payments), or facing temporary financial hardship. The program prevents service disconnections, covers unpaid bills (arrears), provides water efficiency support, and offers debt relief. It requires coordination with existing assistance programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and mandates the Department of Community Affairs to implement the program within eight months of enactment.

Maddy summaryS 952 requires all health insurance plans in New Jersey (including hospital, medical, and health service corporation plans) to cover annual mental health screenings at no extra cost to patients. The bill mandates that mental health coverage must be provided under the same terms as physical health care - meaning insurers cannot impose stricter copays, deductibles, or limits on mental health services compared to other medical treatments. This applies to all plans issued or renewed in New Jersey after the law takes effect, covering conditions defined by current medical standards (like those in the DSM). The law builds on federal mental health parity requirements but specifically adds the annual screening mandate as a new coverage obligation.

Maddy summaryThis bill raises the maximum percentage of a municipality's affordable housing requirement that can be fulfilled using age-restricted units (like senior housing) from 25% to 50%. It directly affects New Jersey municipalities obligated to provide affordable housing under state law. The change reverses a previous rule, adopted by the Council on Affordable Housing but partially invalidated by courts, which had lowered the limit to 25%. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryS 2096 requires New Jersey public agencies to remove personal identifying information - such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and email addresses - of minors from public records. This directly protects minors and their families by preventing sensitive details from being publicly accessible. The bill mandates that any such information appearing in government documents must be redacted (removed or obscured). This change ensures minors' privacy is maintained in official records without altering existing public access to other non-sensitive information.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates an independent Office of Inspector General specifically for New Jersey's veterans' facilities, directly affecting veterans' care facilities, their residents, and staff. The office will investigate complaints about facility safety and care quality, conduct inspections, and refer criminal cases to prosecutors, operating without oversight from the Department of Law and Public Safety. Key provisions include the Governor appointing a qualified inspector general for a five-year term, the power to subpoena witnesses and documents, and requiring state agencies to cooperate with investigations. The office aims to ensure safety and quality in facilities serving veterans, defined as state-run nursing homes and long-term care facilities licensed for veterans' care.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Crime Victim's Bill of Rights (P.L.1985, c.249) to explicitly prohibit defendants from entering a crime victim's home at any point during criminal proceedings, including for investigations or discovery. It specifically adds subsection (s) to guarantee victims are "free from risk of the defendant entering the victim’s home for any purpose." The exception allows court-approved inspections of a victim's home only if the defendant shows a legitimate reason to believe the inspection will yield relevant evidence, with strict privacy protections like time, place, and manner restrictions. This update strengthens existing protections under the bill's subsections (c) and (d), which already safeguard victims from intimidation and minimize inconvenience. The change aligns with the 2014 State ex rel. A.B. court ruling that established similar safeguards.