Sen. Holly Schepisi

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 1960 makes it a crime for anyone to knowingly or willfully file a false report of child abuse or neglect under existing law. A person convicted faces a third-degree crime penalty (up to 5 years in prison or a $15,000 fine), plus an additional $10,000 civil penalty payable to the state Treasury for the Department of Children and Families. The bill directly affects individuals who make false reports, not victims or child welfare workers. Key provisions establish criminal and civil penalties for false reporting, aiming to deter misuse of child abuse reporting systems. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to appropriate at least $10 million annually from the state General Fund to the Department of Health for Public Health Priority Funding, starting July 1 after the bill takes effect. It directly affects local health departments by restoring a dedicated, unrestricted state funding source they previously relied on (before it was eliminated in 2011), which previously covered about 15% of their total funding. The bill reinstates the "Public Health Priority Funding Act of 1977," allowing local health departments to use these funds flexibly to address community health needs, emerging threats, and other priorities - unlike current funding, which is often restricted to specific purposes like vaccines. This policy change would shift funding away from reliance on property taxes and narrowly designated federal/state grants.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1972) lowers the required age for routine mammogram coverage from 40 to 35 for most women under New Jersey insurance plans. It requires all group and individual health insurance contracts (including hospital service, medical service, and health service corporation plans) to cover one baseline mammogram at age 35, followed by annual mammograms for women aged 35 and older. Women under 35 with family history or other breast cancer risk factors continue to receive coverage as deemed medically necessary by their provider. The law also maintains existing coverage for additional tests like ultrasounds or MRIs when medically indicated due to dense breast tissue or other risk factors. This change directly affects insurers and policyholders by expanding access to preventive breast cancer screening earlier.

Maddy summaryS 1392 allocates $1 million from New Jersey's Property Tax Relief Fund to fund a school-based mentoring pilot program in 14 specific Bergen County school districts. The money will cover administrator salaries, program costs, and stipends for staff and mentors in participating schools. Funds will be distributed by the Commissioner of Education through a competitive application process. After the pilot concludes, the Commissioner must submit a report to the Governor and Legislature evaluating the program's effectiveness and whether it should expand statewide.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill allows the Secretary of Higher Education to appoint an antisemitism monitor at any public or private institution of higher education in the state. The monitor reviews campus policies on antisemitism, establishes anonymous reporting procedures for incidents, and issues quarterly reports with recommendations to improve safety for Jewish students and staff. Institutions must implement the monitor's recommendations, and failure to comply could result in reduced state funding or loss of student financial aid eligibility. The bill defines antisemitism using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's 2016 working definition.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 1986 prohibits electric utilities from passing certain costs related to offshore wind projects to ratepayers (customers). The bill specifically blocks utilities from recovering development expenses - such as site preparation or construction costs - through customer electricity bills. This directly affects ratepayers by preventing potential rate increases tied to offshore wind project financing. The key mechanism is amending existing law to exclude these costs from "basic generation service transition costs" that utilities could otherwise recover via rate adjustments. The policy change aims to shield customers from bearing direct financial burdens of offshore wind infrastructure development.

Maddy summaryS 1988 requires independent expenditure committees (groups spending money to influence elections without coordinating with candidates) to report campaign contributions and expenditures over $200 more frequently and with greater detail. Specifically, committees must file reports within 72 hours for transactions 13-8 days before an election and within 24 hours for the final week, disclosing the contributor's name, address, occupation, and employer, or recipient's details and purpose of spending. This bill directly affects these committees by tightening disclosure timelines and expanding required information beyond current standards. The changes aim to increase transparency around election spending, particularly during critical pre-election periods. (Bill S 1988, "Requires enhanced reporting of campaign contributions and expenditures by independent expenditure committees.")

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an independent Office of Inspector General specifically for New Jersey's veterans' facilities, including state-run nursing homes and long-term care facilities serving veterans. The inspector general - appointed by the governor with Senate approval - will investigate complaints about care quality, conduct facility inspections, and subpoena witnesses or documents to ensure safety and standards. The office must operate independently from the Department of Law and Public Safety and can refer criminal matters to prosecutors. It directly affects veterans receiving care in these facilities, as well as facility staff and administrators through enhanced oversight.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 1987 requires the Commission on Human Trafficking to develop a report addressing human trafficking risks during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted in part by the state. The commission must evaluate existing laws, assess assistance programs, and recommend actions like public awareness campaigns, additional hotlines, and law enforcement directives to prevent trafficking during the event. The report must include specific steps such as creating public awareness signs with trafficking hotlines (to be displayed alongside existing signs) and issuing public service announcements for soccer fans. The commission must submit the report to the Governor and Legislature within 180 days of the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the maximum percentage of a municipality's affordable housing obligation that can be met with age-restricted units (housing for older residents) from 25% to 50%. It directly affects New Jersey municipalities required to provide affordable housing under state law. The key provision reverses a previous regulation that reduced the allowable percentage to 25%, restoring the prior 50% cap. The change takes effect immediately upon enactment.