Sen. Kristin Corrado

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Senate Bill S3679 establishes a one-year pilot program to test lockable cell phone pouches in public schools for students in grades 6-12. The bill appropriates $500,000 to fund the program, requiring participating school districts to submit applications detailing school counts, student enrollment, and emergency notification plans. The Commissioner of Education will select two districts per geographic region (north, central, south) to participate, ensuring representation across urban, suburban, and rural areas. After the pilot concludes, the commissioner must submit a report within 120 days evaluating the program's impact on student academic performance and mental health, including recommendations for future use.

Maddy summaryS 3678 establishes a $2 million grant program for New Jersey public schools to promote limited student use of cell phones and social media during school hours and school events. The program requires the Department of Education to develop best practices covering age-appropriate policies, emergency exceptions, accommodations for students with disabilities, device storage options, and network restrictions. Participating schools must submit annual reports tracking how grant funds reduce distractions and impact academic performance, behavior, and well-being, with the Department later evaluating the program's effectiveness against non-participating schools. The bill directly affects public schools seeking grant funding to implement device-use policies, without mandating specific practices as a condition of receiving funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public colleges and universities to provide an alternative scholarship to student-athletes who lose their athletic scholarship due to an injury or illness that makes them medically ineligible to compete. Specifically, if a school rescinds or fails to renew an athletic scholarship because of an "incapacitating injury or illness" (defined as one directly related to athletics and confirmed by the school's medical staff), the institution must offer a replacement scholarship equal in value for the remainder of the student's undergraduate degree program or up to five years total (including the original scholarship period), whichever is shorter. It directly affects student-athletes at public New Jersey institutions who become unable to compete due to athletic-related injuries. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3674 designates the "9/11 Heart Symbol" flag - a white banner with a red heart displaying "9-11-01 Never Forgotten" and twin tower imagery - as an official state flag for remembrance. It directly affects all public buildings in the state that honor 9/11 victims, including state memorials, the State House in Trenton, and main municipal and county buildings. The bill mandates that this flag be displayed during normal business hours on September 11th each year at these locations. The measure focuses solely on ceremonial recognition of the 9/11 attacks, with no additional policy changes or funding requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an annual two-month sales tax holiday in New Jersey for personal, non-business purchases of specific school-related items. During the exemption period (August 1-September 30), residents buying computers under $3,000, school computer supplies under $1,000, and designated school supplies (like pens, notebooks, art materials), school art supplies (paints, clay), and instructional materials (textbooks, reference books) will pay no state sales tax. The tax break directly affects individual shoppers preparing for the school year, excluding business purchases. It creates a temporary policy change without requiring new forms or rebates, aligning with similar programs in 19 states.

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates an annual sales tax holiday in New Jersey for specific school and recreational items purchased by individuals for personal use. It exempts from sales tax during a defined 10-day period (starting 9 days before the first Monday in September through that Monday) the following: computers under $3,000, school computer supplies under $1,000, school supplies, art supplies, instructional materials, and sport/recreation equipment. The exemption applies only to retail sales to individuals for non-business purposes during this annual window. The bill takes effect immediately and applies to sales made during exemption periods at least 30 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution establishes a task force to review all existing curriculum rules for New Jersey's K-12 schools. The task force, made up of two Senate members (from different parties) and six education experts, will evaluate how current mandates affect teaching, school budgets, and student learning. It will gather input from teachers, parents, and students before making recommendations. The task force must submit its final report to the Senate within one year of the resolution's adoption.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) and South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) to display the exact toll amount paid by E-ZPass users on electronic displays at every toll plaza lane using electronic toll collection. It applies to all E-ZPass transactions on the NJ Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and Atlantic City Expressway, except at high-speed gantry toll plazas. The law mandates visible real-time display of the toll amount paid, rather than just the standard toll rate. This change directly affects drivers using E-ZPass who pass through toll plazas, providing immediate transparency about their specific payment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJR 130) is a symbolic resolution designating April 27th of each year as "Ulysses S. Grant Day" in New Jersey. It requests the governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public observance of the day. The resolution does not create new laws, alter policies, or affect specific groups or programs. It solely commemorates Ulysses S. Grant's historical ties to New Jersey, including his family's residence in Burlington and his summer vacations in Long Branch.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school boards to adopt policies governing student cell phone and social media use during school hours, on buses, and at school events. The policies must include age-appropriate restrictions, accommodate students with disabilities (per IEPs), allow phone use in emergencies or for health reasons (with documentation), and permit educational use with teacher permission. Schools must also implement network-based restrictions blocking social media access on all school-owned devices and networks. The state education commissioner will develop guidelines to help schools create these policies, covering storage options, communication protocols, and disciplinary procedures.