July 2024 Legislative Update

I was proud to vote on the annual state budget, a direct investment into our communities, our families, our seniors, and our public schools, along with continued action to reduce property taxes and maintain a budget surplus.

I’m also pleased to announce that the budget included specific resolutions which will greatly help the 27th District including some of our communities most in need.

Highlights include:

• $250,000 for the Jewish Housing Corporation, supporting housing and assisted living programs for seniors of all faiths and backgrounds in West Orange, Whippany, and South Orange/Maplewood
• $500,000 for Lifetown, providing recreation, education, and therapeutic play for individuals with special abilities
• $1.5 Million for the Township of Livingston Baseball Fields enhancements
• $1.025 Million for The CARE Center of New Jersey/ Food for HOPE, supporting mental health and meeting basic needs like food insecurity, clothing shelter, and transportation.

I’m thrilled to have prime sponsored Bills A1669 and A1677 which were signed into law by Governor Murphy. A1669 removes unnecessary obstacles to teacher certification for certain teachers. A1677 authorizes the use of competitive contracting and extended terms for lease and purchase contracts for electric school buses and permits New Jersey School Boards Association to serve as government aggregator to obtain electric school buses. This bill will help New Jersey on its path to greener, cleaner energy.

I was also proud to be a sponsor on the following bills which passed the General Assembly:

• Bill A1675, for which I was a prime sponsor, helps our educators by extending membership in Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund to seven years after discontinuance of service and to 25 years for those who were laid off or had 10 or more years of continuous service upon voluntary termination.
• Bill A3416, a bill I co-sponsored, provides gross income tax deduction to eligible educators and paraprofessionals for the expense of classroom supplies. Let’s help our teachers who often spend out of their own pockets to provide our students with learning materials.

Additionally, Bill A4307, a bill I co-sponsored which establishes exemption from State residency requirement for certain public school teachers for two years, passed out of Education Committee. This bill will help address New Jersey’s teacher shortage.

I look forward to continuing working to support our teachers and students and keep the Garden State a leader in public education.

The first half of the year is complete and with that we voted on more than 100 bills, approved the 2025 budget, and passed my very first bill out of the Assembly. My family was with me as we passed Bill A4048, which requires the upcoming Educational Adequacy Report to include a comprehensive review of certain components of school funding in consultation with a diverse group of stakeholders, including school administrators, staff, students, parents, and other community members, to identify the necessary school resources and student supports that are not adequately funded through the State school funding formula. I hope this is a step toward a fairer funding formula for all schools.

Last month we also took a step forward in combatting residential burglaries, as the Home Security Systems Anti-Burglary Task Force Bill passed the General Assembly. Under the bill, which I prime sponsored, the purpose of the task force is to study and make recommendations for manufacturers and installers concerning home security systems, including but not limited to keyless entry, camera, and alarm systems, meant to prevent residential burglaries.

One year ago, as a Livingston Councilwoman, I brought forth the “Book Choice Freedom Proclamation,” a resolution affirming the township’s support of the Livingston Public Library and the freedom of all readers to select their own material.

Last month I was proud to sponsor and vote YES to progress the”Freedom to Read Act” (Bill A3446) out of the Education Committee and on to pass the Assembly.

This bill protects the rights of students, parents, and communities to have free access to developmentally appropriate books and learning materials at their schools and public libraries. It also protects school library media specialists and librarians from harassment. After listening to more than five hours of testimony from advocates on both sides including the students who are directly affected, I voted to stand with the students in their request to be afforded the freedom to read.

Last month I was proud to join my colleagues Assemblywoman Garnet Hall and Assemblyman Atkins to introduce The Cancer Patient Care and Compassion Act. Bill A4483 would provide essential protections for Stage III, Stage IV, or terminal cancer patients. It mandates comprehensive health insurance coverage for treatments and survivorship care, prohibits mortgage lenders and creditors from pursuing foreclosure or debt collection during treatment, and allows for eviction stays and job reinstatement after medical leave. This bill ensures that patients can focus on recovery without the added stress of financial and housing instability.

I am proud to be a Prime Sponsor on the New Jersey Clean Energy Act of 2024, a state-leading effort that aims to establish 100 percent clean electricity standard by 2045, with interim goals set for 2030. The goals of the bill include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, supporting the development of new, zero-carbon generation technologies, and helping the state transition to a clean and renewable energy economy. Let’s make New Jersey a continued leader in the fight against climate change and for a more sustainable future.