Asm. Luanne Peterpaul

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "End Tesla Exception Act," repeals Section 6 of P.L.2015, c.24, which permitted Tesla and other zero-emission vehicle manufacturers to sell vehicles directly to consumers in New Jersey. It would require these manufacturers to sell through franchised dealerships rather than direct sales, aligning zero-emission vehicle sales with standard motor vehicle sales rules. The bill specifically targets the exception that currently allows direct sales by zero-emission vehicle manufacturers. This change would affect Tesla and other zero-emission vehicle manufacturers operating direct sales in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the title of New Jersey's "Chief Diversity Officer" to "Chief Equity Officer" and creates the "New Jersey Office of Supplier Diversity and Business Opportunities" within the Department of the Treasury. The new Office will support the Chief Equity Officer in monitoring state contracts awarded to "small and diverse business enterprises" (including minority-owned, women-owned, economically disadvantaged, socially disadvantaged, and disabled veterans' businesses), processing business certifications, and developing outreach programs. State agencies must submit annual procurement plans and data to the Office, which will analyze these plans and provide feedback to improve contracting with diverse businesses. The Chief Equity Officer will report directly to the State Treasurer and oversee all efforts to increase transparency and participation of diverse businesses in state procurement.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits force-feeding geese, ducks, or other poultry using tubes or apparatus to produce foie gras, except when done to improve a bird's health. It also bans selling or distributing foie gras unless the product originates from a state or jurisdiction that already prohibits force-feeding. Violations result in a written warning for first offenses, followed by $100 civil penalties for repeat violations (with each day of ongoing violation counted separately). The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryBill A4163 requires health insurers in New Jersey to cover biomarker testing for diagnosis, treatment, management, or ongoing monitoring of diseases when supported by medical evidence such as FDA approvals, drug labels, or clinical guidelines. The bill applies to all health insurance plans including individual, group, Medicaid, and health maintenance organization contracts. Insurers must provide coverage without causing unnecessary disruption (like multiple biopsies) and must make prior authorization decisions within 24 hours for urgent requests or 72 hours for non-urgent requests. This ensures patients can access precision medical testing that's clinically supported without excessive administrative barriers.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3620 requires electric and gas utilities using smart meters to establish an "Energy Bill Watch" program for smart meter customers. The program mandates utilities to notify customers when their daily usage exceeds the previous billing cycle's average (on the 10th and 20th days of each cycle), offer customizable dollar-value alerts, and include average monthly usage costs and kilowatt/therm amounts in notifications. Utilities must automatically enroll smart meter customers, provide opt-out options, advertise the program through multiple channels, and include specific billing details in all customer bills (previous cycle amount, current cycle amount, and the difference between them). This bill directly affects smart meter customers of New Jersey's electric and gas utilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's "Equitable Drug Pricing and Patient Access Act," requiring Medicaid to pay pharmacies at least the national average drug cost plus a $10.92 dispensing fee for all covered prescriptions, applying to both direct Medicaid services and managed care plans. It mandates that Medicaid managed care plans must allow patients to choose any participating pharmacy without restrictions and prohibit plans from unfairly blocking pharmacies from joining under unequal terms. The bill also requires the State Auditor to audit Medicaid drug spending flows from managed care organizations to pharmacies to identify potential state savings. These provisions address rising Medicaid prescription costs, which increased by $700 million (3.3%) from $2.1 billion in FY 2019 to $2.8 billion in FY 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the New Jersey-Haiti Commission within the Department of State to strengthen economic and cultural ties between New Jersey and Haiti. The 13-member commission (including the Secretary of State as chair and 12 appointed public members) will study historical connections, analyze data on New Jersey's Haitian-American community (which has the 4th largest Haitian population in the U.S.), and identify economic collaboration opportunities like trade and cultural exchanges. The commission must hold quarterly public hearings, conduct research, and submit annual reports with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year of its first meeting. It directly affects New Jersey's Haitian-American residents and the state's relationship with Haiti by focusing on concrete policy recommendations for economic development and partnership.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state agencies to improve public access to their rulemaking processes. It mandates that agencies publish detailed information online, including organizational descriptions, permit fees, deadlines, final decisions, and a quarterly rulemaking calendar. Agencies must now provide a 90-day public comment period for proposed rules (up from 60 days) and make all rulemaking documents accessible via websites. These changes directly affect all state agencies by increasing transparency and public engagement in regulatory decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5446) prohibits New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) from approving electric or gas utility rate increases that would raise the average residential customer's annual bill by more than 2%. It directly affects residential utility customers across New Jersey by capping annual rate hikes. The key mechanism requires the BPU to reject any proposed rate increase projected to exceed this 2% annual limit on average residential bills. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2423, now P.L.2025, c.35) formally renames New Jersey's "Juvenile Justice Commission" to "Youth Justice Commission" throughout state law. It updates all statutory references, definitions, and provisions (such as in Sections 1, 3, and 1 of related laws) to replace "Juvenile" with "Youth" while preserving all existing legal procedures and policies unchanged. The bill has no policy impact - it solely adjusts terminology to reflect the commission's focus on youth services rather than juvenile justice. The name change is now law, effective March 17, 2025.