Asm. Margie Donlon

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5376) creates two new state entities: the Health Care Cost Containment and Price Transparency Commission (18 members) and the Office of Healthcare Affordability and Transparency within the Department of Health. It requires hospitals to publicly disclose pricing data for inpatient, outpatient, emergency, and physician services (using standard billing codes) and sets annual benchmarks for health care cost growth and hospital prices. Health care entities exceeding these benchmarks must submit improvement plans, and hospitals failing to comply with transparency rules face civil penalties of $10 per bed per day. The bill directly affects all hospitals, health care providers, and payers in New Jersey, with $5 million appropriated for implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits anyone developing or deploying an artificial intelligence system in New Jersey from advertising or claiming the system can act as a licensed mental health professional. It directly affects AI developers and businesses using AI in mental health contexts within the state. Violations would be treated as consumer fraud under existing law, potentially resulting in fines up to $20,000 per offense and enforcement actions by the Attorney General. The law aims to prevent misleading public claims about AI's capabilities in mental health care.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires hospitals, birthing centers, and healthcare providers in New Jersey to screen pregnant individuals and those who have given birth within six weeks for preeclampsia when symptoms are present. Providers must use screening tools based on industry best practices, provide information on preeclampsia symptoms, and obtain written consent or refusal using a standardized form. The Commissioner of Health must develop an educational program about preeclampsia and its warning signs, and providers must create a treatment plan if a screening result is positive. The bill directly affects pregnant people and postpartum individuals in New Jersey who show symptoms of preeclampsia.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires members of New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to meet specific experience and training standards. At least two members must have three years of professional experience in energy policy, infrastructure, or utility regulation, while at least one must have three years in consumer advocacy or ratepayer representation. All members must complete 12 hours of annual training on topics like energy market trends, grid modernization, and renewable energy policies from accredited sources. The bill also mandates that appointments consider geographic diversity across urban, suburban, and rural areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey hospitals with inpatient maternity services and licensed birthing centers to provide lactation counseling to people who have given birth before their discharge. Specifically, facilities must offer either an in-person one-on-one consultation with a certified lactation specialist or a remote consultation via live voice if requested. The counseling must include breastfeeding education, support, care planning, instruction on breastfeeding techniques, recommendations for assistive devices, and health benefit information. The bill ensures lactation specialists cannot be reassigned to non-lactation duties during their shifts and defines "lactation consultant" and "lactation counselor" by specific certification standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires owners and operators of rooming and boarding houses to follow local zoning, fire, health, and building regulations - previously exempt from such oversight. It specifically adds a requirement for cooperative sober living residences to submit written approvals from local authorities (zoning, fire, health, and building) when applying for a state Class F license. The bill amends existing law to explicitly subject these facilities to municipal land use regulations, removing an exemption that previously prevented such oversight. These changes directly affect property owners and operators of these housing types in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryAJR 62 designates the first week of May each year as "Children's Mental Health Awareness Week" in New Jersey. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and residents to observe the week with activities promoting awareness of children's mental health. It aims to reduce stigma and improve access to treatment for children with mental health disorders, as highlighted in the bill's rationale about their vulnerability to school suspensions, substance use, and justice system involvement. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic annual observance.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill A4753 requires hospitals and birthing facilities to show new parents (and any adult family members present at birth) a water safety video before discharge. The video covers drowning risks in bathtubs and pools, importance of swimming instruction, life jacket use, and pool safety features like fences. Facilities must incorporate this video into standard discharge procedures, with the Department of Health creating and distributing the video via its website or electronic means. This applies to all licensed birthing facilities providing newborn care in the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows parents or guardians to file a guardianship complaint for a minor up to six months before the minor turns 18, establishing a clear timeframe for these filings. It ensures any guardianship order only takes effect on the minor's 18th birthday to prevent gaps in legal protection during the transition to adulthood. The bill also specifies that guardianship complaints cannot be withdrawn without evidence the minor has capacity or has died. This change aims to streamline the process for minors who will need guardianship upon reaching adulthood.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Transportation (DOT) to add specific details to its annual pavement condition report, including the number of pothole repair projects, their costs, allocated resources, and estimated timeframes for all maintenance work. It also mandates a lifecycle cost analysis of pavement surfaces, factoring in user expenses like vehicle damage claims from potholes and associated repair costs recorded by the Division of Risk Management. Both the updated annual report and the lifecycle analysis must be published online for public access. The changes aim to increase transparency about road maintenance efforts and costs without altering current repair practices.