Asm. Margie Donlon

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school districts to add water safety instruction to health education for students in grades K-12, as part of existing curriculum standards. It specifically mandates teaching students about rip tides, beach safety practices (especially for those not near coastlines), distress hand signals, and lifeguard sightline limitations. The instruction must be integrated into the standard health curriculum, affecting every public school student statewide. The requirement takes effect for the first full school year following the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Traumatic Brain Injury Fund to cover transportation costs for eligible individuals attending support group meetings. It directly affects New Jersey residents with traumatic brain injuries who rely on the fund for post-acute care when other resources are unavailable. The key change adds "transportation services to access support group meetings" to the fund's eligible uses, defining such meetings as gatherings for information, perspective, and well-being related to their injuries. The fund continues to cover medical appointments, treatment, and vocational services under existing rules, with the same $100,000 lifetime limit per person. This is a targeted expansion of existing transportation coverage, not a new program.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a $1 million pilot program through New Jersey's Office of Planning Advocacy to reimburse municipalities for specific costs related to warehouse development planning. It directly affects local governments that update zoning ordinances or conduct mitigation studies for warehouse projects, requiring them to adopt warehouse-specific zoning consistent with state guidelines. Municipalities can apply for reimbursement for expenses like reexamining master plans or studying impacts of pending warehouse sites, with priority given to those needing financial assistance most. The program expires after the Office submits a report on its effectiveness, detailing how the funds were used and whether it should become permanent.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and state developmental/psychiatric facilities in New Jersey. It requires specific ratios (such as 1 nurse for every 4 medical/surgical patients, 1 nurse for every 2 critical care patients, and 1 unlicensed personnel for every 7 daytime patients) while mandating hospitals to implement an acuity-based staffing system to ensure adequate staffing levels. Hospitals found in violation may face civil penalties that increase with repeat offenses, with penalty revenue funding a dedicated "Patient Protection and Staffing Fund" to support nursing recruitment, retention, education, and inspector staffing. The bill also requires the Commissioner of Human Services to review staffing standards in developmental centers and psychiatric hospitals to align with these new requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures children in New Jersey's NJ FamilyCare program (ages 21 and under) who transition from the child health program (EPSDT) to the long-term care program (MLTSS) automatically retain their previous weekly private duty nursing hours. It requires managed care organizations to continue nursing coverage during appeals of reduced services and extends the appeal filing window from 10 to 30 days. The bill also directs the state to review past transitions to identify beneficiaries eligible for increased nursing hours and removes the current 16-hour weekly cap on these services under MLTSS. These changes aim to prevent coverage gaps during program transitions and strengthen appeal rights for families relying on personal nursing care.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires companies, corporations, manufacturers, and contract testing facilities in New Jersey that use cats, dogs, or ferrets for product testing or research to assess these animals for adoption suitability after testing ends. If suitable, the animals must be offered to animal rescue organizations or private individuals for adoption. The bill establishes procedures for documenting assessments and dispositions, requiring facilities to register with the Department of Health and report details about animal use, suitability, and adoption outcomes. Noncompliance could result in civil penalties of $10,000 for a first offense, $50,000 for a second, and potential injunctions against conducting further animal testing for a third offense.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3531) eliminates a fee charged by New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission when a car buyer pays off their loan and needs a new title without the lienholder noted. It directly affects residents who have satisfied financing for a motor vehicle, removing a $10 fee for re-issuing the title after loan payoff. The key provision requires the Commission to issue the lien-free title without charge upon proof of final payment. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Assembly Bill A3373 establishes a state-funded campaign to recruit more lifeguards, aiming to reduce drowning deaths. The Department of Health must develop a public awareness effort using social media, radio, TV, and printed materials - including an informational pamphlet about lifeguard requirements, training, and benefits - to be distributed at beaches, schools, sports facilities, and other public venues. The bill appropriates $1 million from the state general fund to cover campaign costs. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryAJR 109 establishes a "Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizen Transportation Services Task Force" in New Jersey to study and improve transportation services for these groups. The 7-member task force includes agency commissioners (Transportation, Human Services, and Transit) and appointed advocates for disabilities and senior citizens. It must examine specific issues like mobility barriers, infrastructure coordination, independent travel training, real-time transit technology, and automated vehicle accessibility over 18 months. The task force will submit a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature before dissolving.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends New Jersey's survivor pension program to include the spouses, children, or parents of volunteer emergency service workers (like firefighters, first aid, or rescue squad members) who died from COVID-19 during the 2020 public health emergency. It deems such deaths as "in the line of duty" if the volunteer tested positive for COVID-19 during the declared emergency, died from the virus, and had duties requiring public interaction or supervision during that period. Eligible survivors can now apply for the existing $15,000 annual pension retroactively, starting from the year after the volunteer's death. The change applies specifically to volunteers whose roles involved public contact during the 2020 emergency.