Asm. Gerry Scharfenberger

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5419) prohibits licensed health care professionals in New Jersey from providing medical, surgical, or therapeutic gender-affirming care to individuals under 21 years old. It specifically defines "gender-affirming health care services" to include medications and treatments for gender dysphoria but explicitly excludes behavioral, mental, or psychiatric care. Violating this prohibition subjects professionals to disciplinary action for professional misconduct under existing laws. The law takes immediate effect and requires the Division of Consumer Affairs and Health Department to adopt implementing rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires mental health services in New Jersey to be provided in a culturally affirming and linguistically appropriate manner for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. It mandates that services be delivered in the client's primary method of communication, as determined by the client's preference or a communication assessment, and that mental health professionals be certified as fluent in that method. The bill establishes a deaf services coordinator position within the Department of Human Services to oversee implementation, develop certification standards for professionals, and ensure access to services statewide, including through telemedicine in underserved areas. It also requires the development of a statewide system of care with specific standards for communication accessibility and cultural competence in mental health services.

Maddy summaryThis bill upgrades the offense of purchasing sexual services (prostitution as a patron) from a disorderly persons offense to a crime of the fourth degree for first offenses, with higher penalties for repeat violations. It requires convicted patrons to participate in a mandatory education program about human trafficking and pay a $500 fee. All fines and fees collected from these offenses are directed to the "Human Trafficking Survivor's Assistance Fund," which provides services to trafficking victims and supports educational programs about human trafficking. The fund was established by prior legislation to assist survivors and combat human trafficking through prevention and awareness efforts.

Maddy summaryAssembly Resolution 176, introduced by New Jersey legislators, urges the President and Congress to pass two specific federal bills addressing drone-related security concerns. It highlights recent drone sightings over sensitive New Jersey locations - including military bases, a major reservoir, and a residence of the President-elect - as well as similar incidents at U.S. military sites in England. The resolution specifically calls for enacting "The Drone Act of 2023" (to criminalize harmful drone misuse) and "The SHIELD U Act" (to authorize state/local law enforcement to conduct counter-drone operations). This non-binding resolution does not create new law but advocates for federal action to address gaps in current aviation regulations that limit New Jersey's ability to respond to drone activity.

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits for retired teachers in New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) who accepted early retirement incentives before January 1, 2011. It specifically excludes all other TPAF members from receiving these automatic adjustments. The Board of Trustees of TPAF, working with the fund's actuary and State Treasurer, will implement these COLAs for future pension payments only, with no retroactive adjustments for past payments. This reverses a 2011 law that eliminated automatic COLAs for current and future retirees. The adjustment will help these specific retirees maintain purchasing power as inflation rises.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's regional child abuse treatment centers to create 24/7 mobile teams that travel to hospitals to perform medical exams investigating suspected child abuse or neglect in children under 13. Hospitals must request these mobile teams when a child under 13 presents with injuries inconsistent with their story or developmental level, or when referred by a caregiver for abuse investigation. The bill appropriates state funds to support mobile team staffing and requires hospitals to train emergency staff annually on identifying and reporting abuse. It affects hospitals, regional child abuse centers, and children under 13 in suspected abuse cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to prioritize principal forgiveness for environmental infrastructure loans to municipalities in coastal areas. It specifically targets wastewater and drinking water projects in regions defined as "coastal areas" under existing law. The legislation amends current law to ensure coastal municipalities receive preferential treatment for loan forgiveness when accessing financing through the state's Water Bank program. This change would make it easier for coastal communities to secure funding for critical infrastructure improvements without full repayment of the loan principal.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey electric utilities from raising rates specifically to cover smart meter installation costs. It requires utilities to publicly disclose rate increase details - including amount, reasons, and expected bill impact - 30 days before and after any increase, with fines up to $10,000 for noncompliance. For rate hikes causing a 5% or greater average bill increase, utilities must report to the federal Department of Energy 60 days in advance and cannot disconnect service or charge late fees for six months afterward. The bill directly affects electric utilities and ratepayers (homeowners and businesses paying electricity bills) by restricting certain rate increases and enhancing transparency.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows property owners to request notification before a quitclaim deed is recorded on their property. If requested, county recording offices must notify the owner within 10-12 business days of a deed submission and delay recording for that period. Owners can provide preferred contact details (mail/email) and will pay a fee to cover administrative costs. The law directly affects property owners seeking to prevent fraudulent transfers and county recording offices handling deed records. It amends existing laws to require this notification process for quitclaim deeds, which often lack title guarantees.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (ACR 153) states that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) 2021 rules implementing the "Advanced Clean Trucks" program are inconsistent with legislative intent. The rules require truck manufacturers to sell increasing percentages of zero-emission vehicles (e.g., 55% of certain trucks by 2035), but the DEP adopted them without following a 2003 law requiring notice to environmental committees before implementing new California program phases. The resolution cites that the 2003 law only authorized the DEP to adopt rules for California's *second phase* of low-emission vehicles, not the newer "Advanced Clean Trucks" program. It directs the DEP to amend or withdraw the rules within 30 days or risk further legislative action to invalidate them.