Asm. Vicky Flynn

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection from requiring individuals under 16 to obtain a permit or pay a $2 fee to ride horses in state wildlife management areas. It directly affects young riders and their families by removing these specific administrative barriers to access public lands. The law allows the department to create new rules needed to carry out this change but stops them from enforcing the existing permit and fee requirements for minors.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Women's Menstrual Health Program within New Jersey's Department of Health to identify and assist patients experiencing symptoms related to endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The program requires the Department to provide evidence-based education and training for healthcare providers, emergency staff, and the public on menstrual health screening and care. It also mandates the creation of online resources, including clinical guidelines for screening, referral, and treatment, and public educational materials about these conditions. The program directly affects individuals with symptoms of endometriosis or PCOS, aiming to improve access to appropriate care through standardized resources and provider education.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's child abuse reporting hotline (maintained by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency) to provide callers with information about available resources for victims and their families. The hotline must now include details about community services such as counseling, parenting classes, substance abuse treatment, in-home support, foster care, and residential care. It directly affects families reporting or experiencing child abuse by connecting them to immediate support options. The policy change amends existing law to ensure victims and families are informed about these resources during hotline interactions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 947) requires New Jersey's Department of Health to create a public awareness campaign and develop policies for recognizing and treating perinatal anxiety - a condition affecting approximately 6% of pregnant women and 10% of postpartum women. It mandates that healthcare providers screen all pregnant and postpartum patients for perinatal anxiety during prenatal visits (at least once per trimester), before discharge after birth, and at early postnatal check-ups, using the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS) or an approved alternative. Providers must also give patients and their families clear information about symptoms, coping strategies, and treatment resources. The bill directly affects pregnant and postpartum women, their healthcare providers, and birthing facilities across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill grants patients with developmental disabilities in New Jersey hospitals the right to have a designated family member, guardian, direct support professional (DSP), or other caregiver accompany them throughout their entire hospital stay. Hospitals must provide an opportunity to make this designation at admission and document it in the medical record, with changes allowed upon 1-hour notice. The right does not apply during active surgery if the caregiver's presence would endanger the patient. It directly affects patients with developmental disabilities, their designated caregivers, and New Jersey hospitals. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the definition of human trafficking crimes in New Jersey and removes the statute of limitations for prosecuting these offenses, allowing authorities to pursue cases regardless of how much time has passed. It also creates specialized human trafficking response teams to coordinate investigations and support services, while increasing training and education requirements for law enforcement and related professionals. Additionally, the bill appropriates $1 million to the Commission on Human Trafficking to fund these initiatives and improve victim support systems.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors Thomas Mundy Peterson as the first African American to vote in the United States following the ratification of the 15th Amendment. It commemorates his historic March 31, 1870, vote in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, after the amendment guaranteed voting rights regardless of race. The resolution recognizes his civic contributions, including serving on a city charter committee and becoming Perth Amboy's first African American jury member. It is a commemorative measure with no legislative provisions or policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to participate in a federal tax credit program that allows individuals to claim tax credits for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations. The legislation directs the Commissioner of Education to annually provide the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury with a list of qualifying scholarship organizations in the state. By participating, New Jersey residents would be able to receive federal tax credits for donations to these organizations, which fund scholarships for students from households with income below 300 percent of the area median. The bill takes effect immediately and aligns New Jersey with existing federal requirements for states that wish to enable these tax benefits.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey concurrent resolution urges the U.S. Congress to pass federal legislation that would allow service members discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations to be reinstated. The bill seeks to restore these individuals to their previous rank and change their discharge status from general under honorable conditions to honorable, which could improve their access to benefits and employment opportunities. It directly affects military personnel who were separated from the Armed Forces in 2021 and later years due to vaccine refusal. The resolution does not change state law but serves as a formal request to federal lawmakers to address the issue through existing federal legislation.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey joint resolution urges the U.S. Senate to pass the federal Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require states to collect documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering voters for federal elections. The bill aims to address concerns about noncitizens being incorrectly registered to vote through state driver's license and automatic voter registration systems by mandating stricter identity verification procedures. Under the proposed federal law, states would need to verify citizenship using accepted documents such as passports, military IDs, or birth records, and would gain access to federal databases to maintain accurate voter rolls. The resolution is sponsored by Assemblyman Gregory P. McGuckin and directs copies to congressional leadership and all members of Congress from New Jersey.