Asm. Anthony Verrelli

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey health insurance companies and plans to cover medical services, equipment, and prescriptions for children and teens under 18 with diagnosed complex medical needs, as determined necessary by a licensed doctor. Key provisions include: insurers must approve covered benefits within three days of a doctor's written request and cannot require pre-approvals or precertification for services already covered under the plan. It defines "complex medical needs" as conditions that are life-threatening, persistently disabling, require specialized care, or involve high-risk procedures. The law applies to all health plans issued in New Jersey on or after its effective date.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 1793) creates a "Recovery Tax Credit Program" that provides tax incentives to employers who hire and retain individuals recovering from substance use disorders. Employers must become "certified" by meeting requirements like partnering with recovery providers and offering qualifying health insurance. Certified employers can claim tax credits up to $2,000 per eligible employee (based on hours worked, minimum 500 hours), with a total annual budget cap of $2 million. The program directly affects employers in New Jersey and individuals in recovery who meet the defined eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryAJR 62 designates May of each year as "Children's Mental Health and Trauma Awareness Month" in New Jersey. The resolution aims to raise public awareness about children's mental health, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and mental illness, encouraging the state to promote understanding through annual observance. It does not create new laws or funding but requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation to encourage community activities focused on these issues. The bill directly affects New Jersey residents by highlighting the importance of addressing childhood mental health challenges and ACEs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires private contractors operating New Jersey's motor vehicle inspection facilities to offer full-time employment to eligible employees of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission who lose their jobs due to contract outsourcing. The number of job offers must be proportional to the contractor's share of inspection lanes (e.g., a contractor operating 30% of lanes must offer jobs to 30% of affected employees). It also mandates that collective bargaining agreements covering these employees remain binding under the new contract. This policy directly affects state employees working in motor vehicle inspection facilities when operations transition to private contractors.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey county clerks to provide accessible mail-in ballots to voters with disabilities who request them. It mandates that these ballots include specific accessibility features, such as electronic delivery, audio prompts for blind voters, compatibility with braille displays, and the ability to mark selections electronically. Voters who qualify as "electronic return eligible" (due to blindness, visual impairment, or physical disability preventing ballot handling) may return completed ballots electronically. The bill ensures voters can independently complete, verify, and submit their ballots, with printed materials provided unless electronic return is used, and sets uniform guidelines for election officials.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 25-member Anti-Bullying Youth Council in New Jersey, directly involving students from public and nonpublic middle and high schools. The council consists of 21 student members (appointed by county school superintendents) and 4 nonvoting legislative members who provide advisory support. Key provisions require the council to research bullying issues, make written policy recommendations to the existing Anti-Bullying Task Force, and submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. The council expires when the Anti-Bullying Task Force ends, with all recommendations made publicly available online.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A 1794) waives civil service exam application and appeal fees for individuals receiving unemployment compensation benefits or whose benefits ended within the past six months. It directly affects unemployed New Jersey residents seeking state government jobs by removing a $25 application fee for open competitive exams and a $20 fee for appeals. The bill amends existing law to exempt these individuals from fees they would otherwise pay when applying for or appealing civil service positions. The policy change aims to reduce financial barriers for job seekers during unemployment, without altering benefit eligibility or creating new programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a New Jersey state program requiring government agencies to set aside certain contracts (for goods, construction, or services) exclusively for businesses owned and operated by people with disabilities. These businesses must be at least 51% owned by such individuals and certified by approved nonprofits like Disability:IN. State agencies must award at least 3% of their contracts to these certified businesses, either through direct awards or subcontracting requirements. The Department of the Treasury will manage the program, maintain a list of certified businesses, and handle disputes, while ensuring set-aside contracts are competitively bid and priced fairly.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new pathway for certain long-term incarcerated individuals in New Jersey to seek release. It allows inmates who have served at least 20 years (or 30 years for murder convictions) and are age 60 (or 62 for murder) to receive a "Certificate of Eligibility for Rehabilitative Release" from the Corrections Commissioner. The process requires a court hearing where the individual must demonstrate they are not a danger to the community, have engaged in rehabilitation while incarcerated, and that justice warrants release - considering factors like victim input, their crime's severity, and a reentry plan. If approved, the individual receives a modified sentence and five years of parole supervision.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey hospitals to include testing for fentanyl and xylazine in routine urine drug screenings when treating patients. It directly affects all general acute care hospitals licensed in New Jersey that conduct such screenings. Hospitals must report de-identified test results to the Department of Health if fentanyl, xylazine, or other drugs under a health alert are detected. The law aims to improve overdose response by ensuring these dangerous substances - linked to rising fatal overdoses - are identified during patient care.