Asm. Verlina Reynolds-Jackson

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A4675 requires child care centers to test all drinking water outlets (like fountains and faucets) for lead every five years, using certified labs, and immediately shut off any outlets with unsafe lead levels. Centers must remediate the issue - through repairs, filters, or alternative water sources - and disclose full test results to parents, staff, and the public by posting summaries prominently. The law applies to all child care centers except those already meeting federal public water system standards for lead. This directly affects child care facilities, parents, and children by ensuring safer drinking water access.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey general acute care hospitals to ask patients aged 18 or older during treatment whether they have a substance use disorder or are in recovery. Hospitals must create public-facing protocols within 180 days to provide treatment or referrals for these patients. The law applies directly to hospitals and affects patients receiving care in those facilities. Key provisions include mandatory screening during healthcare services and making protocol details available to the public upon request. The bill does not create new treatment programs but establishes a standardized process for hospitals to address substance use disorders.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases New Jersey's annual allocation of cigarette and tobacco tax revenues to the Commission on Cancer Research from $1 million to $10 million. It establishes a dedicated, non-lapsing "Cancer Research Fund" within the state Treasury, ensuring these funds cannot be diverted to other uses. The fund must provide at least $5 million for general cancer research and at least $5 million specifically for pediatric cancer research, with all money used exclusively for commission-approved projects. The State Treasurer manages the fund, investing it like other state trust funds, and interest earned stays in the fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts to provide one individual textbook (including physical books, workbooks, manuals, or electronic versions) for every student enrolled in any class that uses textbooks as the main learning resource. It directly affects public school districts and all students in classes using textbooks, ensuring each student receives their own copy instead of sharing. The key provision mandates that school boards must supply these individual textbooks immediately upon the bill's enactment. This policy change aims to address situations where students lacked textbooks, potentially hindering their ability to complete assignments and prepare for assessments.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Medicaid program to cover self-administered hormonal contraceptives (such as birth control pills, vaginal rings, and diaphragms) when dispensed by pharmacists under a standing order. Currently, Medicaid beneficiaries need a doctor's prescription for these contraceptives before getting them at a pharmacy, but this bill would eliminate that requirement. The bill defines "standing order" as a prewritten medication order that allows pharmacists to provide these contraceptives without an individual prescription. This change would increase access to contraceptives for Medicaid recipients without requiring additional doctor visits. The policy change applies specifically to Medicaid beneficiaries who use these contraceptive methods.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A4647 requires all public school districts to provide full-day kindergarten programs, with implementation deadlines based on district classification (A/B/CD/DE districts by 2020-2021, others by 2021-2022). It establishes a uniform age requirement: children must be five years old by October 1 of the school year to enroll in kindergarten, replacing current district-specific cutoffs. The bill amends existing education statutes (N.J.S.18A:38-5 and N.J.S.18A:44-2) to mandate these changes. This directly affects all New Jersey public school districts and kindergarten students entering school.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's four-year public universities to create and annually update a reproductive health services plan ensuring students can access contraception (including emergency contraception via vending machines or on-campus retail), STI testing/treatment, prenatal care, and abortion referrals. County colleges must establish a referral network connecting students to verified local providers for these services. The plan must include 24-hour access to over-the-counter contraception and evidence-based reproductive health education. Institutions are not required to directly provide abortion services.

Maddy summaryBill A4661 creates a voluntary contribution option on New Jersey's state income tax returns to support reproductive health care access. Taxpayers can choose to add a contribution to their refund or send a separate payment to the "New Jersey Reproductive Health Care Equitable Access Fund" established in the Department of the Treasury. The fund would be distributed annually, equally to the three largest Medicaid reproductive health care providers in the state, to cover services for low-income individuals. The bill defines "reproductive health care services" broadly to include pregnancy-related care and abortion services. This policy directly affects New Jersey taxpayers who file state returns and Medicaid providers serving uninsured patients.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes New Jersey's observance of Juneteenth Day from the third Friday in June to June 19th each year. It directly affects state government employees and businesses operating under New Jersey's public holiday schedule, aligning the state holiday with the federal Juneteenth National Independence Day. The bill amends two existing laws (P.L.2008, c.89 and R.S.36:1-1) to replace the current "third Friday in June" with "June 19" in the list of official state holidays. This change ensures New Jersey's state holiday matches the federal date without altering other holiday provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's "Reproductive Health Care Access Fund" to improve access to abortion and related reproductive health services. The fund will directly support clinics and providers by funding three programs: (1) clinical training for health care professionals to expand provider capacity, (2) security grants for clinics facing threats like violence or cyberattacks, and (3) loans for facility renovations, technology, and staff retention. It targets gaps identified in southern New Jersey counties with no abortion providers and addresses security risks reported by clinics. Funding comes from the state General Fund, with specific allocations for each program’s implementation.