Asm. Mitchelle Drulis

Maddy summaryThis bill allows individuals aged 18 or older, emancipated minors, or their authorized representatives to create a voluntary nonopioid directive, stating opioids should not be administered or prescribed for them. The directive must be completed using a form developed by the New Jersey Department of Health and entered into the patient's electronic health record. Healthcare providers are protected from disciplinary action or liability if they comply with the directive in good faith, though opioids may still be prescribed if medically necessary. The bill also requires the Department of Health to publicize the program and allows the directive to be revoked anytime.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A 3600 prohibits using false identities or digital impersonation (including "deepfakes") to influence elections, making it a crime to impersonate someone or spread misleading election-related content for the purpose of aiding a candidate's nomination, election, defeat, or ballot question outcome. It upgrades such election-related identity theft to a third-degree crime (3-5 years in prison, up to $15,000 fine), or a second-degree crime (5-10 years, up to $150,000 fine) if committed within 90 days of an election. The bill also elevates the crime of knowingly spreading false campaign ads that conceal their true source from a disorderly persons offense to a third-degree crime. This directly affects individuals or groups attempting to manipulate elections through deceptive digital means or false advertising.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the civil service classification of State Investigators working in New Jersey's Division of Criminal Justice (part of the Department of Law and Public Safety). Currently classified as unclassified employees, they lack full civil service protections like job security and standardized hiring. The bill moves them to classified service, granting them those protections under state civil service rules. The bill was withdrawn after being approved as P.L.2025, c.351.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts specific baby products and sunscreen from New Jersey's sales tax starting October 1, 2025. It directly affects parents and caregivers purchasing baby necessities like baby wash, car seats (child restraint systems), cribs, nursing bottles, and strollers, as well as sunscreen regulated by the FDA for sun protection (excluding cosmetic products). The bill amends existing tax law to add these items to the list of exempt sales, clarifying definitions for terms like "child restraint system" and "sunscreen." It does not change tax rates but removes tax from these specific retail purchases. The exemption applies to all qualifying products sold after the effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A475) expands eligibility for accidental disability retirement benefits and survivor benefits under New Jersey's Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS), State Police Retirement System (SPRS), and Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS). It extends the filing deadline for accidental disability claims from 5 years to allow for delayed disability manifestations (e.g., from 9/11 exposure), and adds new qualifying health conditions like PTSD, respiratory illnesses, and cancer linked to work exposure. Public safety workers who participated in World Trade Center rescue/cleanup operations (or sustained injuries during those efforts) can now have disabilities presumed work-related without proving negligence, using alternate medical documentation if standard proof isn’t available. This directly affects first responders and public employees with qualifying conditions tied to their duties.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a dedicated "Reproductive Health Care Access Fund" in New Jersey's General Fund to support abortion providers and clinics. The fund would provide funding for three specific programs: clinical training to increase the number of providers (especially in underserved areas like southern counties), security grants for clinics facing threats like violence or cyberattacks, and loans to help facilities operate. It directly affects reproductive health care facilities, clinics, and health care professionals providing abortion services statewide. The bill requires the State Treasurer to allocate these funds to the designated programs, aiming to strengthen access to abortion care through direct financial support.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 1204) requires New Jersey building inspectors to complete construction inspections within three business days of a property owner's written request. It directly affects property owners, contractors, and building inspectors by mandating a specific 3-day timeline for inspections and restricting inspections to 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on business days unless an immediate safety hazard exists. Key provisions include requiring inspectors to notify owners in writing if they cannot meet the 3-day window and allowing owners to hire authorized private inspectors if delays persist. The bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was incorporated into an existing law (P.L.2025, c.173).

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 7-member School Funding Formula Evaluation Task Force to study New Jersey's current school funding system. The task force, composed of the Commissioner of Education and six appointed public members with education and finance expertise, will examine how state aid is distributed under the 2008 School Funding Reform Act and 2018 update (S2). It will specifically assess calculations for school budgets, weighting of at-risk students, special education funding, geographic cost adjustments, and other key aspects. The task force must issue a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year of forming, which will be posted online. This study directly affects all public school districts in New Jersey by evaluating the formulas that determine their state funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and specific state facilities (like psychiatric hospitals and developmental centers) in New Jersey. It requires facilities to maintain specific ratios, such as 1 nurse for every 5 patients on medical/surgical units and 1 nurse for every 2 patients in critical care units. The law aims to improve patient safety and reduce errors by ensuring adequate nursing coverage based on patient acuity, while requiring facilities to use acuity-based staffing systems to adjust for changing patient needs. These requirements apply to all direct-care registered nurses providing patient services, not administrative staff.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's "Safe Storage of Firearms Act" (Bill A 3560) requires all legal firearm owners to store unloaded firearms in locked containers (like gun safes) and keep ammunition separate at their homes or premises. It repeals older laws about minors accessing firearms and mandates a $500,000 public awareness campaign by the Attorney General. Retail dealers must provide written warnings about these storage rules to customers, and courts must inform convicted violators about firearm ownership restrictions. The law directly affects firearm owners, with exceptions for active law enforcement officers and certain retail displays.