Asm. Sterley Stanley

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Mental Health Access Act (A555), increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain behavioral health services in New Jersey. It requires Medicaid to pay providers at least the Medicare rate for evidence-based outpatient counseling services (individual or group), provided the service is listed in the federal National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs or meets state-approved criteria. The policy directly affects licensed substance abuse treatment facilities and health professionals (under Title 45) who provide these services and bill Medicaid. The change applies to services provided on or after the effective date, which is four months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A564) amends New Jersey law to explicitly include "emergency, transitional, and permanent housing" as a permitted use of the "Domestic Violence Victims' Fund." The fund, which is administered by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, currently receives civil penalties ($50-$500) imposed on domestic violence offenders and other designated funds. This change ensures that housing assistance for domestic violence victims is directly funded through this dedicated source, alongside existing services like shelter, legal advocacy, and transportation. The bill applies to all domestic violence victims in New Jersey receiving services through the Department of Children and Families.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Department of Education to create and maintain a searchable website listing all educational programs and resources for students with disabilities. The website must include details on approved in-state and out-of-state schools, special education programs, assistive technologies, and support organizations, all searchable by disability type, location, and keyword. The Department must consult with the New Jersey State Special Education Advisory Council to keep the information current and update the site annually. This directly benefits families and students with disabilities seeking accessible, centralized information about educational options.

Maddy summaryACR 97 is a concurrent resolution urging the Governor to create a plan for applying to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' State Home Construction Grant Program. This program provides federal grants covering up to 65% of costs for constructing, renovating, or repairing state-operated veterans homes and care facilities. The resolution highlights that New Jersey’s three existing veterans homes serve only 948 residents - far below the needs of over 350,000 veterans in the state, with more than half aged 65+. It does not create new law but formally requests the Governor develop a strategy to access these federal funds for expanding veterans care.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires new and reconstructed apartment buildings with five or more units to prepare 15% of parking spaces as "Make-Ready" (pre-wired for electric vehicle charging) and install charging equipment in one-third of those spaces within three years of occupancy, with additional installations over six years. Parking lots with 50+ spaces must include a minimum number of Make-Ready spaces based on total parking capacity, with 5% of charging stations required to be accessible for people with disabilities. The law exempts low-income housing developments, single-family homes, and small retailers with 25 or fewer parking spaces. Make-Ready spaces count as two parking spaces for compliance purposes, and the bill establishes a model ordinance for implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Attorney General to provide outreach and services to human trafficking victims using state resources, collaborating with victim support organizations like the Victims of Crime Compensation Office. It authorizes a pilot program to fund service providers in urban areas with the highest crime rates and communities near major ports that have significant minority populations. The pilot program must be evaluated after implementation to determine if it should be continued, expanded, or made permanent. The bill applies statewide but targets specific communities for initial service delivery through the pilot.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state agencies that collect demographic data to create specific categories for Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian/Indian Diaspora communities. It mandates breaking down data by detailed subgroups (e.g., Chinese, Lebanese, Guyanese) and separately tracking primary language spoken at home, replacing current broad categories. Agencies must include this detailed data in public reports and post it online, excluding personal information. The change aims to improve data accuracy for communities currently undercounted or misclassified, such as MENA residents (often grouped as "White") and South Asian diaspora groups. This affects all state agencies collecting demographic information, including departments, boards, and public universities.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A1918 requires state government agencies (like departments and bureaus providing public services) to translate vital documents and provide interpretation services in the 15 most common non-English languages spoken by limited-English proficiency residents, based on U.S. Census data. Agencies must complete translations for the 10 most common languages within 365 days of the law's effective date and the additional 5 within 730 days, with immediate translation for applications, rights notices, and privacy documents. Each agency must create a language access plan within 90 days detailing how they'll provide services, train staff, document usage, and assign a language access coordinator to monitor compliance and produce annual reports. Funding for implementation comes from American Rescue Plan Act funds and state General Fund, with no requirement to remove existing translation obligations (like Spanish services).

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill allows courts to order GPS-based electronic monitoring for domestic violence offenders deemed to present a serious risk of re-offending. The Administrative Office of the Courts must establish a program for continuous satellite-based monitoring of eligible defendants, with costs borne by the monitored individuals. The legislation specifies that defendants face criminal penalties for tampering with monitoring devices or failing to comply with monitoring requirements. The bill appropriates $500,000 from the General Fund to implement the monitoring program. This policy aims to enhance victim safety by providing courts with an additional tool to monitor high-risk domestic violence offenders.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2126) requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to clearly post a toll-free customer service phone number at all official vehicle inspection facilities. Drivers using these facilities can call the number to report problems with the inspection process itself, such as technical issues or service concerns. The law takes immediate effect upon passage and directly affects drivers seeking vehicle inspections across New Jersey.