Asm. Craig Coughlin

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey state employees without a union representative (non-unionized employees) to enroll in specific health care plans, including the CWA Unity DIRECT or CWA Unity DIRECT2019 plans (or their successors). Starting January 1, 2025, these employees who choose such a plan will have their health benefit costs determined by the terms of that negotiated plan, rather than standard State payment structures. The bill amends existing law to adjust payment obligations for these employees based on the negotiated terms of the selected plan. This directly affects non-unionized state employees by expanding their access to certain health care options with cost-sharing aligned to the chosen plan.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 1) organizes New Jersey's General Assembly for the 221st Legislature. It formally appoints Craig J. Coughlin as Speaker, Benjie E. Wimberly as Speaker pro tempore, and Dana M. Burley as Clerk, and amends Assembly Rule 10:1 to adjust committee membership numbers for the new session. The resolution establishes internal operational procedures, including meeting schedules, staff authority under the Speaker, and the adoption of the Bill Drafting Manual. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new policy but sets the framework for the Assembly's functioning.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A3125 bill would require the state's Medicaid program to pay for prescription drugs directly through a fee-for-service system instead of through managed care plans. Reimbursement for covered drugs would be calculated as the lowest of several pricing methods (including NADAC costs, federal limits, or state maximums) plus a fixed $10.92 dispensing fee per prescription. This change would directly affect pharmacies dispensing drugs to Medicaid patients and alter how the state reimburses providers for prescription services. The bill aims to increase state Medicaid savings while standardizing payment rates across different drug types and pharmacy settings.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows municipalities with surplus inactive liquor licenses to sell them to qualifying smart growth communities that lack sufficient licenses for new restaurants or bars. It creates a transfer process requiring approval from the Alcohol Beverage Control director, a contract between parties, and payment of a fee equal to 20 times the annual renewal fee. The fee is distributed 25% to the sending municipality, 25% to the ABC director, and 50% to existing license holders in the receiving municipality. Transferred licenses can only be used within the same real estate development project where the new business will operate, and the bill prohibits special concessionaire permits for eligible locations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3108) requires New Jersey charter schools to use a lottery system for enrolling students who reside in the charter school's district of residence when applications exceed available spaces. It mandates that charter schools' enrollment policies actively seek to reflect the district's student demographics, including race, ethnicity, lunch program eligibility, special education needs, and other academic factors. Charter schools must annually report enrollment demographics to the state education department by October 15 and post the data online, while also maintaining and reporting waiting list demographics. Unlike current law - which only triggers a lottery during oversubscription - the bill makes the lottery mandatory for district-resident applicants regardless of demand.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3106) allows developers to use State-owned, municipally-managed Blue Acres lands for freshwater wetlands mitigation projects - compensating for wetland loss caused by development. It adds this as a fourth option (beyond offsite private land or Wetlands Mitigation Bank contributions) for meeting state wetlands protection requirements under the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act. The State and the managing municipality must both approve the land’s use for mitigation, ensuring it maintains equivalent ecological value to the lost wetlands. Blue Acres lands are defined as flood-damaged or protective conservation property acquired by the State for recreation, managed by local municipalities under agreement.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey counties and municipalities to refinance their general obligation bonds without needing to meet a current 3% minimum present value savings requirement, for a one-year period starting when the bill takes effect. Currently, state regulations require that refinancing must save at least 3% in present value to prevent unnecessary costs from professional fees. The bill temporarily removes this rule to let local governments take advantage of low interest rates and potentially reduce debt service costs on existing higher-interest debt. This change applies only to refinancing efforts during the one-year window and does not alter other bond issuance rules.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A3121 establishes a matching grant program to help schools address pandemic-related learning loss. It requires the Commissioner of Education to provide 50% matching funds (up to $200 million total) to eligible public school districts, charter schools, and "renaissance school projects" that use federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds for specific interventions. Schools must demonstrate increased learning loss (higher percentages of students below grade level in 2023 vs. 2018-2019) and use funds for evidence-based programs like extended learning time, tutoring, summer academies, or career pathways. The program mandates detailed applications and annual reports to evaluate effectiveness in improving student outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a standardized training curriculum for auxiliary police officers in New Jersey, requiring the Police Training Commission to approve training schools and set basic requirements. It mandates that counties and municipalities award 3 to 10 additional points on civil service exam scores for qualified auxiliary officers who have completed approved training and served at least two years in the county or municipality. Existing auxiliary officers must complete this training within six months of the bill's effective date to continue serving. The bill does not create preferences for auxiliary officers over paid officers in cases involving temporary dismissals or promotions of paid personnel.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill amends requirements for insurance holding companies, specifically focusing on changes to control provisions. It creates a presumption of control when a person solicits proxies to elect 10% or more of a board, and expands the definition of "own" to include voting securities from convertible securities, options, and aggregated shares owned by persons acting in concert. Persons seeking to acquire control of an insurer must now file detailed information with the Department of Banking and Insurance and obtain commissioner approval before finalizing acquisitions. The bill aims to give the commissioner authority to review acquisitions to determine if they would be adverse to public interest or protection of policyholders.