Asm. Yvonne Lopez

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2227) requires all health insurance plans in New Jersey - including hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, individual/group health policies, health maintenance organizations, and state employee health programs - to cover private duty nursing services. It mandates that insurers provide coverage for nursing care provided in a person’s home, hospital, or skilled nursing facility by a registered or licensed practical nurse under a physician’s direction, when more individualized care is needed than visiting nurses provide. The coverage must follow the same deductibles, coinsurance, and cost-sharing rules as other similar services under the plan, though insurers may still require prior authorization. The bill applies to all new or renewed plans on or after its effective date (January 1 following enactment).

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's criminal mischief statute (N.J.S.2C:17-3) to specifically address damage to historical sites. It defines a "historic place or site" as a location approved for the New Jersey Register of Historic Places, identified in local master plans as historically significant, or officially recognized by state criteria. Knowingly damaging, interfering with, or tampering with such a site is now classified as a third-degree crime, punishable by up to 5 years in prison, a $15,000 fine, or both. The law directly affects individuals who intentionally harm protected historical properties, including buildings, monuments, or structures meeting the defined criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state and county correctional facilities to offer hepatitis B and C blood testing to all inmates upon the start of their sentence. Inmates would not be required to participate in the testing. The law applies to all facilities housing incarcerated individuals, with testing provided at the beginning of confinement. It does not mandate testing but ensures facilities proactively offer the service.

Maddy summaryThis bill transfers administration of all school meal programs in New Jersey from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Education. It covers programs including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, and emergency meal distributions, which provide nutritious meals to students and children in childcare settings. The transfer includes all related functions, funding, staff, records, and existing rules (which remain in effect until replaced by the Department of Education). The change aims to align program management with the Department of Education’s mission of supporting student academic success through school-based services.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2833) requires municipal courts in New Jersey to notify applicants for public defender services about any required application fee and the process to waive it if they cannot afford the fee. It applies to municipalities that have ordinances requiring such fees (capped at $200 under existing law). The bill mandates that courts provide this notice to all applicants and prohibits charging any fee beyond the $200 limit permitted by current law (P.L.1997, c.256). It takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state buildings (including government offices, state universities, and agencies) to separate and recycle specific materials like aluminum, cardboard, glass, paper, and plastic waste. It mandates that state entities provide recycling bins, clear signage, and educational resources for both employees and the public, along with establishing collection procedures. The rule does not apply to state parks or forests using a "carry-in, carry-out" trash program. The Department of Treasury, with the Environmental Protection Department, must create compliance guidance and ensure all state branches follow the requirements within 180 days of the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A1883 bill prohibits social media platforms from using features or practices known to cause addiction in users under 18, such as infinite scroll or autoplay that leads to obsessive use causing harm. Platforms must conduct annual third-party audits to prove they don’t use addictive features, and if audits reveal risks, they must fix them within 30 days. Small platforms (under $100 million annual revenue) and those primarily for gaming are exempt from these requirements. Violations could result in civil penalties up to $250,000 per offense, but the bill explicitly excludes liability for user-generated content or conduct protected by federal law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A2253) increases the annual amount credited to New Jersey's Shore Protection Fund from $25 million to $50 million. The fund receives the state portion of realty transfer fees collected when property deeds are recorded (calculated at $1.25 per $500 of property value). The change applies immediately to all future State fiscal years following enactment. This directly affects the Shore Protection Fund's annual funding level, doubling its baseline allocation from realty transfer fees.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's paratransit pilot program by transferring $6 million from the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJT) to the Department of Human Services' Division of Developmental Disabilities. It changes the program's structure by shifting responsibility for developing the initial training module from NJT to the Division of Developmental Disabilities, requiring qualified community organizations to submit proposals for creating a training package focused on improving paratransit services. The program will train up to six paratransit providers (three from northern and three from southern regions) in best practices, with potential expansion to integrate services statewide if efficiencies justify it. The changes directly affect paratransit providers serving people with disabilities and aim to enhance service efficiency and accessibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a five-year WATER Pilot Program within New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development to support new apprenticeship programs in water infrastructure, utilities, and related sectors. It appropriates $1 million to fund grants for eligible organizations (including businesses, colleges, nonprofits, and public utilities) that partner with industry to create accredited apprenticeships, with priority given to programs serving underserved communities. Grant recipients must demonstrate workforce needs, recruitment plans, and how funds will be used, while annual reports will track participant enrollment, completion, and job placement outcomes. The program requires coordination with New Jersey's existing workforce development initiatives and mandates annual evaluations of its effectiveness by the Department of Labor.