Asm. Annette Quijano

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Jersey's fire safety requirements for residential properties. It eliminates the requirement for portable fire extinguishers in certain structures while mandating smoke-sensitive alarm devices on each level of residential buildings and outside sleeping areas. The bill also establishes new licensing requirements for fire inspectors, including educational programs, prerequisite criteria, and state exams. Additionally, it clarifies that new property owners must obtain a certificate showing no outstanding fire safety violations and are liable for any unpaid fees or penalties. The bill also updates procedures for serving notices and collecting penalties related to fire safety violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's public colleges and universities to readmit undergraduate students who left school due to military service, including active duty in the Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserve. Schools must reinstate these students with the same academic standing they held before their service interruption and grant readmission for the next available semester upon written request. The bill prohibits institutions from charging application or other fees for these readmission requests. It takes effect immediately, applying to the first full academic year after enactment.

Maddy summaryS 3308 requires New Jersey electric utilities to accept and process interconnection applications for grid supply solar facilities up to 20 megawatts. Utilities must approve applications unless incomplete (with specific feedback provided) or unsafe (with modification suggestions), and must compensate approved facilities for electricity supplied in real time. Facilities must pay interconnection costs and comply with utility tariffs. This applies to commercial solar projects selling power to the grid, excluding net metered, on-site, or community solar installations. The bill streamlines grid access for mid-sized solar developers seeking to connect to the state’s electric system.

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents telecommunications, utility, and cable companies from charging customers' credit cards or bank accounts before the standard billing due date for service, unless the customer has given written consent. It specifically applies to automatic billing for services like phone, electricity, gas, and cable. Companies may still charge early if a customer requests it by phone or through a method approved by the Board of Public Utilities. The Board of Public Utilities will enforce this rule to ensure companies comply with the new billing requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurers to cover remote patient monitoring services for pregnant patients who cannot receive in-person care. Remote patient monitoring involves using digital devices to collect health data (such as blood pressure, glucose levels, and weight) from patients and securely transmit it to healthcare providers for analysis. The law amends Medicaid coverage to include these services for pregnant patients, ensuring they can access care when in-person visits aren't possible. This applies to Medicaid beneficiaries and requires insurers to cover these services without additional cost-sharing or prior authorization.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Attorney General to create an internet-based tracking system for rape kits (also called sexual assault forensic evidence kits). The system will allow victims, law enforcement officers, healthcare providers, and labs to monitor a kit's journey from collection at a medical facility through testing and final disposal. It mandates the Attorney General to issue guidelines for this tracking system, ensuring transparency in the chain of custody. The law, which became effective in January 2025, directly affects victims of sexual assault, healthcare facilities, law enforcement, and forensic labs handling these kits.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes mandatory support programs for toddlers and children aged 3-5 who are deaf or hard of hearing and receiving early intervention services. It requires two annual meetings per year between the child, parent/guardian, and a language team (including a pediatric audiologist, teacher of the deaf, deaf mentor, and speech pathologist) until language development benchmarks are met. Parents/guardians must be paired with a trained deaf mentor who shares lived experience and actively supports language development. Children are automatically enrolled in these services unless parents decline, with programs transitioning from the Department of Health (under age 3) to the Department of Education (ages 3-5) until kindergarten entry.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the maximum attorney fee cap in New Jersey workers' compensation cases from 20% to 25% of the amount recovered in settlements, judgments, or orders. It specifically applies to cases involving medical treatment, temporary disability benefits, and permanent disability claims, ensuring attorneys can be compensated fairly for securing these essential benefits. The bill clarifies that awarded fees cannot be deducted from payments for medical treatment or temporary disability benefits. It also maintains judges' discretion to consider hourly rates in certain fee determinations while addressing a recent court ruling on fee calculations. The changes apply immediately to pending cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4475) establishes mandatory standards for court-ordered domestic violence counseling programs in New Jersey. It directly affects domestic violence offenders required by courts to participate in counseling and the counseling programs themselves. The bill requires all such programs to include four key components: risk assessments identifying escalation factors, education on power/control tactics, clear attendance tracking protocols, and regular reviews by the Department of Children and Families for funded programs. These standards ensure consistent accountability and program effectiveness for offenders mandated to attend counseling.

Maddy summaryACR 138 is a ceremonial resolution honoring the 40th anniversary of New Jersey's Jersey Fresh program, a state-sponsored initiative established in 1984 to promote locally grown produce. The resolution recognizes the program's role in supporting New Jersey farms, increasing consumer awareness of seasonal produce, and serving as a national model for agricultural branding. It does not create new laws or policies but formally commends the program's success in connecting consumers with locally harvested fruits and vegetables across all 21 counties. The resolution directs copies to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the State Board of Agriculture for their records.