Asm. Annette Quijano

Maddy summaryAJR 160 designates the third full week in April each year as "Infertility Awareness Week" in New Jersey. This symbolic resolution does not create new laws or alter funding but aims to raise public awareness about infertility issues affecting couples statewide. The bill highlights that infertility impacts roughly one in eight couples, causes significant psychological and financial stress, and seeks to reduce stigma through education. It requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public observance and community activities during this designated week.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a voluntary online resume bank for New Jersey residents with disabilities who wish to be appointed to state boards, commissions, authorities, or similar entities (like special committees or task forces). The Governor must establish a webpage listing available appointments and allow individuals to submit their resumes, including personal contact details, disability-related information, and preferred state entities. The resume bank will be accessible to the executive branch and Legislature to help identify qualified candidates for these roles. It does not mandate appointments but aims to streamline the application process for state positions.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the scope of practice for optometrists in New Jersey by allowing them to prescribe more pharmaceutical agents (including some controlled substances), administer certain immunizations (for coronaviruses, influenza, and varicella-zoster virus), and perform simple ophthalmologic procedures like non-invasive laser treatments. It clarifies that optometrists must complete specific training and credentialing to provide these expanded services, including evidence of competence through accredited education programs. The bill directly affects licensed optometrists in New Jersey and their patients, who will have access to a broader range of eye care services from optometrists. The legislation updates the legal definition of optometry practice to better align with optometrists' doctoral education and clinical training.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits motor vehicle liability insurance policies from restricting recovery amounts below the policy's maximum limits for specific covered individuals. It directly affects named insureds, listed drivers, and household residents by requiring insurers to pay the full policy limits for bodily injury or death claims, rather than capping payments at lower amounts. The law specifies that coverage limits for these individuals must align with the vehicle used at the time of the loss and mandates clear disclosure if any restrictions exist on the policy declaration page. This change ensures policyholders and their covered family members receive the full policy coverage amount they are entitled to under the terms of their insurance.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates and permanently preserves the 21.5-acre Caven Point Peninsula in Liberty State Park (Jersey City, Hudson County) as natural habitat. It protects the area’s estuarine ecosystem, critical bird breeding grounds, and urban environmental education resource from development or alteration. The law overrides existing regulations to ensure the peninsula remains a preserved natural space, directly affecting the local plants, animals, and bird populations that rely on this habitat.

Maddy summaryThe Electricity Bill Transparency Act requires New Jersey electric utilities to separately list three specific charges on customer bills: the sales tax imposed by the Sales and Use Tax Act, the societal benefits charge, and clean energy charges. Utilities must also itemize how much of the societal benefits charge funds each specific program, such as energy efficiency initiatives or low-income assistance. This bill affects all residential and commercial electricity customers in New Jersey by making non-utility related charges more transparent on their bills. The policy change aims to help customers understand the breakdown of their electricity costs beyond the base service charge. This requirement applies to all electric utilities providing service in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Health to create a public awareness campaign focused on improving maternal and child health outcomes. The campaign will provide accessible information through a dedicated state website, including hospital data on cesarean births and breastfeeding rates to help people choose care providers, promote birth plan documentation in medical records, and share guidance on avoiding unnecessary interventions. It also details resources for high-value care options (like midwives and doulas), state Medicaid coverage for pregnant individuals, family leave rights, and breastfeeding support. The initiative directly affects pregnant people, new parents, and healthcare providers across New Jersey by standardizing and expanding access to maternal health information.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides $2 million in state funding to New Jersey's Department of Labor to support county prosecutors in enforcing wage payment laws. It requires each county prosecutor's office to assign a dedicated assistant prosecutor to investigate and prosecute cases where employers fail to pay wages or violate wage-hour laws. The funding covers both financial resources and training for prosecutors to handle these cases more effectively. This directly affects workers who are owed wages and county prosecutors who will now have dedicated staff and resources for wage enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all operators and riders of low-speed electric bicycles and scooters in New Jersey to wear a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet meeting state safety standards. It directly affects anyone using these vehicles for transportation, including those riding in attached seats on e-bikes. Violations carry a $25 fine for a first offense and $100 for subsequent offenses. The law takes effect four months after enactment, aiming to reduce head injuries linked to e-bike/scooter crashes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Commission on Human Trafficking to create a report addressing human trafficking prevention during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be partially hosted in New Jersey. The commission must evaluate current anti-trafficking laws, review assistance programs, and develop public awareness strategies - including mandatory signs with the national trafficking hotline - to be displayed by businesses already required to post such notices. The report, due within 180 days of enactment, must include recommendations for expanded hotlines, law changes, public service announcements, and coordinated responses by law enforcement and community organizations. It directly affects the Commission, state agencies, businesses displaying anti-trafficking signs, and the public through awareness efforts. The Attorney General must also issue guidelines for law enforcement to address trafficking risks during the event.