Asm. Reginald Atkins

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public school staff in New Jersey to complete training on caring for students with epilepsy or seizure disorders every two years. It directly affects school staff (including teachers, coaches, and support personnel) and students with these conditions. The training, provided through Department of Health-approved courses by nonprofit organizations, covers recognizing seizures, emergency response, and daily care. This update builds on existing law (P.L.2019, c.290) that already requires schools to develop individualized health plans for affected students but adds the mandatory biennial staff training requirement. The law applies to all school-sponsored activities, including those outside regular school hours.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Jersey's licensing definitions for cosmetic services, clarifying which practices require specific licenses. It defines key terms like "barber" (primarily for male customers), "beautician" (primarily for female customers), "cosmetologist-hairstylist," and "manicurist," specifying exactly which cosmetic services each license covers. The bill affects salons, barbershops, and individual practitioners who must now operate under these clarified licensing categories. It also establishes rules for student-run "clinics" where supervised senior students provide services, requiring clear fee posting and consumer notices.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1941) requires the New Jersey Commission on Human Trafficking to expand public awareness signage about human trafficking to 12 new types of establishments, including gas stations, staffing agencies, law enforcement offices, nail salons, and Motor Vehicle Commission offices. The signage must display the national 24-hour human trafficking hotline number and meet specific size (8.5" x 11") and language (English/Spanish) requirements. Businesses failing to comply face civil penalties of $300 for a first offense and $1,000 for subsequent violations. The bill directly affects all covered establishments by mandating visible signage to educate the public on trafficking resources.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A1930 broadens the criminal statute for cyber-harassment targeting minors. It lowers the age threshold for a third-degree offense from 21 to 18 years old and removes the requirement that offenders must impersonate a minor to be charged. The bill also mandates that minors under 16 convicted of cyber-harassment complete educational programs about online safety, and penalizes parents who fail to comply with court orders regarding these programs. These changes directly affect adults aged 18+ who cyber-harass minors, minors under 16 who commit such acts, and their parents or guardians. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a three-year Remote Methadone Dosing Pilot Program in New Jersey, appropriating $225,000 total. It selects one opioid treatment program (OTP) each in Atlantic City, Camden, and Paterson to test using telehealth for remote monitoring of patients receiving take-home methadone doses, under federal/state rules and clinical appropriateness. Participating OTFs must report annually on patient outcomes, treatment compliance, cost savings (like reduced transportation), and retention. The program aims to evaluate whether remote dosing improves treatment access and reduces costs, with a final report due to the Governor and Legislature within four years.

Maddy summaryAJR 226 designates April 11 of each year as "Black Doula Day" in New Jersey. The resolution requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation to honor Black doulas, who provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support during childbirth. It aligns with Global Black Doula Day and references New Jersey's maternal health disparities, where Black mothers face over seven times higher pregnancy-related mortality rates than white mothers. This is a ceremonial designation with no new policy requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Business Action Center (within the Department of State) to study vacant commercial properties and their impact on small businesses. The study must be completed within one year and include: existing local tracking efforts, progress on rehabilitating abandoned properties, current financial/technical assistance programs, business owner surveys about finding space, and recommendations. It does not change existing laws but aims to inform future policy by gathering data on how local governments address vacant commercial real estate. The report will be submitted to the Governor and Legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires retailers to provide a raincheck for 60 days if a product or service advertised via a digital coupon (like a phone or website discount) is unavailable at the time of purchase. It directly affects retailers using digital coupons and protects consumers who cannot redeem the advertised offer. The key provision mandates that retailers issue a written raincheck allowing customers to obtain the same item at the same discounted price within 60 days. Violations would be considered consumer fraud under New Jersey law, with penalties including fines.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey Medicaid to cover ovulation-enhancing drugs and related medical services for individuals aged 21-44 experiencing infertility, with coverage limited to three treatment cycles per person. Infertility is defined as failure to conceive after 12 months of regular, unprotected sex for those 21-34 years old, or six months for those 35-44 years old. Covered medical services include office visits, hysterosalpingograms, pelvic ultrasounds, and blood testing, but not the drugs themselves for more than three cycles. The coverage is contingent on federal financial participation being available.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes standardized credit transfer rules for New Jersey public colleges and universities, replacing previous "collective agreements" with requirements set by the Secretary of Higher Education. It creates a New Jersey Transfer Ombudsman within the Secretary's office to resolve disputes between students and institutions about credit transfers, conduct compliance reviews every three years, and publish annual reports on transfer outcomes. Public institutions must now provide transfer students with data on program completion rates and ensure associate degrees earned at community colleges are fully transferable toward bachelor's degrees. The changes directly affect students transferring between NJ public colleges and universities, as well as the institutions themselves, by standardizing credit recognition and adding oversight.