Rep. Nancy Muñoz

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school districts to create written policies allowing students to use sunscreen and sun-protective clothing (like hats and sunglasses) during outdoor school activities and school events. It specifically prohibits schools from demanding medical documentation from students or parents to authorize sunscreen or protective clothing use. The policy must apply to all students equally without requiring physician notes. The law takes effect in the first full school year after it is signed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires mental health services in New Jersey to be provided in a culturally affirming and linguistically appropriate manner for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. It mandates that services be delivered in the client's primary method of communication, as determined by the client's preference or a communication assessment, and that mental health professionals be certified as fluent in that method. The bill establishes a deaf services coordinator position within the Department of Human Services to oversee implementation, develop certification standards for professionals, and ensure access to services statewide, including through telemedicine in underserved areas. It also requires the development of a statewide system of care with specific standards for communication accessibility and cultural competence in mental health services.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for retail theft offenses based on the value of stolen goods, with shoplifting over $500 becoming a third-degree crime. It creates a new offense for "fostering the sale of stolen property" (including online sales) and upgrades penalties for "leader of organized retail theft enterprise" to a first-degree crime. The bill establishes a retail theft unit within the Attorney General's office to investigate and prosecute organized retail theft, and includes new requirements for gift card retailers to prevent fraud through packaging standards and third-party reseller record-keeping. It also creates extended prison terms for repeat retail theft offenders and increases penalties for tax evasion related to retail theft.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey electric utilities from raising rates specifically to cover smart meter installation costs. It requires utilities to publicly disclose rate increase details - including amount, reasons, and expected bill impact - 30 days before and after any increase, with fines up to $10,000 for noncompliance. For rate hikes causing a 5% or greater average bill increase, utilities must report to the federal Department of Energy 60 days in advance and cannot disconnect service or charge late fees for six months afterward. The bill directly affects electric utilities and ratepayers (homeowners and businesses paying electricity bills) by restricting certain rate increases and enhancing transparency.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5208) increases New Jersey's paid family leave benefits for child bonding from 12 to 24 weeks. It raises the weekly benefit rate to 100% of a worker's average weekly wage (capped at 100% of the Statewide average weekly wage), with a reduced rate for leave beyond the initial 12 weeks. The bill extends employee reinstatement rights for those taking extended leave and requires the Department of Labor to develop a survey tracking outcomes like breastfeeding duration and maternal well-being. These changes apply to employees taking leave for the birth or adoption of a child.

Maddy summaryThis bill reinstates automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits of certain retired police and firefighters in New Jersey's Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS). It applies specifically to members who have been retired and receiving benefits for at least 10 years, excluding those hired after the bill's effective date, those in deferred retirement, and those with 20-24 years of service. The COLAs are tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners, with benefits up to $75,000 receiving full adjustment, while higher benefits are capped at a 1% annual increase. The $75,000 threshold will adjust annually based on inflation, and the bill requires the Legislature to appropriate funds to cover both state and local costs for these adjustments.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends New Jersey's existing telemedicine pay parity law, requiring health insurance plans to pay providers the same rate for telehealth services as in-person visits for covered services. It applies to all health benefits plans in New Jersey (including Medicaid and private insurers) and affects providers delivering telehealth care. The extension, now ending December 31, 2025 (previously 2024), maintains the requirement that telehealth reimbursement equals in-person rates for covered services, excluding audio-only visits (which receive 50% of in-person rates) and behavioral health services (which receive full in-person rates). This is a procedural extension of an existing policy, not a new mandate.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides an additional $500,000 in state funding to New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) for its Huntington's Disease Grant Program. The funds directly support approximately 900-1,200 New Jersey residents living with Huntington's disease and 7,000 at-risk individuals by covering pre-symptomatic testing, neurology/psychiatry services, counseling, and disease management through grants to eligible institutions. The supplemental appropriation raises the program's total FY2023 funding from an estimated $200,437 to $700,437. It does not change eligibility criteria but increases available resources for existing services. The bill is a straightforward funding measure with no new requirements or procedural changes.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill A5105 requires public school districts to teach bleeding control techniques to students in grades 9-12 as part of health and physical education curriculum, starting with the first full school year after the law takes effect. The bill mandates that schools incorporate this instruction, allowing them to use the American College of Surgeons' "Stop the Bleed" program as a resource. Key provisions include teaching basic emergency methods like applying pressure, packing wounds, and using tourniquets to control severe bleeding. This policy directly affects high school students across all New Jersey public school districts.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates new criminal offenses for reckless firearm discharges near sensitive locations. It makes it a third-degree crime to recklessly fire a gun within 100 yards of occupied schools, colleges, child care facilities, or school buses - even if unoccupied - carrying penalties of 3-5 years in prison or up to $15,000 fines. A fourth-degree crime applies to reckless discharges outside these zones, with penalties of up to 18 months imprisonment or $10,000 fines. The law ensures convictions for these offenses don't merge with other charges and mandates consecutive sentencing for multiple violations. It implements a 2024 recommendation from New Jersey's State Commission of Investigation.