Asm. Aura Dunn

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Office of the Statewide Opioid Antidote Coordinator within New Jersey's Department of Human Services. The Coordinator will centrally manage the bulk purchasing and distribution of opioid antidotes (like naloxone) for state/local government agencies, emergency medical services, law enforcement, schools, public access locations, and sterile syringe programs upon request. The Coordinator must also coordinate with health and law enforcement agencies, provide public education on antidote use, and submit annual reports detailing distribution quantities, cost savings, and outreach efforts. The position requires experience in health, law enforcement, or policy, and will be funded through state appropriations and federal grants.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A267) requires nursing homes to allow residents or their legal representatives to use electronic monitoring devices - such as cameras, audio recorders, or video phones - in a resident's room, upon request. It directly affects nursing home residents, their families, and facility staff. Key provisions include: nursing homes must inform residents of this right, cannot deny admission or remove residents for requesting monitoring, and must provide physical accommodations (like mounting space and power access). The resident or their representative funds the device, must post a notice on the room door, and must respect other residents' privacy (including obtaining written consent if sharing a room). Tampering with a monitored device becomes a third-degree crime.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 24/7 toll-free helpline for New Jersey first responders, healthcare workers, and other frontline workers (including child protection staff) experiencing PTSD related to pandemic work. The Department of Health, working with Rutgers University, will operate the helpline with staff trained in PTSD and related mental health concerns. Operators will confidentially provide referrals to peer support and counseling services while maintaining privacy, except when severe risk of harm is identified. The helpline directly supports workers' mental health by offering immediate, specialized assistance during a critical period.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to establish criteria for designating school districts as SDA (School Development Authority) districts and recommend these criteria to the Legislature by March 1, 2025 and every five years thereafter. The criteria would include economic factors like equalized valuation per pupil and district income, as well as school facilities needs such as overcrowding and health/safety issues. The bill also ensures that districts previously designated as SDA but losing that status will continue to receive full state funding for school facilities projects already in design or construction phase. This aims to provide consistency in how districts qualify for state support for school facilities improvements.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow spouses and dependent children of disabled veterans to attend New Jersey's four-year public colleges tuition-free. To qualify, students must be enrolled in an undergraduate program, apply for all available state/federal grants/scholarships, and apply for VA education benefits under the Post-9/11 Act. The state would reimburse colleges for waived tuition and fees. It directly affects disabled veterans' families pursuing undergraduate degrees at public institutions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey electric utilities to identify communities where at least 40% of residential customers rely on private wells for water. Utilities must develop service restoration plans for these communities during major outages (like storms) and provide watering stations with bottled water, water tankers, and resources for livestock. The law mandates annual customer surveys to confirm well-water reliance and prioritizes restoring power to these areas alongside other critical facilities. It directly affects utilities serving qualifying municipalities, ensuring residents and livestock have access to water during extended power disruptions.

Maddy summaryThis is a non-binding Assembly Resolution (not a bill), urging the New Jersey Department of Education to require school districts to maintain traditional snow days instead of mandating remote learning during inclement weather. It directly affects school districts, students, and parents by opposing a pending bill that would allow remote instruction to count toward the required 180-day school year. The resolution argues that replacing snow days with remote learning disrupts post-pandemic routines and burdens families with virtual learning logistics. It does not change current law or policy, as resolutions cannot enact legislation.

Maddy summaryACR 50 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would change how New Jersey funds public schools. It would require all net income tax revenue (from personal income taxes on individuals, estates, and trusts) to be allocated exclusively to school districts based on the number of students, rather than allowing some funds to go to counties or municipalities as under current law. The amendment specifies that this per-student funding would satisfy the state's constitutional obligation to maintain a thorough and efficient public school system for children aged 5-18. It also clarifies that the Legislature retains the right to provide additional school funding beyond this requirement. This proposal must be approved by voters to become part of the state constitution.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the State Health Benefits Commission from five to seven members by adding two new positions: a municipal business administrator (appointed by the Governor upon recommendation from the New Jersey League of Municipalities) and a county administrator (appointed by the Governor upon recommendation from the New Jersey Association of Counties). The commission oversees health benefits for state employees and its decisions impact both state and local government employers. The change ensures county and municipal governments have a direct voice in health benefits policy without altering the commission's core responsibilities. This is a structural adjustment to representation, not a change to the benefits program itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurers in New Jersey to provide coverage for counseling and behavioral therapies for anyone receiving medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders. It amends existing insurance laws to ensure coverage for mental health conditions and substance use disorders is provided under the same terms as other medical benefits. The bill specifically defines "medication-assisted treatment" as the use of medications combined with counseling and behavioral therapies. This requirement applies to all health insurance plans delivered, issued, executed, or renewed in New Jersey, including health maintenance organizations and state health benefit programs.