Asm. Aura Dunn

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Board of Dentistry to officially recognize orofacial pain as a specialized area of dentistry. It directs the board to update its rules so that licensed dentists can formally announce this specialty in their practice, similar to other recognized fields like orthodontics or periodontics. The change allows dentists to obtain permits to publicly identify themselves as specialists in treating facial and jaw pain conditions. This policy update affects dentists in New Jersey who wish to specialize in orofacial pain and patients seeking to identify providers with specific expertise in this area.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public school boards in New Jersey to create and adopt suicide prevention policies for their districts. It directs the state Department of Education to develop a model policy that schools can use as a guide when crafting their own plans. Each school district must consult with mental health professionals and community stakeholders when developing their policy, which must cover prevention, intervention, and postvention procedures. The final policies must be posted on each school district's website and made known to students, parents, and guardians.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to require that every bill and joint resolution introduced in the New Jersey Legislature be referred to a standing committee in the chamber where it originated and heard at a public committee meeting during the two-year legislative term. The change would apply to all legislation, including bills and joint resolutions, ensuring each receives committee review before further consideration. Currently, there is no constitutional requirement for bills to be heard at committee meetings, so this amendment would establish a new procedural step in the legislative process. The amendment would be submitted to voters at the next general election occurring more than three months after final agreement by the legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public schools to create policies for administering nasal seizure rescue medication and using manual vagus nerve stimulators for students with seizure disorders during emergencies. It defines specific roles for school nurses as primary responders while allowing them to designate at least two additional trained staff members to assist when the nurse is not present. The legislation mandates that designated staff receive CPR and defibrillator training, obtain written parental consent, and includes provisions protecting school employees from liability when acting in good faith during emergency medical situations.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey National Guard members to transfer their tuition benefit to a spouse or dependent child. Currently, Guard members can attend public New Jersey colleges tuition-free for up to 16 credits per semester under specific conditions. The new provision permits transfer of this benefit to one spouse or child, who must also be enrolled in good standing at a public institution and have applied for all available state and federal grants/scholarships. It does not change the existing requirements for the original Guard member or the recipient.

Maddy summaryACR 128 proposes a constitutional amendment to restrict how New Jersey allocates state funds to non-state entities like local governments, private colleges, or community organizations. It would require that any funding for these groups must follow a competitive process, merit-based criteria, or a pre-established formula - never by directly naming a specific organization in the funding law. The amendment also mandates that any such appropriation must clearly state its specific purpose. This change would apply to all future state budget appropriations and requires voter approval to take effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program within New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to address safety and environmental risks from abandoned mines. The program requires the DEP to develop a detailed plan mapping all abandoned mines, identifying the most dangerous sites (like those threatening structures or water quality), and ranking reclamation projects by priority and cost. The DEP can implement reclamation through its own work, contracts with private firms, or grants to local governments or landowners, while seeking federal funding. Property owners must allow DEP access for reclamation work after notice (with accommodations for timing), but the bill explicitly prohibits requiring landowners to pay for these efforts. This directly affects residents living near abandoned mines and property owners in affected areas.

Maddy summaryACR 126 is a concurrent resolution expressing the New Jersey Legislature's intent to revise the School Funding Reform Act of 2008 (SFRA) to prevent abrupt state aid cuts for school districts. It specifically targets districts in the Highlands Region (protected by the Highlands Water Protection Act) and other areas with development restrictions, which limit their ability to raise local taxes to offset aid losses. The resolution highlights that eliminating "adjustment aid" in 2018 under S2 caused significant funding shortfalls, and the current formula disadvantages these districts due to restricted housing and business growth. This resolution does not change the law but formally urges the state to revise the SFRA to stabilize funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4451) exempts medical alert devices and services from New Jersey's sales and use tax. It directly affects subscribers - typically elderly or vulnerable individuals - who use these devices to send emergency signals to assistance operators. The key provision amends tax law to add "medical alert devices" (electronic devices for sending emergency signals) and "medical alert services" (the subscription providing these devices and operator access) to the list of tax-exempt medical items. This change removes the tax burden on these devices and services, making them more affordable for users.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4457) would require the New Jersey Board of Nursing to establish specific timeframes for reviewing certain nursing credential applications. It amends existing law (P.L.1947, c.262) to mandate these review timelines, directly affecting nursing applicants seeking licensure or credential renewal and the Board in its processing duties. However, the provided bill text does not include the exact timeframes (e.g., 30 days, 60 days) or specific procedural details of the amendment. Without these concrete provisions in the context, the key mechanisms cannot be described. The bill focuses on streamlining the application process but lacks the detailed language needed for a full summary.