Asm. Marisa Sweeney

Maddy summaryThis bill increases annual cigarette and tobacco tax revenue allocated to the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research from $1 million to $10 million and creates a dedicated, non-lapsing Cancer Research Fund within the state treasury. The fund will be managed by the State Treasurer and used exclusively for grants and contracts supporting general cancer research and pediatric cancer research, with at least $5 million each year designated for each category. By establishing a revolving fund, the bill ensures that money and any earned interest remain available for future research projects rather than being transferred to the general budget each year.

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 provides an additional $4.8 million in state funding to Jefferson Township Public Schools for operational costs. The supplemental appropriation directly supports the school district by closing a current budget shortfall in its day-to-day expenses. The funds will be added to New Jersey's education budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year under the Department of Education's operational aid category. This targeted financial aid helps the district cover essential costs like staffing and utilities without requiring local tax increases.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4191) raises the criminal penalty for trespassing into a domestic violence victim's home when a restraining order is in place. It makes such trespass a third-degree crime (carrying 3-5 years in prison or a $15,000 fine) if the person enters intending to cause injury or commit a crime. The law creates a rebuttable presumption of intent to harm if the perpetrator has a restraining order against them or has been charged in a domestic violence case. This directly affects domestic violence victims protected by court orders and perpetrators violating those orders. The key change is elevating the offense level and removing the presumption against incarceration for these specific violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4265) requires New Jersey's Medicaid program to set reimbursement rates for certain primary care and mental health services at no less than 100% of the corresponding Medicare rates, effective July 1, 2023, and annually thereafter. It directly affects Medicaid providers - including family physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, and mental health specialists like clinical social workers and psychiatrists - who serve Medicaid patients. The law mandates that Medicaid rates for these services cannot be lower than Medicare rates, but does not require rate decreases from prior years. It also requires the state to submit a report within one year on implementation impacts, including changes in access and quality of care for Medicaid beneficiaries.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill A 2738 amends the state's child endangerment law to create penalties for using social media to endanger children. It specifically targets individuals who knowingly share or distribute content via electronic communication (including social media platforms) that harms a child's physical, mental, or moral welfare under age 18. The law defines "child endangerment" through electronic communication as actions likely to cause harm, with penalties ranging from a third-degree crime for most people to a second-degree crime if the person has legal care responsibility for the child. The bill excludes Section 230 providers (like social media platforms themselves) from liability under this provision.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires drivers to stop at least 25 feet from school buses loading/unloading children or individuals with developmental disabilities on undivided highways, and to slow to 10 mph on divided highways. It establishes that violations captured by school bus monitoring systems (like cameras) will result in a $300 civil penalty instead of criminal charges or license points. The law directly affects drivers near school buses, school bus operators, and enforcement agencies. Key provisions include standardized stopping distances, speed limits for divided highways, and shifting penalties for monitored violations to a civil fine system. This changes enforcement by prioritizing evidence from monitoring systems to reduce penalties for documented violations.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Assembly Bill A3125 bans the sale of menstrual products containing regulated perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chemicals linked to health concerns. It directly affects manufacturers selling products like tampons, pads, cups, or underwear in New Jersey, prohibiting both intentionally added PFAS and PFAS above trace levels. The bill requires the Department of Environmental Protection to establish a testing system using approved labs, with results available for inspection by the Department of Health. Violations would be treated as consumer fraud under state law, with penalties up to $20,000 per offense, and takes effect two years after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey licensing boards from asking healthcare professionals (like doctors, nurses, and therapists) about their past mental health treatment during license applications or renewals. It allows boards to ask only about current conditions that impair safe practice, with strict confidentiality and guarantees that treated conditions won't lead to license denial. The law requires boards to limit questions to safety-related impairments and ensures responses about past care remain confidential if no impairment exists. This directly affects all healthcare workers seeking or renewing state licenses in New Jersey, aiming to reduce stigma and encourage seeking mental health support.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $175 million from New Jersey's General Fund to the Department of Human Services for Emergency SNAP Replacement Benefits during fiscal year 2026. It directly affects approximately 800,000 New Jersey residents who rely on SNAP benefits, providing monthly replacement payments when their federal SNAP allotment falls short of their certified benefit amount. The replacement benefits, issued via the existing SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer system, cover the difference to restore full monthly benefits, while state rules and food-purchasing restrictions remain unchanged. The state will seek reimbursement from the federal government by June 30, 2026, for all funds used under this provision.