Asm. Alixon Collazos-Gill

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans and Medicaid in New Jersey to cover treatment for stuttering, including habilitative and rehabilitative speech therapy as determined medically necessary by a patient's doctor. The coverage must be provided without prior authorization, utilization management requirements, or any cost-sharing such as deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. It applies to all insurance types including individual and group health plans, health maintenance organizations, and Medicaid, and covers both in-person and telehealth services. The bill defines habilitative speech therapy as therapy that helps a person keep, learn, or improve daily living skills, and rehabilitative speech therapy as therapy that helps restore or improve skills that have been lost or impaired. This legislation would directly affect individuals with stuttering who rely on insurance or Medicaid for speech therapy services.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Midwifery Licensing Act, establishing a new State Board of Midwifery to regulate midwifery practice in New Jersey, replacing the current system where midwifery was regulated by the State Board of Medical Examiners. The new board, consisting of 11 members including seven midwives, will handle licensure, set qualifications, and oversee continuing education requirements, including mandatory training on implicit and explicit bias. The bill authorizes certified midwives to prescribe medications after completing pharmacology training and requires health insurance providers to cover home births when approved. Existing midwives licensed under previous regulations will transition to the new system without needing to reapply.

Maddy summaryS 3587 upgrades retail theft offenses in New Jersey, including elevating "leader of organized retail theft enterprise" to a first-degree crime punishable by 10-20 years in prison. The bill creates a new offense for "fostering the sale of stolen property" (including online sales), which is a disorderly persons offense punishable by up to six months in jail. It establishes a retail theft unit within the Department of Law and Public Safety to investigate and prosecute organized retail theft, appropriating $1 million for this purpose. The bill also includes new requirements for gift card sales to prevent fraud, such as mandatory notices for retailers and packaging restrictions for both open- and closed-loop gift cards.

Maddy summarySJR 140 designates March of each year as "Amyloidosis Awareness Month" in New Jersey. This symbolic resolution aims to educate the public about amyloidosis - a rare disease involving abnormal protein buildup in organs - and its symptoms, such as fatigue, swelling, and nerve issues. It does not create new laws or provide funding but requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public awareness activities. The resolution directly affects New Jersey residents by promoting early diagnosis, which can help improve outcomes for those with the disease. It is a procedural measure focused on public education, not policy or treatment changes.

Maddy summaryAJR 202 designates March each year as "Amyloidosis Awareness Month" in New Jersey. The resolution aims to educate the public about amyloidosis symptoms - such as fatigue, numbness, swelling, and organ-related issues - to encourage earlier diagnosis and improve outcomes for those affected. It requires the governor to issue an annual proclamation urging public awareness activities. The bill does not create new laws, funding, or medical treatments, but focuses solely on raising public knowledge about this rare disease. This designation directly affects New Jersey residents, patients with amyloidosis, and healthcare providers by promoting timely recognition of symptoms.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the State House Complex Welcome Center as the "Governor Richard J. Codey Welcome Center." The State Capitol Joint Management Commission must rename the facility and install appropriate signage, with authorization to accept public or private funding for the signage costs. It does not alter any policies or affect specific groups beyond honoring Governor Codey's legacy through a facility name change.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows specific New Jersey school districts facing state aid cuts or a 6% growth limit (as noted in the February 2025 state aid notice) to submit their 2025-2026 budgets after the state’s FY2026 budget is enacted. It applies only to districts where the aid reduction or eliminated growth exceeds their unused tax authority ("banked cap"). The Commissioner of Education must permit this delayed submission and adjust the budget calendar to a compressed timeline. The change is limited to the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a fee refund program for New Jersey businesses applying for state permits, licenses, or certifications. State agencies must submit detailed catalogs of their permit types, fees, and processing times to the Governor, who will then set recommended processing deadlines. If an agency exceeds these deadlines after receiving a complete application, it must refund the application fee (to the extent allowed by law), without affecting the application's outcome. The program applies to all state departments, boards, commissions, and authorities issuing such permits.

Maddy summaryS 3466 extends the special appraisal process for Green Acres and farmland preservation programs in the Highlands Region through 2029, requiring landowners to be provided with two appraisal values when selling property for preservation. The bill allocates $7.5 million annually from constitutionally dedicated Corporation Business Tax revenue to the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council for land preservation, with $5 million for recreation and conservation and $2.5 million for farmland preservation. It creates a new "Preserve New Jersey Highlands Preservation Fund" to support land acquisition and conservation efforts in the Highlands Region, including matching federal funding for watershed protection. The bill also requires distributing state aid to municipalities hosting watershed lands that don't receive existing watershed moratorium offset aid.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Jersey Strong Public Service Scholarship Program, providing scholarships to New Jersey residents employed full-time in public service sectors facing critical workforce shortages (such as hospitals, public schools, or first responder roles). Students who complete one year of qualifying employment receive up to $25,000 for two years of college at a public NJ institution, while those completing two years receive up to $50,000 for four years. To qualify, applicants must be NJ residents and citizens, have graduated from a NJ high school within the past year (or soon), and apply for other financial aid before receiving the scholarship. The program requires repayment if students are dismissed from school or withdraw without approval, but exempts repayment for approved withdrawals due to medical or family emergencies.