Asm. Rosy Bagolie

Maddy summaryThis bill extends a pause on collecting new student growth objective data for teacher evaluations in New Jersey schools. It applies to the 2024-2025 school year and subsequent years until the next revision of education regulations (N.J.A.C.6A:10). During this pause, school districts must use existing student growth data from the previous year for evaluations, though new teachers or those without prior data must still set objectives and collect data during this period. The pause ends once updated evaluation guidelines are implemented following recommendations from the New Jersey Educator Evaluation Review Task Force. This directly affects teachers, principals, and school districts in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Out-of-School Time Advisory Commission to review before-school, after-school, and summer programs statewide. The 20-member commission includes state agency leaders, legislative appointees, and representatives from child care organizations, educators, and researchers. Its key duties are to assess current programs, develop statewide standards, examine funding sources, and evaluate program quality across urban, suburban, and rural areas. The commission must submit an interim report within one year and a final report within two years, after which it will expire. The bill directly affects all organizations providing out-of-school time programs in New Jersey by setting a framework for their review and improvement.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4652) creates a new offense for "inciting a public brawl" when someone purposefully organizes or promotes a group of four or more people to engage in disorderly conduct. It upgrades penalties for disrupting public gatherings or events, making such conduct a "disorderly persons offense" (up to 6 months jail or $1,000 fine) instead of a lesser "petty disorderly persons offense." The bill also adds a provision penalizing people who conceal their identity during disorderly conduct to avoid arrest. These changes directly affect individuals organizing group disturbances or attempting to hide their identity at public events. The law amends New Jersey statutes N.J.S.2C:33-1 and N.J.S.2C:33-2.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey hospitals with inpatient maternity services and licensed birthing centers to provide lactation counseling to people who have given birth before their discharge. Specifically, facilities must offer either an in-person one-on-one consultation with a certified lactation specialist or a remote consultation via live voice if requested. The counseling must include breastfeeding education, support, care planning, instruction on breastfeeding techniques, recommendations for assistive devices, and health benefit information. The bill ensures lactation specialists cannot be reassigned to non-lactation duties during their shifts and defines "lactation consultant" and "lactation counselor" by specific certification standards.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires health insurance plans to cover additional orthotic and prosthetic appliances when a physician determines they're necessary for physical and recreational activities like running, biking, swimming, and sports. It expands current coverage requirements, which already mandate coverage for basic orthotic and prosthetic appliances that are medically necessary, to include additional devices needed for recreational activities. The bill applies to all health insurance contracts in New Jersey, including hospital, medical, and health service corporations, and requires reimbursement at the same rate as federal Medicare. It would take effect 90 days after enactment for policies issued or renewed after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to determine and consider the lowest reasonable rate of return on a utility's investment when approving rate increases for electric, gas, and water utilities. The BPU must develop or adopt an analytic model based on state, federal, and industry standards to identify this lowest rate. The bill affects all electric, gas, and water public utilities in New Jersey and their customers by changing how rate cases are evaluated. It mandates that the lowest reasonable return be a key factor in determining if rate increases are fair, without setting a specific rate or guaranteeing outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands "Daniel's Law" to protect municipal court administrators by prohibiting the disclosure of their home addresses and unpublished telephone numbers. It directly affects municipal court administrators (including deputy and acting administrators) who were previously not covered by the law. The bill prohibits both government entities and private parties from disclosing these personal details, with violations potentially resulting in civil liability of $1,000 per violation and criminal prosecution. The law already protected judicial officers, law enforcement officers, child protective investigators, and prosecutors, and this expansion extends those safety protections to municipal court administrators who serve in critical roles within the justice system.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits retail food stores from raising prices on staple food items more than once per day. It directly affects stores selling everyday groceries like cereals, bread, meats, dairy, fruits, and vegetables - defined as "staple food goods" intended for home preparation. Stores violating this rule face escalating civil penalties: $1,000 for a first offense, $2,500 for a second, and $5,000 for third or subsequent violations. Enforcement will be handled by New Jersey’s Office of Weights and Measures and the Office of Consumer Protection.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires athletic trainers and coaches in New Jersey public schools (for middle/high school sports, cheerleading, and dance programs) and public colleges to complete a standardized eating disorder awareness training program. The training, developed by the Commissioner of Education with health and education officials, covers identifying eating disorders, prevention strategies, available support services, and protocols for connecting student-athletes with help. Coaches and trainers must complete the training initially within six months of the program's launch and every two years thereafter, with new hires required to complete it within six months of appointment. Additionally, school boards and public universities must adopt protocols for addressing suspected eating disorders among student-athletes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state-funded internship program for New Jersey legislators, allowing each member to hire interns using up to $10,000 annually from a $1.2 million state appropriation. It requires interns to be full- or part-time students at accredited higher education institutions (excluding law and PhD programs), with New Jersey residents or students at NJ schools receiving priority. Participants complete at least one work period in a legislator's district office and receive a $1,000 stipend per period, paid bi-weekly or monthly. The program aims to provide practical experience for students while supporting legislative staff capacity.