Asm. Rosy Bagolie

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Assembly Resolution AR 127 is a symbolic statement condemning Arizona's Supreme Court ruling in *Planned Parenthood v. Mayes*, which enforced an outdated 1864 abortion ban. The resolution does not change laws but formally opposes Arizona's decision to uphold a near-total abortion ban without exceptions for rape or incest. It reaffirms New Jersey's existing commitment to protecting residents' access to reproductive health care services, as established by state law. This resolution has no legal effect on Arizona or New Jersey policy but expresses legislative disapproval of the Arizona court's action.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance companies, hospitals, and healthcare providers in New Jersey to stop sharing an individual's identifying information (like address or phone number) with a policyholder or other person covered under the same health plan if that individual has a valid court protection order against them. It also lets individuals request alternative contact methods for billing information if sharing their details could endanger them. Healthcare providers must then use only the designated contact method for all claim-related communications. The law applies to all health insurance carriers and providers, including those serving minors (with parents/guardians acting on their behalf).

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public colleges and universities in New Jersey to create and maintain cybersecurity plans. These plans must address monitoring systems for threats, assessing risks, preventing breaches, and responding to incidents. Institutions must consult with the state's Cybersecurity Center for best practices, update their plans regularly to match new technology, and report any cyberattacks to the state Office of Homeland Security within 24 hours. The law directly affects New Jersey's public higher education institutions and aims to strengthen their protection against digital threats.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination to explicitly protect individuals from discrimination based on membership in a labor organization. It expands the definition of "labor organization" to include any group formed for collective bargaining or mutual aid among employees, and adds membership in such organizations to the list of protected characteristics. This means employers, labor organizations, and others cannot discriminate against employees or job applicants based on their membership in a labor union or employee representation committee. The law already protects people from discrimination based on characteristics like race, gender, and disability; this bill extends that protection to include labor organization membership.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 13-member Youth Sports Task Force in New Jersey to study and address issues in youth sports. The task force, appointed by legislative leaders and the Governor, includes experts on bullying, parents/guardians of athletes, youth victims of bullying, and coaches representing different youth sports settings. It will examine specific issues including protecting athletes from unscrupulous for-profit sports entities, financial oversight for youth sports organizations, coach training to recognize bullying, parent education on abusive coaching, and safeguarding sports officials from abuse. The task force must issue a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year of its formation, after which it will expire.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A4120 prohibits public libraries (including county, regional, and municipal types) and school districts from banning or restricting access to books based on political or religious views. It requires these entities to adopt the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights or a similar policy explicitly banning such restrictions. Noncompliant libraries risk losing state library aid, while noncompliant school districts could face withheld education funding. The law explicitly states it does not require libraries or schools to purchase specific books for their collections.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A4135 (A4135) requires all counties to establish crisis intervention services programs for law enforcement officers, firefighters, and sheriff's officers. The bill mandates counties provide up to 12 counseling sessions (with possible additional sessions within one year) for first responders affected by critical incidents like witnessing trauma, dangerous child crime investigations, or life-threatening rescues. Employers cannot require use of paid leave for counseling attendance, and if deemed unfit for duty during counseling, employees receive full pay/benefits for up to 30 days per incident. Counties must report program data annually to the state, and the state will reimburse counties for program costs. The law expands eligibility to include volunteer firefighters, 9-1-1 dispatchers, and state-employed officers residing in or working within the county.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Educator Evaluation Review Task Force to study and evaluate the state's current teacher and administrator evaluation system under the TEACHNJ Act. The 12-member task force, including educators, principals, and education organization representatives, must report findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by September 30, 2024. It temporarily pauses new student growth data collection for the 2024-2025 school year, requiring schools to use existing data instead - except for new, non-tenured, or first-year teachers who must set new objectives during that year. Starting in 2025-2026, school districts will implement updated data collection guidelines based on the task force's final recommendations. The bill directly affects all public school teachers, principals, and administrators in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis symbolic Assembly Resolution (AR 122) condemns the Alabama Supreme Court ruling in *LePage v. Mobile Infirmary Clinic* (which treats embryos as "extrauterine children") and federal bill H.R. 431 (which would extend constitutional personhood to embryos from fertilization). It reaffirms New Jersey’s existing protections for reproductive health care access, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), which the state already supports through laws requiring insurance coverage for fertility services. The resolution does not create new legal requirements but publicly opposes actions that threaten IVF access and reproductive freedom. New Jersey has previously enacted measures to shield patients and providers from out-of-state prosecution for legally accessed reproductive care.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey school districts experiencing reductions in state school aid to temporarily increase their property tax levies beyond the usual 2% cap. It specifically provides adjustments equal to the amount of state aid lost in the 2023-2024 or 2024-2025 school years, or to reach adequate funding levels after 2024-2025. The bill prohibits districts using these adjustments from reducing teacher staffing or cutting appropriations for instruction and support services, though the Commissioner of Education may approve such reductions in specific circumstances. This policy change helps districts maintain budget stability when state funding decreases without requiring voter approval for tax increases beyond standard limits.