Asm. Shanique Speight

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Medicaid program to cover community violence prevention services, directly affecting eligible residents who need such support. It also creates a formal training and certification program to standardize the qualifications of professionals working in violence prevention. By adding these specific services to Medicaid benefits and establishing a credentialing system, the legislation aims to expand access to prevention resources while ensuring providers meet defined standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new criminal offense for landlords who harass residential tenants with the intent to force them out of their homes. It defines harassment to include actions such as cutting off essential services, threatening violence, repeatedly entering the property, or filing frivolous eviction cases. The law also expands liability for members of limited liability companies that own rental properties, holding them personally accountable for these actions. Penalties range from disorderly persons offenses to fourth- or third-degree crimes depending on the severity and frequency of the behavior, while also allowing victims to seek civil penalties and damages. Additionally, the bill provides a mechanism for prosecutors to delay charges if the landlord agrees to fix the problematic behavior within ten days.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a five-year pilot program in New Jersey to fund workforce readiness activities for youth aged 12 to 19. The $5 million appropriation will be distributed through competitive grants to community-based organizations and partnerships that offer out-of-school time programs, such as after-school or summer activities. These programs aim to provide education and training that help young people develop the skills needed for employment while also engaging local employers in addressing workforce needs. The legislation defines eligible partners as nonprofit groups with proven expertise in career pathways and data tracking to measure student progress.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs to investigate complaints alleging excessive or discriminatory rent increases in affordable housing units. It defines excessive rent as charges that exceed legal limits, rise by more than 10 percent without justification, or conflict with approved rent schedules, and allows tenants and housing officials to report such issues. Upon receiving a complaint, the Division must investigate within 30 days and issue a determination within 90 days, while owners found guilty of violations face civil penalties ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 per offense and must pay restitution to affected tenants. Additionally, the law prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenants who file complaints and mandates an annual report on the number of investigations and violations found.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires NJ FamilyCare, New Jersey's public health insurance program, to cover prescriptions for healthy foods for certain enrollees. It defines a food prescription as a written order from a healthcare provider for specific foods to treat diet-related health conditions. The legislation amends existing state laws to establish a program that supports small food retailers and pharmacies in stocking and selling fresh produce and other nutritious items at affordable prices. By covering these food prescriptions, the bill aims to improve access to healthy foods for low-income residents, particularly those in areas with limited grocery options. The changes apply to NJ FamilyCare participants who receive healthcare provider prescriptions for specific healthy foods as part of their treatment plans.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) to identify and publicly post on its website employment opportunities with minimal entry barriers for people returning to work after incarceration. It directly affects formerly incarcerated individuals who face employment challenges like employer stigma and lack of educational opportunities. The key mechanism is DOLWD's ongoing duty to list jobs that have low barriers to entry and high demand. The bill aims to improve reintegration into the workforce by making accessible job listings available to this population, without specifying how employers will be engaged or how success will be measured.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the monthly personal needs allowance (PNA) from $50 to $140 for low-income residents in nursing homes, state/county psychiatric hospitals, and state developmental centers. It directly affects eligible residents who receive medical assistance under New Jersey’s Medicaid program but are not eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The allowance is intended for personal discretionary spending on items like phone calls, meals out, clothing, or hobbies. The amount will automatically increase annually starting January 1 after enactment, adjusted by the same percentage as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P) to create suicide screening and crisis response training for its child welfare caseworkers. The training must cover recognizing suicide risk in youth, immediate response protocols, and coordinating care with mental health providers and schools. All DCP&P caseworkers must complete this training during initial onboarding and every two years, with existing staff required to finish it within 24 months of the bill's effective date. The mandate aims to equip workers handling child abuse/neglect cases with standardized tools to address youth mental health crises.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Family Development to maintain a waiting list for income-eligible applicants whose child care assistance applications cannot be processed immediately due to limited funding. It mandates the division to create procedures for adding applicants to the list, notify them when funding becomes available (including via website), and publish an annual report tracking key metrics like applications received, approvals, and those placed on the waiting list. The law directly affects low-income families seeking state child care assistance who face funding delays. The report must be published online and submitted to the Governor and Legislature annually.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a minimum Medicaid reimbursement rate for structured day program services provided to New Jersey Medicaid beneficiaries with brain injuries. It requires that these rates match the average reimbursement for Day Habilitation Services Tiers D and E (currently $9.89 per 15 minutes) as used for developmental disability services. The policy directly affects approved brain injury service providers who deliver these programs to Medicaid beneficiaries. This amendment expands existing law, which previously only set minimum rates for community residential services, to now include structured day program services.