Asm. Shanique Speight

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the title of the "Chief Diversity Officer" to "Chief Supplier Development Officer" within the Department of the Treasury and creates the New Jersey Office of Supplier Development and Business Opportunities. It requires all state agencies and contracting units to collect and report detailed procurement data - including contract awards to certified businesses like minority-owned, women-owned, LGBTQ+-owned, and veteran-owned enterprises - to this office. The office will analyze the data, monitor compliance with contracting goals, provide training to agencies, and develop a cloud-based system to track contracts. This directly affects state agencies responsible for purchasing goods/services and certified businesses seeking state contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public water suppliers in New Jersey to immediately notify local governments and schools whenever a serious drinking water violation occurs under federal EPA rules. Specifically, suppliers must contact municipal officials and school administrators (including charter schools, nonpublic schools, and colleges) via phone and email within the affected area. The notification must detail the contaminant, test results, locations of violations, and suggested remedies for affected customers. It applies to all public water systems and ensures transparency about water safety issues impacting communities and educational institutions.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's Bill A1696 updates optometrists' scope of practice by expanding their ability to provide eye care services. The bill allows optometrists to prescribe pharmaceutical agents (including controlled substances under specific conditions), administer immunizations for coronaviruses, flu, and shingles (for patients 18+), and perform minor procedures like removing superficial foreign bodies or treating chalazions. It also permits certain non-invasive laser/ultrasound treatments (e.g., trabeculoplasty) using only topical anesthesia, while explicitly prohibiting invasive eye surgery, orbital procedures, or general anesthesia. These changes apply to all optometrists practicing in New Jersey and require adherence to CDC guidelines for immunizations and reporting to the state immunization registry.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to issue special license plates featuring the U.S. Coast Guard seal for active or honorably separated Coast Guard members, their spouses, parents, or principal business owners. Applicants pay a $50 one-time fee and a $10 annual fee, with all fees deposited into a dedicated "Coast Guard License Plate Fund" that annually appropriates money to the Coast Guard. The plates must display the Coast Guard emblem, and the design is developed jointly with the Coast Guard, covering administrative costs through the fund. The program is procedural, focusing on recognition and funding for the Coast Guard through license plate fees, not broader policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $20 million from the General Fund to the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) specifically for school facility cleaning and sanitization during the COVID-19 pandemic. It directly affects public school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools that received a health department directive for a closure on or after March 9, 2020. Funds cover disinfectants, cleaning supplies, and increased personnel costs for enhanced cleaning schedules, with allocations based on student enrollment. The DOE must establish an expedited application and disbursement process for these funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires landlords of properties used for child care services (like daycares caring for 6+ children under 13) to install and maintain NSF/ANSI-certified water filters at all fixtures used for drinking, food, or baby formula if they refuse to allow public water systems to replace lead service lines. Landlords must certify annual filter compliance to the Department of Environmental Protection and face civil penalties of up to $500 per day for violations. The requirement applies until lead lines are replaced and for six months afterward, with tenants able to seek court-ordered rent escrow if landlords fail to act. The bill targets lead exposure risks in child care settings where landlords block infrastructure upgrades.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's bill A 2378 establishes a three-year Remote Methadone Dosing Pilot Program to test whether telehealth can improve opioid treatment. It selects one opioid treatment program each in Atlantic City, Camden, and Paterson to offer remote methadone dosing via approved telehealth technology, allowing eligible patients to receive take-home doses with remote monitoring when clinically appropriate. Participating programs must report annually on patient outcomes (like treatment compliance and retention) and cost savings (such as reduced transportation costs), with the state requiring a final report within four years to evaluate expansion potential. The bill appropriates $225,000 total ($75,000 per program) to fund the pilot and support participating opioid treatment programs.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey schools would be required to include age-appropriate instruction on menstrual health and hygiene for students in grades four through 12 as part of their existing health and physical education curriculum. The instruction must cover proper use of menstrual products (including risks like Toxic Shock Syndrome), symptoms and effects of menstrual disorders, the impacts of period poverty (lack of access to products, education, and facilities), and how to seek medical help. Before teaching this topic, schools must notify parents or guardians about the curriculum content and state standards. The law takes effect immediately for the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A3405 requires the Department of Transportation to adopt a complete streets policy for all new and rebuilt highway and public transit projects, ensuring safe access for all users including people with disabilities. It specifically mandates that projects consider the needs of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and those with intellectual or developmental disabilities to enable independent travel. The policy requires the DOT to develop universal design concepts and implementation guidance for these accessibility features in all planning, construction, and maintenance activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance carriers in New Jersey to cover all hospitalization costs for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 without any out-of-pocket expenses, such as deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance. It applies to all health insurance plans offered by companies, health maintenance organizations, and state-run programs like the State Health Benefits Program. The law takes effect immediately for health plans issued or renewed on or after its effective date, ensuring no cost-sharing for eligible hospitalizations related to the virus.