Asm. Shanique Speight

Maddy summaryThis bill allows a request for guardianship to be filed up to six months before a minor turns 18, if the minor is expected to need a legal guardian at age 18. The guardianship arrangement would only become effective on the minor's 18th birthday, preventing gaps in legal protection during the transition to adulthood. It also requires that such requests cannot be withdrawn without proof the minor is deceased or has decision-making capacity, which can be shown through testimony rather than medical evidence. This change aims to streamline the process for minors who require ongoing guardianship support after turning 18.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3041 prohibits cooperatives from receiving public works contracts if any member contractor or subcontractor within the cooperative has failed to pay prevailing wages. The bill extends a three-year ban (currently applied to individual contractors) to cover entire cooperatives, meaning a cooperative cannot win contracts if one of its members violates wage laws. It defines a "cooperative" as a business with collective ownership and long-term member control, and includes a process for affected cooperatives to request a hearing if they believe the ban is wrongly applied. The prohibition applies to all cooperative entities with a member on the prevailing wage violation list, lasting three years from the date of listing.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows pharmacists to provide HIV prevention drugs (both PrEP for ongoing protection and PEP for emergency use after potential exposure) without a specific doctor's prescription under certain conditions. It directly affects patients seeking HIV prevention, pharmacists who will administer these services, and health insurance companies. Pharmacists must complete required training, verify patients have a recent negative HIV test (within 7 days), check for medication conflicts, and provide up to 90 days of medication. The bill also requires health insurance plans to cover these HIV prevention drugs under prescription benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4280) allows Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to administer glucagon and perform blood glucose tests, expanding their current scope of practice. Currently, only Mobile Intensive Care Paramedics (with advanced training) can do this, while EMTs (trained in basic life support) cannot. To qualify, EMTs must complete approved training, pass an exam, and be certified by the New Jersey Department of Health, with certification details maintained in a public registry. The policy change directly affects EMTs seeking expanded certification and patients with diabetes experiencing severe low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) who require immediate intervention.

Maddy summaryThis bill sets a minimum daily reimbursement rate of $1,100 for special care nursing facilities in New Jersey that operate approved units for neurologically impaired young adults. It applies specifically to facilities holding a Department of Health certificate of need as of July 1, 2023, and must meet all state and federal licensing, safety, and quality standards. Starting January 1, 2024, these facilities will receive reimbursement at the higher of their 2022 rate or $1,100 per day under the NJ FamilyCare program (New Jersey's Medicaid program). The policy directly affects these specialized nursing facilities by ensuring a baseline payment level for their care services.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to create and run a single online portal where educators can submit one application to apply for teaching jobs across all public schools in the state. The portal must be operational within 90 days of the bill's enactment and aims to help educators connect with job openings more easily while increasing information sharing about available positions. It mandates strong data privacy and security standards for applicant information. School districts can still use their own application systems alongside this portal and may request additional materials from applicants.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state agencies - including departments, commissions, public authorities, and other government entities - to make their websites fully accessible to people with disabilities and compatible with mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. It mandates compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA standard (or newer versions) for all agency websites. State agencies must obtain certification from the Chief Technology Officer within two years of the bill's effective date, with recertification required every two years thereafter. The law applies to all existing and new government websites, ensuring they can be navigated, viewed, and accessed by people with disabilities across all devices.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services to create a public awareness campaign about doulas. It mandates the campaign to explain doulas' role before, during, and after pregnancy; describe their services and benefits; and list free or low-cost resources for doula care. The campaign must develop materials in the top 10 languages spoken in New Jersey and distribute them online and through health clinics, WIC offices, Planned Parenthood, pharmacies, and community organizations. The bill directly affects residents seeking maternal care by improving access to information about doula services, without changing healthcare eligibility or funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public school staff in New Jersey to complete training on caring for students with epilepsy or seizure disorders every two years. It directly affects school staff (including teachers, coaches, and support personnel) and students with these conditions. The training, provided through Department of Health-approved courses by nonprofit organizations, covers recognizing seizures, emergency response, and daily care. This update builds on existing law (P.L.2019, c.290) that already requires schools to develop individualized health plans for affected students but adds the mandatory biennial staff training requirement. The law applies to all school-sponsored activities, including those outside regular school hours.

Maddy summaryThe Protecting Against Forever Chemicals Act prohibits the sale of certain products containing intentionally added PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances), including cosmetics, carpets, fabric treatments, and food packaging, beginning two years after the act's effective date. Manufacturers must notify the Department of Environmental Protection about PFAS in their products within one year of the act's effective date and pay a $1,000 fee per notification. The act requires cookware containing PFAS in contact with food to display a clear label stating "This product contains PFAS" in both English and Spanish. The Department of Environmental Protection must establish a source reduction program and conduct PFAS research, funded by a $5 million appropriation from the General Fund. The bill allows products with trace amounts of PFAS from unavoidable impurities to continue being sold, focusing on prohibiting the intentional addition of PFAS rather than trace amounts.