Asm. Shanique Speight

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Minority and Women-Owned Businesses State Contractor Remedies Act" requiring New Jersey State agencies to set specific contract utilization goals for minority and women-owned businesses based on a 2024 disparity study. It sets detailed percentages for contracts across different categories, including 24.26% of construction contracts for women-owned businesses and 10.14% for Hispanic American-owned businesses. State agencies must develop annual plans to achieve these goals and make a "good faith effort" to meet them, with remedial actions required if they fail to do so. Prime contractors are also required to make good faith efforts to meet subcontractor goals for minority and women-owned businesses. The bill amends previous set-aside laws by removing goals for minority and women-owned businesses and shifting oversight to the Department of the Treasury's Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to create a program for building electrification and mandates electric public utilities to develop multi-year plans to replace fossil fuel systems with electric alternatives. The plans must meet specific greenhouse gas reduction targets and be cost-effective from a societal perspective, considering environmental benefits like reduced methane emissions. Key mechanisms include converting gas heating/water systems to electric heat pumps, replacing gas appliances with electric models (e.g., induction stoves), and funding contractor training programs. The bill directly affects electric utilities, building owners, and contractors by requiring systemic shifts toward electrified heating, cooking, and industrial processes.

Maddy summaryBill A4163 requires health insurers in New Jersey to cover biomarker testing for diagnosis, treatment, management, or ongoing monitoring of diseases when supported by medical evidence such as FDA approvals, drug labels, or clinical guidelines. The bill applies to all health insurance plans including individual, group, Medicaid, and health maintenance organization contracts. Insurers must provide coverage without causing unnecessary disruption (like multiple biopsies) and must make prior authorization decisions within 24 hours for urgent requests or 72 hours for non-urgent requests. This ensures patients can access precision medical testing that's clinically supported without excessive administrative barriers.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a framework for designating a Public Health Institute in New Jersey to strengthen public health infrastructure. It requires the Commissioner of Health to select a nonprofit entity meeting specific criteria (like being a 501(c)(3) organization with public health expertise) to serve as the Institute. The Institute will coordinate with state health agencies, provide administrative support, develop programs to address racial health disparities, and bridge gaps between public and private health services. A new Public Health Institute Fund within the Department of Health will provide dedicated funding for the Institute’s operations and initiatives.

Maddy summaryS 2236 exempts nursing mothers of children one year old or younger from jury duty in New Jersey. This change adds to existing hardship exemptions under N.J.S.2B:20-10(c)(3)(b), allowing mothers who are nursing or expressing milk to claim exemption without needing to prove additional financial or medical hardship. The policy directly affects nursing mothers summoned for jury service during their infant's first year. The law took effect immediately upon approval (P.L.2025, c.43) and applies to all jury summonses issued after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows pharmacists in New Jersey to transfer Schedule II prescriptions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications between pharmacies, directly affecting patients who need these medications. Currently, patients must obtain a new prescription from their doctor if a pharmacy cannot fill an ADHD prescription; this bill enables direct pharmacy-to-pharmacy transfers instead. The transfer must comply with federal regulations and applies only to ADHD prescriptions for Schedule II drugs (stronger medications like Adderall), not all Schedule II substances. This change aims to improve access during medication shortages and reduce patient wait times.

Maddy summaryAJR 166 is a New Jersey legislative resolution urging the U.S. Congress to advance the creation of a National Museum of the American Latino. Introduced by Assembly members Rodriguez, Collazos-Gill, and Quijano, it calls for Congress to reinstate a 2008 commission and establish the museum as part of the Smithsonian Institution on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., while directing copies to federal leaders and New Jersey's congressional delegation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires used motor vehicle dealers operating in a multi-dealer location (a single building housing multiple dealership offices) to maintain at least four business hours per week, Monday through Saturday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., with the dealer or an authorized representative physically present. It also mandates that a multi-dealer representative must be present Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., without needing authorization for any specific dealership. The bill defines "multi-dealer location" as a building meeting the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission’s regulations for used motor vehicle dealerships. These requirements apply specifically to dealers in such shared-location settings.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans and Medicaid in New Jersey to cover treatment for stuttering, including habilitative and rehabilitative speech therapy as determined medically necessary by a patient's doctor. The coverage must be provided without prior authorization, utilization management requirements, or any cost-sharing such as deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. It applies to all insurance types including individual and group health plans, health maintenance organizations, and Medicaid, and covers both in-person and telehealth services. The bill defines habilitative speech therapy as therapy that helps a person keep, learn, or improve daily living skills, and rehabilitative speech therapy as therapy that helps restore or improve skills that have been lost or impaired. This legislation would directly affect individuals with stuttering who rely on insurance or Medicaid for speech therapy services.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Midwifery Licensing Act, establishing a new State Board of Midwifery to regulate midwifery practice in New Jersey, replacing the current system where midwifery was regulated by the State Board of Medical Examiners. The new board, consisting of 11 members including seven midwives, will handle licensure, set qualifications, and oversee continuing education requirements, including mandatory training on implicit and explicit bias. The bill authorizes certified midwives to prescribe medications after completing pharmacology training and requires health insurance providers to cover home births when approved. Existing midwives licensed under previous regulations will transition to the new system without needing to reapply.