Asm. Heather Simmons

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 3-year pilot program requiring counties to create "Code Red" alert systems for extreme heat or poor air quality events. It directly affects at-risk individuals (defined as those living outdoors or in poorly insulated settings) by mandating counties to coordinate cooling centers, outreach plans, and transportation through municipal and social service partners. Alerts trigger when the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory or air quality index reaches 151, with counties reporting program outcomes to the State Office of Emergency Management by the 30th month. The program expires after three years, with counties eligible for reimbursement of administrative costs. (Note: Bill was withdrawn January 13, 2026, as it was incorporated into P.L.2025, c.297.)

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a program to help New Jersey veterinarians with student loan debt. It allows eligible large animal veterinarians who work in state-designated underserved areas to have 20% of their student loan debt redeemed each year, up to 100% after five years of service. To qualify, participants must be New Jersey residents, graduates of an approved veterinary school, have completed a residency program, and agree to practice large animal veterinary medicine in an underserved area. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority administers the program, matching participants to designated areas with veterinarian shortages. The program requires annual proof of employment and allows for contract termination under specific circumstances like disability or death.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits operating drones below 250 feet over school property without permission. Specifically, it makes it a disorderly persons offense to use a drone for surveillance, hover over school grounds, or use school buildings as takeoff/landing areas without the superintendent's written authorization. The law applies to all public and nonpublic K-12 schools in New Jersey. Violations carry penalties of up to six months in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. The bill aims to protect student safety and privacy by restricting unauthorized drone activity near schools.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Farmland Assessment Act to clarify that farmland owners who stop farming activities (e.g., due to retirement or disability) will not face "roll-back taxes" unless they actively convert the land to non-farming use (like building homes). Roll-back taxes are additional fees calculated as the difference between taxes paid under agricultural assessment and standard property taxes for the current year and the two prior years. The change specifically responds to a 1981 court ruling that deemed it unfair to tax owners who ceased farming without changing land use. It directly affects New Jersey farmland owners who may discontinue agricultural activity but do not develop the property.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3426) sets new requirements for members of New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU). It mandates that at least two members have at least three years of professional experience in areas like energy policy, utility regulation, or infrastructure, while at least one member must have experience in consumer advocacy or ratepayer representation. The bill also requires BPU members to reside in diverse geographic areas across the state (urban, suburban, rural) and complete 12 hours annually of training on topics including energy markets, grid modernization, and utility rate-setting. All training must be documented and submitted to the Governor and Legislature each year.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new requirements for work breaks and wage standards in warehouse employment. It directly affects large warehouse employers (those with 100+ workers at a single facility or 1,000+ across multiple facilities) and their employees. Key provisions include defining "fair wage" as compensation meeting minimum living costs and prohibiting "oppressive and unreasonable wage" practices, such as setting pay through quotas that violate the law. The bill also clarifies that wages must include pay for meal and rest periods, and it introduces definitions for "employee work speed data" collected by warehouse employers.

Maddy summaryThis bill would have established criminal penalties (fourth-degree crimes) for employers who knowingly falsify payroll records required under New Jersey's Prevailing Wage Act or make false statements on public works contractor registration forms. It directly affects employers working on public construction projects subject to prevailing wage requirements. Currently, such violations are punishable only as minor offenses (up to 90 days in jail), but this bill would have increased penalties to up to 18 months in jail or $10,000 fines. The bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was approved as part of P.L.2025, c.356, meaning the changes are now law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A-2540, "Cancer Patient Care and Compassion Act") requires health insurance plans and Medicaid in New Jersey to cover specific cancer treatments without cost-sharing for patients with Stage III, IV, or terminal cancer. It mandates coverage for parenteral treatments (like IV medications), survivorship care plans, and other services determined by regulators. The bill also adds protections: mortgage lenders must pause foreclosure during active treatment, creditors cannot initiate collections, and tenants facing eviction can request a 45-day stay with physician certification. These provisions directly affect cancer patients and their families by removing financial barriers to care and preventing housing/financial instability during treatment. The bill is pending before the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey municipalities to conduct a regional impact study before approving large warehouse developments. It mandates that municipalities assess effects on traffic, environment, and community resources in the host municipality and neighboring areas. After approval, municipalities must reassess all property values to ensure fair tax revenue distribution across the community. The law directly affects developers seeking permits for large warehouses and local governments managing land use planning.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A1684) amends New Jersey's brewery licensing laws but does not actually address wine shipping as its title suggests. The provided text only describes changes to *brewery* license classifications (for malt alcoholic beverages), including new tiers for breweries producing up to 300,000 barrels annually. It adds no provisions for wineries or direct wine shipping to consumers, contradicting the bill's title. The bill appears to be mislabeled or incomplete based on the text provided, as the amendments focus solely on brewery operations, not wine. No concrete policy changes for wineries or direct wine shipping are described in the text.