Asm. Heather Simmons

Maddy summaryThis bill (A6191) requires New Jersey dialysis centers to allow patients to have a designated support person present during treatment for assistance with communication, mobility, or decision-making. It mandates that centers establish reasonable health and safety policies for support persons (without unnecessary restrictions), post these policies visibly, and train staff on them. The New Jersey Department of Health will enforce the law, investigate complaints from patients denied support persons, and impose penalties on non-compliant centers. The law directly affects dialysis patients and centers statewide, effective immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new "alternative compliance payment" (ACP) option for electric power suppliers in New Jersey. Instead of meeting Class II renewable energy generation requirements directly, suppliers may pay a set dollar amount per megawatt hour to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. The ACP mechanism applies specifically to Class II renewable energy targets under existing law (P.L.1999, c.23), providing a financial alternative to generating renewable power. This change directly affects electricity providers who choose this payment method to comply with state renewable energy mandates.

Maddy summaryBill A4372 allows educational research and services corporations to contract for any goods or services - including educational technology, consulting, staffing, and related support - on behalf of member institutions like public colleges, school districts, and municipalities. The bill exempts these contracts from public bidding requirements under New Jersey law, including the County College and State College Contracts Laws. It broadens the scope of agreements these corporations can enter into and classifies them as "shared services agreements," streamlining procurement without standard public bidding processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4971) creates a "Small Business Interruption Grant Program" administered by New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (EDA). It provides grants to small businesses in low-income communities (defined as municipalities under 10,000 population with >7.5% poverty rate) that suffered economic loss due to prolonged state infrastructure or construction projects. Grants are based on actual or projected revenue loss from closures or reduced business, with $750,000 appropriated from the General Fund to fund the program. Businesses must independently own and operate (<100 employees), be located in a qualifying community, and demonstrate project-related revenue loss to qualify.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires contractors and subcontractors working on public projects to submit payroll records to New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD). It applies to any business performing work for public bodies (like state/local governments or projects funded by public money), including construction, maintenance, or repair work. The key mechanism mandates that these contractors must register with DOLWD and provide payroll details to verify compliance with prevailing wage laws and apprenticeship program requirements. This affects all employers engaged in public work contracts, ensuring transparency in worker compensation and program participation.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5601) requires New Jersey state agencies to offer businesses an optional electronic service for receiving certain legally required notices, such as violation alerts, underpayment notifications, and unemployment claims. It applies to all state departments, agencies, and related entities (defined as "State entities" in the bill). Within 60 days of the bill's effective date, these entities must notify affected businesses about the electronic option and provide instructions to opt in. The bill takes effect 90 days after enactment, making electronic notices a standard but voluntary option for businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey state agencies to extend the 60-day cure period for certain business violations by an additional 30 days, if the agency determines denial would be contrary to equity and good conscience. It applies to businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees (or equivalent) facing first-time violations that don’t endanger public safety, harm the environment, or affect employee income. The extension applies only to violations not related to criminal activity, intentional acts, labor laws, or federal program requirements. Agencies must provide written notice of the violation to trigger the cure period, and must report waived infractions annually on their public websites. The bill amends existing law (P.L.2023, c.28) to add this extension provision.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to collaborate with neighboring states to research alternatives to PJM Interconnection's current electricity capacity market. It directs the BPU to propose one of three specific actions by December 2025: (1) require utilities to secure 80% of their future capacity through direct contracts with energy providers, (2) withdraw from PJM's market and develop a regional compact for alternative capacity sourcing, or (3) exit PJM's transmission grid to build an independent grid or join another regional system. The bill responds to concerns that PJM's capacity auction system has caused record-high costs - $14.7 billion for consumers in 2025/2026, up from $2.2 billion previously - due to market flaws and lack of state input. The proposal aims to address these issues and improve affordability for electricity ratepayers.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a public awareness campaign and multilingual call center to help New Jersey residents understand and apply for six property tax relief programs, including the ANCHOR, Homestead, and Stay NJ programs. The campaign will provide clear information on eligibility, application processes, and required documentation for these programs, while the call center offers real-time assistance navigating applications. The Stay NJ Task Force must submit annual reports detailing program administration, including applications processed, payments made, and recommendations for system improvements. These requirements aim to simplify access to tax relief for eligible homeowners, seniors, veterans, and disabled residents. The bill mandates these changes without altering the existing programs' eligibility or benefit amounts.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3663 requires the Department of State to create a public "Reproductive Health Travel Advisory" for residents. The advisory will inform pregnant New Jersey residents about state laws restricting reproductive healthcare access in other U.S. states, using a color-coded system: Blue (full access), Yellow (restricted access), and Red (extreme restrictions risking health or legal consequences). The advisory must be published online and updated whenever other states change their reproductive healthcare laws. This bill directly affects pregnant New Jersey residents planning travel who may need emergency reproductive care.