Rep. Heather Simmons

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Broadband Assistance Office within New Jersey's Economic Development Authority to address broadband access inequities. The office will map broadband connectivity, coordinate with state departments, and oversee funding for projects in critical areas (census tracts with low broadband access or high poverty/ethnic minority populations). It creates a State Broadband Fund to provide financial support for broadband infrastructure installation and service for disadvantaged households and rural communities. The bill sets specific broadband speed goals (25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload by 2023, 100 Mbps/100 Mbps by 2027) and requires annual reporting on project outcomes and implementation challenges.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A1143 establishes an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for mental health, substance use treatment, and developmental disability service programs. The COLA, based on the previous year's Consumer Price Index (CPI) from October 1 to September 30 (as published by the U.S. Department of Labor), must be included in state contracts for these programs starting on the bill's effective date. This applies to all state-funded programs - whether fully or partially Medicaid-funded - that are licensed or approved by New Jersey's Department of Human Services. The Department must announce the annual COLA rate each October 1, ensuring service providers receive regular inflation-based funding increases.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses (APNs) in New Jersey, allowing them to practice to the full extent of their training without requiring physician supervision or joint protocols. APNs with more than 24 months or 2,400 hours of experience can practice independently, while those with less experience must maintain a joint protocol with a physician for prescribing medications. The bill updates requirements for prescribing medications (including pharmacology continuing education), authorizing medical cannabis, and practicing anesthesia, and repeals sections of law requiring physician collaboration. These changes aim to improve healthcare access, particularly in underserved areas, by expanding the scope of practice for APNs who are already trained to provide primary and specialty care. The bill also modifies documentation requirements so that APNs can use their own signatures instead of requiring physician endorsements.