Rep. Jessica Ramirez

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the sale of cosmetics, carpets, and fabric treatments containing intentionally added PFAS (forever chemicals) starting two years after enactment. It also requires cookware manufacturers to notify consumers if their products contain PFAS. The law directly affects manufacturers of these consumer goods and aims to reduce human exposure to PFAS, which accumulate in the environment and are linked to health issues like cancer. The bill mandates state-funded research and educational programs about PFAS to protect public health.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires midwives and physicians in New Jersey to provide pregnant patients with written, evidence-based information about all available birthing options (including hospital births, home births, C-sections, and associated health risks) before labor begins. It mandates this information be provided in English and at least seven common non-English languages spoken by limited-English-proficiency residents, based on census data, during the initial consultation and annually thereafter. The content must cover all options, medication risks (like epidurals), and insurance coverage details. The law applies directly to pregnant patients receiving care from certified midwives or physicians in New Jersey. The Department of Health must create rules to implement these requirements within 180 days of enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires midwives and physicians providing obstetric care in New Jersey to give pregnant patients written, evidence-based information about all available birthing options before delivery. It mandates that this information be provided in English and at least seven common non-English languages (based on Census data), covering options like hospital births, home births, scheduled C-sections, medications (including epidurals and Pitocin), associated health risks, and insurance coverage details. Providers must offer this information during the initial consultation and again before labor begins, with annual updates in the patient's preferred language. The Department of Health will create implementing rules, and the law takes effect 180 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the New Jersey Suicide Hopeline to make follow-up calls to minors aged 16 or older who are identified as being at high risk of suicide without requiring parental consent. It amends state law to make a minor's consent for these follow-up calls valid and binding as if they were an adult, and confidential - meaning operators do not need to report the calls to parents or guardians. Currently, national guidelines for suicide hotlines require parental permission for such follow-ups, but this bill removes that barrier for minors 16+ seeking mental health support. The policy directly affects at-risk youth aged 16 and older who contact the Suicide Hopeline for crisis counseling.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4374) makes two specific violations of New Jersey's Prevailing Wage Act criminal offenses. It targets employers who knowingly falsify payroll records for public construction projects or submit false information on contractor registration forms. Currently, these violations result in fines up to $25,000 and disqualification from public work; the bill upgrades them to a fourth-degree crime punishable by up to $10,000 in fines, 18 months in jail, or both. The law applies directly to employers working on state or local public construction projects requiring prevailing wage compliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school staff (including those in after-school programs) to complete epilepsy and seizure disorder care training every five years. It directly affects school boards, administrators, and all school personnel who interact with students. The key provision mandates that training must be provided through a Department of Health-approved course from a nonprofit epilepsy support organization. This ensures staff can recognize seizures, provide appropriate care, and know when to seek help, as outlined in individualized health plans developed with parent input and physician guidance. The law applies to all schools in the state and takes effect at the start of the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits rental property owners and property management software companies from coordinating to restrict competition on rent prices. It bans using software that collects and analyzes rental data (like prices and lease terms) from multiple landlords to recommend or fix rents, which the bill identifies as a cause of rising rents in New Jersey. The law makes it illegal for owners to subscribe to such "coordinating" services, for software companies to facilitate price-fixing agreements, or for landlords to engage in "consciously parallel pricing coordination." Violations will be enforced under New Jersey's existing Antitrust Act, with new public education efforts to inform renters about reporting suspected violations.

Maddy summarySJR 96 permanently designates August 17th as "Nonprofit Day" in New Jersey to honor the state's over 40,000 nonprofit organizations. The resolution requires the governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public recognition of nonprofits, which employ 330,000 New Jersey residents and contribute $5.3 billion annually to the state's economy through services like food assistance and education. This symbolic resolution aligns New Jersey with a national observance recognizing nonprofits' community impact.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's electric utilities to create special pricing rules (tariffs) for data centers within 180 days of the law taking effect. The tariffs must protect regular electricity customers (non-data center ratepayers) from cost increases caused by data centers' high energy use. Utilities must also design tariffs to encourage data centers to improve energy efficiency, including using technologies that capture and reuse waste heat. The Board of Public Utilities will review and approve these tariffs, and utilities must implement them for all data centers in their service area one year after the law passes.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5195) requires manufacturers to provide written notice to purchasers when selling firefighting personal protective equipment (like jackets, helmets, or gloves) containing chemicals called PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances). The notice must state that PFAS is present, explain why it's used, and list the specific chemicals. Beginning six months after the bill takes effect, manufacturers must provide this notice at sale, and both parties must keep copies for three years. Two years later, the bill prohibits selling, manufacturing, or distributing firefighting gear that intentionally contains PFAS. It directly affects manufacturers of firefighting PPE and fire departments purchasing this equipment.