Asm. Carmen Morales

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts to provide reading intervention programs for kindergarten through third-grade students who show reading deficiencies, as identified by approved assessments. The programs must use a data-driven, multi-tiered system of supports to deliver explicit instruction in phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension while monitoring student progress throughout the year. School districts must adopt scientifically based instructional materials, and the Department of Education must provide age-appropriate resources and develop an evaluation process for the program. The law takes effect immediately for the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThe "Louisa Carman Medical Debt Relief Act" prevents credit reporting agencies from including paid medical debt or medical debt under $500 in credit reports, regardless of when the debt was incurred. It prohibits medical creditors and debt collectors from reporting medical debt to credit agencies for services provided after the law takes effect. The bill requires a 180-day waiting period before collection actions can begin and mandates a 30-day notice with a clear payment deadline before starting collections. Additionally, it protects patients by prohibiting debt collection during pending insurance appeals and requiring credit bureaus to remove debt information if an appeal is pending or the debt is paid.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts to screen all students in kindergarten through third grade three times annually using assessments that measure reading skills like phonological awareness and decoding to identify those not reading at grade level or at risk of falling behind. The New Jersey Department of Education must establish a working group on student literacy, contract with at least two approved assessment providers, and make these assessments available to schools. School districts must notify parents within 15 days of a reading concern, provide evidence-based interventions, and annually report screening data to the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies New Jersey's down payment assistance program to provide additional support for first-generation homebuyers. It increases the maximum down payment assistance to $20,000 for first-time homebuyers, with an extra $7,000-$10,000 specifically for first-generation homebuyers (defined as individuals whose parents never owned residential property and who may have been in foster care). The program requires recipients to use the home as their primary residence for five years, complete homebuyer counseling, and repay the loan if they move before the five-year term. The assistance is structured as a zero-interest, forgivable loan if all conditions are met.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "New Jersey Health Care and Privacy Protection Act," prohibiting businesses from disclosing precise geolocation data (within 1,750 feet) of individuals near reproductive health care facilities. It defines such facilities as locations providing legally protected health care activities - including abortion, contraception, and gender-affirming care - and bars businesses from sharing this data or linked personal information. Violating this provision is deemed an unlawful practice under New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act. The law ensures New Jersey statutes govern actions related to these health care services, with no reference to procedural or commemorative elements.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies New Jersey's down payment assistance program to better support first-generation and first-time homebuyers. It increases the maximum zero-interest, forgivable loan amount from $15,000 to $20,000, adds an extra $7,000-$10,000 for first-generation homebuyers (defined as those without parental home ownership history or who were in foster care), and requires recipients to use the home as their primary residence for five years. The program must allocate at least 50% of annual funding to first-generation homebuyers, with detailed reporting on recipient demographics and program effectiveness. This directly affects low-to-moderate income homebuyers seeking to purchase single-family homes through the state’s housing agency.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a three-year grant program (the "UNITY Grant Program") to provide school district employees facing adverse situations with financial support for their dependents' preschool or college education. The Commissioner of Education will administer the program, determine grant amounts, and allow multi-year awards after employees submit applications. It requires an annual report to the Governor and Legislature on program implementation, participants, and recommendations. The program is funded through an appropriation from the General Fund, with no specified cost or timeline beyond the three-year term.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's bill A4668 would strengthen the state's assault weapons ban by revising the definition of "assault firearm" to include more weapons. The bill would classify rifles, shotguns, and pistols as assault weapons if they have just one military-style feature (like a folding stock, pistol grip, thumbhole stock, or additional handgrip), rather than requiring two features as currently required. This change would expand the number of firearms covered under the ban by adding specific features to the definition. The bill affects gun owners, manufacturers, and dealers in New Jersey who possess or sell firearms meeting the new definition.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A4665 requires the state’s Secretary of Higher Education and public colleges/universities to create programs improving Hispanic and Latino representation in leadership roles. Key provisions include establishing leadership development for Hispanic/Latino faculty, building pipelines from undergraduate students to academic careers, and providing institutions with guidance to address barriers in recruitment and retention. Public institutions must adopt diversity-focused policies for leadership search committees and implement specific recruitment programs within 180 days. Each institution must also submit annual reports detailing leadership demographics and program effectiveness to the Secretary, who will compile statewide data for the Governor and Legislature. The bill directly affects all 16 public higher education institutions in New Jersey and Hispanic/Latino faculty/staff seeking leadership opportunities.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey Assembly Resolution (AR 148) condemns Republican members of the U.S. Congress for failing to support Senate Bill 3612 (SB3612), a federal bill designed to protect access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technologies. The resolution specifically notes that 48 Republican senators voted against advancing SB3612 (which would have barred restrictions on IVF access and granted individuals rights to treatment and genetic material), while two Republicans supported it. It affirms New Jersey’s existing commitment to reproductive freedom, including full access to IVF services, as part of the state’s longstanding policy. The resolution serves as a formal statement to federal lawmakers, highlighting the contradiction between Republicans’ public support for IVF and their opposition to the federal legislative protection.