Asm. Gary Schaer

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the Supplemental Graduate Medical Education Subsidy by $496,000 in New Jersey's FY2026 budget to fund a 15th acute care hospital with a residency program. It expands eligibility beyond the current 14 hospitals to include the 15th hospital with the highest Medicaid revenue percentage (based on 2023 cost reports), using the same calculation method as existing payments. The $496,000 allocation specifically targets this additional hospital, while the existing 14 hospitals' funding levels remain unchanged. The change aligns the appropriations act with a 2018 law that intended the subsidy to cover the top third of eligible hospitals (now 15 out of 45 hospitals with residency programs).

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's public colleges and universities to provide students with information about food assistance programs. Specifically, institutions must include links to SNAP (food stamp) applications, NJ 211 (a state service for human services referrals), and details about campus or community food programs like pantries or meal swipes. This information must be included in initial admission offers and sent via email during each semester's registration. The policy directly affects public higher education institutions and students who may need access to food support services.

Maddy summaryThe Protecting Against Forever Chemicals Act prohibits the sale of certain products containing intentionally added PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances), including cosmetics, carpets, fabric treatments, and food packaging, beginning two years after the act's effective date. Manufacturers must notify the Department of Environmental Protection about PFAS in their products within one year of the act's effective date and pay a $1,000 fee per notification. The act requires cookware containing PFAS in contact with food to display a clear label stating "This product contains PFAS" in both English and Spanish. The Department of Environmental Protection must establish a source reduction program and conduct PFAS research, funded by a $5 million appropriation from the General Fund. The bill allows products with trace amounts of PFAS from unavoidable impurities to continue being sold, focusing on prohibiting the intentional addition of PFAS rather than trace amounts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires municipal construction agencies to conduct building inspections within a 2.5-hour time window and provide 24-hour advance notice to property owners. If agencies fail to meet these requirements, owners can file complaints online with the Department of Community Affairs, which would investigate and potentially impose penalties. The bill aims to improve inspection timeliness for construction projects, directly affecting property owners, contractors, and local building departments. Agencies must establish processes to meet these requirements or face potential penalties for repeated failures in meeting inspection deadlines.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends New Jersey's three-year pilot program for barber licensure for another three years, applying only to four cities: Elizabeth, Passaic, Paterson, and Perth Amboy. It allows individuals who previously provided barbering services in another state or country (even if that jurisdiction doesn't issue barbering licenses) to obtain a 120-day provisional permit to work while awaiting full licensure. The provisional permit can be extended if the applicant continues to meet program criteria and their license application remains pending. During this period, they may practice under direct supervision of a licensed New Jersey barber without violating licensing laws, provided they've made good-faith efforts to obtain a full license.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Patient and Provider Protection Act," imposes new requirements on pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) in New Jersey. It requires PBMs to have a fiduciary duty to patient health outcomes, prohibits misleading marketing to steer patients to network pharmacies, and bans contracts with drug manufacturers that condition rebates on excluding generic drugs. PBMs must reimburse contracted pharmacies at cost or higher and independent pharmacies at no more than 5% less than contracted rates (but still at cost), and cannot block independent pharmacies from matching network prices. These changes directly affect PBMs, pharmacies (both contracted and independent), and patients covered by health plans using PBMs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey Medicaid to cover ovulation-enhancing drugs and related medical services for individuals aged 21-44 experiencing infertility, with coverage limited to three treatment cycles per person. Infertility is defined as failure to conceive after 12 months of regular, unprotected sex for those 21-34 years old, or six months for those 35-44 years old. Covered medical services include office visits, hysterosalpingograms, pelvic ultrasounds, and blood testing, but not the drugs themselves for more than three cycles. The coverage is contingent on federal financial participation being available.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance carriers in New Jersey to cover prostate cancer screening without cost sharing (no deductibles, copays, or coinsurance). It expands the definition of "prostate cancer screening" to include more diagnostic methods beyond digital rectal exams and PSA tests, such as urinary analysis, serum biomarkers, and medical imaging. The coverage applies to men age 50+ who are asymptomatic, and men age 40+ with family history of prostate cancer or other risk factors. The bill extends these requirements to additional insurance types, including individual health insurance policies, that weren't previously required to cover prostate cancer screening under current law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school districts to include instruction about the history and contributions of Latino and Hispanic Americans in Social Studies and English Language Arts curricula for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It mandates that school boards integrate this content as part of their existing implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. The Commissioner of Education must provide sample lesson resources and activities to support schools, developed with input from the Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage. The law takes effect immediately for the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires landlords in New Jersey to disclose lead drinking water hazards to tenants before lease agreements, including information about lead service lines, building construction dates (pre-1986 properties may contain lead), and recent lead exceedance notices. Landlords must provide a standardized disclosure statement within 90 days of the bill's effective date, with exemptions for newer buildings (post-1986), lead-safe properties, and seasonal rentals. Tenants can request free lead testing from water systems, which must test annually upon request (or every 60 days if lead levels exceed standards), and landlords cannot obstruct replacement of lead service lines - tenants may terminate leases without penalty if obstruction occurs. Violations carry fines up to $1,000 for repeated non-compliance.