Asm. Ellen Park

Maddy summaryThis bill allows students receiving Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) grants to use a portion of their award for summer courses that count toward graduation or their major. Students must notify the Higher Education Secretary before the academic year starts, which reduces their regular academic year disbursement by a specific amount. The Secretary must annually report how many students used the summer option and their graduation rates within standard timeframes. It directly affects EOF grant recipients at participating New Jersey institutions, implementing a 2016 commission recommendation to improve college affordability.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey resident taxpayers to deduct 50% of their E-ZPass toll payments for New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) tolls - covering the NJ Turnpike and Garden State Parkway - from their state gross income. It excludes fines, penalties, administrative fees, and reimbursed amounts from the deduction calculation. The deduction applies to taxable years starting January 1 after the bill takes effect. It directly affects NJ residents who pay tolls via E-ZPass for NJTA roads, providing a tax benefit for those expenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals a 1995 law (P.L.1995, c.63) that prohibited public colleges from adding funds for legislative agents or organizations to student tuition bills. It directly affects students at New Jersey public colleges, removing a restriction that previously barred mandatory assessments for groups seeking to influence legislation. The repealed law had allowed optional student fees for nonpartisan legislative organizations only if approved by a student referendum, with specific disclosure requirements. This bill eliminates that requirement, allowing institutions to assess funds for legislative activities without those restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 1408) amends New Jersey law to require human trafficking awareness signs at specific establishments - including massage businesses, hotels, airports, hospitals, and transportation hubs - to include Chinese and Korean translations, in addition to English and Spanish. The signs must be at least 8.5x11 inches, printed in 16-point font, and displayed in visible locations like restrooms and dressing rooms. Businesses failing to comply face civil penalties of $300 for a first offense and $1,000 for subsequent violations. The change responds directly to a 2024 Commission of Investigation report on human trafficking in New Jersey’s massage industry.

Maddy summaryThis bill, now law as P.L.2025, c.272, provides employment protections for New Jersey paid first responders (including police, firefighters, EMTs, and 9-1-1 dispatchers) diagnosed with work-related PTSD. It prohibits employers from firing, harassing, or discriminating against employees who take leave for qualifying PTSD treatment, requiring reinstatement to their previous position after documented recovery. Employers violating these protections face civil fines ($5,000 for first violation, $10,000 for subsequent), court-ordered reinstatement, lost wages, and attorney fees. The law applies only when PTSD arises from on-the-job trauma or vicarious trauma experienced during official duties.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires four-year public colleges in New Jersey to create and maintain a reproductive health services plan for students, while county colleges must establish a referral network to off-campus reproductive health providers. The plan must ensure access to contraception (including emergency contraception via vending machines or 24-hour options), STI/HIV testing/treatment, prenatal care, and abortion services through campus clinics or verified referrals. It specifically addresses student barriers like limited pharmacy access and lack of transportation by mandating campus-based options and community referrals. The bill does not require institutions to directly provide abortion services but ensures students can access care through structured pathways.

Maddy summaryAJR 115 is a symbolic resolution (not a law) passed by New Jersey's legislature to formally condemn all hate, bias, and hate crimes. It specifically rejects hatred based on race, religion, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexual orientation, and other protected characteristics, urging the state to continue existing efforts to support victims and prevent such crimes. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but reaffirms New Jersey's commitment to combating hate through current initiatives like the Bias Crime Unit and victim support programs. It directly affects all New Jersey residents by expressing the state's official stance against hate crimes and promoting inclusivity.

Maddy summaryThis bill restructures the governance of New Jersey's State Health Benefits Program (SHBP), which provides health coverage to state employees. It creates a new 11-member State Health Benefits Commission (replacing the previous structure) and a separate 12-member Plan Design Committee. The Commission includes the Treasurer, agency heads, and members appointed by labor unions representing state employees, while the Plan Design Committee focuses specifically on designing health plan benefits like medical, dental, and prescription coverage. These changes affect all state employees enrolled in the SHBP by altering who oversees their health plan offerings and administration. The bill does not change the actual benefits provided, only the decision-making bodies managing the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans and Medicaid in New Jersey to cover medically necessary speech therapy for stuttering, including both habilitative (helping develop speech skills) and rehabilitative (helping regain lost skills) therapy. It applies to all health insurance policies sold in New Jersey, including individual, group, and hospital service contracts, and mandates coverage whether therapy is provided in-person or via telehealth. Insurers must cover these services at the same level as other medical treatments, without additional restrictions. The law directly affects residents with stuttering who rely on insurance for speech therapy, ensuring they receive consistent coverage for this specific treatment.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act (A-1400), prohibits state and local government agencies - including law enforcement, schools, and hospitals - from cooperating with federal immigration authorities on immigration detainer requests that lack judicial warrants. It directly affects immigrants and their families by ensuring they can access public services like healthcare and education without fear of deportation. Key provisions ban agencies from holding individuals beyond their release date based on federal immigration detainers (like I-247 forms) and require them to prioritize local safety over federal immigration enforcement. The law aims to prevent unconstitutional detentions and maintain community trust in public services, as federal detainers have been found to violate constitutional rights in multiple courts.