Asm. Shama Haider

Maddy summaryThis bill imposes a 2.5% fee on corporations with New Jersey taxable income exceeding $10 million for tax years 2024-2028, excluding S corporations and public utilities. It requires affected businesses to pay this fee in addition to their existing corporate business tax. All revenue collected (minus funds constitutionally reserved for open space/farmland) will fund New Jersey Transit’s operating expenses and help cover the state’s share for federal transit capital projects starting in 2026. The fee is calculated on the same income base used for corporate business tax, with no credits allowed except for prior overpayments or estimated payments.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A4081) imposes civil penalties on employers who threaten or disclose an employee's immigration status to prevent them from reporting violations of state labor laws. It directly affects employers and immigrant workers, particularly in cases where employers withhold wages, benefits, or comply with tax laws and then pressure workers about their immigration status. The bill adds tiered penalties: $1,000 for a first violation, $5,000 for a second, and $10,000 for subsequent violations per affected employee. These penalties apply in addition to existing penalties under laws like the New Jersey State Wage and Hour Law, targeting employers who misuse immigration status to conceal other violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public water systems to maintain a minimum free chlorine residual of 0.3 milligrams per liter at all times and conduct regular testing to prevent Legionella bacteria growth. It mandates water system operators to provide written notice to customers about disruptions that could increase Legionella risk and report such disruptions to the Department of Environmental Protection within 24 hours. Certain buildings - including hospitals, facilities treating immunocompromised individuals, buildings with spas or cooling towers, and structures over 10 stories - must implement water management programs following ASHRAE standards to minimize Legionella transmission. Building owners who fail to comply face penalties up to $2,000 for first violations and $10,000 for violations causing serious injury or death. The Department of Health must investigate Legionnaires' disease cases, develop public awareness campaigns, and publish annual reports on cases and prevention efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's Mobility and Transportation Innovation Pilot Program from a Mercer County-only initiative to cover the entire state, allowing local governments and transit agencies statewide to apply for grants. It adds specific requirements for projects, including ensuring access for low-income residents without smartphones or credit cards and requiring wheelchair-accessible vehicles and accessible mobile apps. The bill appropriates $20 million in new state funding (beyond an existing $2 million) to support these grants. The program funds transportation projects using innovative technologies to improve mobility, accessibility, and sustainability in disadvantaged communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's four-year public universities to create and annually update a reproductive health services plan ensuring students can access contraception (including emergency contraception via vending machines or on-campus retail), STI testing/treatment, prenatal care, and abortion referrals. County colleges must establish a referral network connecting students to verified local providers for these services. The plan must include 24-hour access to over-the-counter contraception and evidence-based reproductive health education. Institutions are not required to directly provide abortion services.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Medicaid program to cover emergency contraception (like Plan B) without needing a prescription or provider authorization. It directly affects Medicaid enrollees who need emergency contraception, removing the current barrier that forces them to pay out-of-pocket for over-the-counter options or obtain a prescription for coverage. The key provision mandates that Medicaid managed care organizations include this coverage as a standard benefit, eliminating the need for separate authorization. This changes current practice where Medicaid only covers prescription-based emergency contraceptives, improving access for enrollees.

Maddy summaryBill A4661 creates a voluntary contribution option on New Jersey's state income tax returns to support reproductive health care access. Taxpayers can choose to add a contribution to their refund or send a separate payment to the "New Jersey Reproductive Health Care Equitable Access Fund" established in the Department of the Treasury. The fund would be distributed annually, equally to the three largest Medicaid reproductive health care providers in the state, to cover services for low-income individuals. The bill defines "reproductive health care services" broadly to include pregnancy-related care and abortion services. This policy directly affects New Jersey taxpayers who file state returns and Medicaid providers serving uninsured patients.

Maddy summaryThis bill codifies that physician assistants, certified nurse midwives, certified midwives, and advanced practice nurses can provide abortion services within their scope of practice, including both aspiration and medication abortions. It clarifies that facilities performing abortion procedures not requiring general anesthesia or operating rooms (such as early aspiration abortions) do not need to be licensed as ambulatory surgical facilities. The bill formalizes existing regulations that have been in effect since 2021, removing unnecessary facility requirements to increase access to abortion care. These services may be performed in procedure rooms rather than requiring full surgical facility licensing, while still requiring adherence to standard of care regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's "Reproductive Health Care Access Fund" to improve access to abortion and related reproductive health services. The fund will directly support clinics and providers by funding three programs: (1) clinical training for health care professionals to expand provider capacity, (2) security grants for clinics facing threats like violence or cyberattacks, and (3) loans for facility renovations, technology, and staff retention. It targets gaps identified in southern New Jersey counties with no abortion providers and addresses security risks reported by clinics. Funding comes from the state General Fund, with specific allocations for each program’s implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a program to repay student loans for reproductive health care professionals in New Jersey who work at approved facilities providing abortion services. It appropriates $5 million to cover up to 18-28% of qualifying student loans per year of service (maxing at $200,000 total), requiring participants to work at approved sites for 1-4 years. Eligibility prioritizes professionals in counties with provider shortages, and applicants must be New Jersey residents employed in reproductive health care. The program explicitly includes abortion care as part of "reproductive health services" under the bill's definition.