Asm. Chris DePhillips

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for assaulting law enforcement officers, making it a second-degree crime when bodily injury occurs (previously a third-degree crime). It expands protection to include firefighters and emergency medical personnel who are assaulted while performing their duties. The bill requires offenders to provide a blood or biological sample for testing for communicable diseases, with any positive results shared with the victim. It also prohibits plea bargains for assault on law enforcement officers and prevents convictions from merging with other offenses. The bill takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey law to allow healthcare practitioners (like doctors) to refer patients to pharmacies where they or their immediate family have an existing financial stake - specifically, pharmacies that had approved permits before a prior law took effect. It requires practitioners to provide written disclosure to patients about this financial interest before making such referrals. The change aims to support continuity of care for medication management, such as refills and adherence, by enabling existing practitioner-pharmacy relationships. It does not apply to new pharmacy ownership but focuses on preserving established collaborations.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows restaurants and licensed alcohol beverage retailers and manufacturers to expand their operations into designated outdoor spaces adjacent to their business locations, including public sidewalks. Businesses must apply for a "premises expansion permit" with their municipal zoning officer and the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, providing detailed plans for outdoor space design, sanitation, and safety measures. Municipalities can set reasonable operating hour limits (generally allowing most hours except late-night on Sundays-Wednesdays and early morning on Thurs-Saturdays), but must follow state requirements for permit renewal. Restaurants without alcohol licenses must renew their outdoor permits annually, while those with alcohol licenses renew with their main business license. The bill specifies that municipal ordinances on sanitation, noise, and other matters still apply unless specifically modified by the municipality.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey nursing homes from blocking veterans who use the federal VA prescription drug program from accessing their medications. It directly affects veterans residing in nursing homes who participate in the VA's drug benefits. Nursing homes cannot restrict patients from using this federal program, though they may require VA medications to be handled according to the facility's standard drug administration policies. The law takes effect immediately upon signing.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the "9/11 Heart Symbol flag" (featuring a red heart with "9-11-01 Never Forgotten" and twin tower imagery) as New Jersey's official state flag for remembrance purposes. It requires the flag to be displayed during normal business hours on September 11th each year at all state 9/11 memorial sites, the State House in Trenton, and the main municipal and county buildings in every municipality and county seat. The bill does not replace New Jersey's existing state flag or alter other flag protocols, focusing solely on annual commemoration of the September 11 attacks. It directly affects public buildings and memorials designated for 9/11 remembrance.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey motor vehicle inspection facilities and the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to notify vehicle owners about active safety recalls during inspections and registration. Owners would receive written notices describing each recall and confirming repairs can be done at no cost by authorized dealers. The requirement applies only to recalls needing physical fixes (excluding buybacks or manual labeling issues). The bill does not change manufacturers' liability for recalls but protects MVC staff from liability for notices (except in cases of gross negligence).

Maddy summaryBilly Cray's Law (A1364) requires group homes and supervised apartments for individuals with developmental disabilities to install electronic monitoring devices in common areas when residents request them, with consent from all roommates. The law makes monitoring noncompulsory, requires licensees to provide written notice of residents' rights, bear all installation and maintenance costs, and post visible notices when devices are installed. Licensees must ensure reasonable accommodations for monitoring requests and provide access to recordings for residents and authorized representatives. The law aims to improve safety and care quality by enabling residents to monitor treatment conditions, with penalties including $5,000 fines for first-time noncompliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to create guidelines for placing bleeding control kits in state buildings and mandates that all public and nonpublic K-12 schools acquire these kits. Each kit must contain specific items approved by the DOH, including tourniquets, chest seals, bandages, and instructional materials, and must be replaced after use. Schools must place kits in unlocked, accessible locations near automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and within reasonable proximity to athletic areas, available during school hours and events. The DOH must issue placement guidelines within 180 days of the bill's effective date, while schools have until the next school year or 180 days after enactment to comply.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for assaulting law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel. If bodily injury occurs, assaulting a law enforcement officer would become a second-degree crime (5-10 years in prison) rather than third-degree under current law. The bill also requires offenders to submit to testing for communicable diseases when assaulting these professionals, with positive results shared with the victim. It expands the list of protected professionals to include firefighters and emergency medical personnel under the assault with bodily fluids provision. These changes would apply to offenses occurring after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis is an Assembly Resolution (not a law), expressing support for pregnancy resource centers in New Jersey. It specifically condemns Attorney General Matthew Platkin for issuing broad subpoenas to these centers, which require ten years of documents about their operations and donors. The resolution highlights that these centers provided over $3.6 million in free services and goods (like pregnancy tests, diapers, and baby supplies) to 23,000 people in 2022. It characterizes the subpoenas as an "overbroad" misuse of power targeting centers offering abortion alternatives. The resolution has no legal effect but serves as a symbolic statement from the Assembly.