Asm. Melinda Kane

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that owners of self-driving cars in New Jersey must follow existing auto insurance requirements. It explicitly adds "self-driving private passenger automobiles" to the definition of "automobile" under New Jersey's insurance law, requiring these vehicles to meet the same liability coverage standards as regular cars ($15,000 per person for injuries, $30,000 total, and $5,000 for property damage). The bill specifies that self-driving vehicles must have an operator seated in the driver's seat monitoring operations and capable of taking manual control during emergencies. This ensures owners of self-driving cars cannot avoid standard insurance mandates, applying current law directly to autonomous technology vehicles.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey employers to report alleged sexual assaults involving employees or customers to local law enforcement or county prosecutors within 24 hours. Employers who fail to report face a $10,000 civil penalty. If a county prosecutor receives such a report, they must appoint a Sexual Assault Response Team advocate upon the victim’s request to connect them with medical, legal, counseling, and forensic services during the employer’s investigation. The law applies to all employers in New Jersey and aims to ensure timely reporting while preserving employer investigation rights and law enforcement discretion.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Baby Bond Account Program, which deposits $2,000 into individual accounts for eligible infants born on or after January 1, 2021. Eligibility is limited to infants born to families with household income not exceeding 200% of the federal poverty level who establish New Jersey residency within six months of birth. The accounts, managed by a Baby Bond Account Board, can be used for post-secondary education, primary home purchase, business capitalization, or other wealth-building investments after age 18, with limited exceptions for education expenses. The program appropriates $70 million from the General Fund to establish the fund and requires economic literacy training for families to help them manage these accounts.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's nursing home reporting requirements, requiring more detailed financial disclosures and ownership structure information. Nursing homes, applicants for ownership transfers, and third-party entities managing nursing homes must now provide audited consolidated financial statements and organizational charts showing parent companies, subsidiaries, and related parties providing services valued at $200,000 or more annually. The bill lowers the threshold for disclosing ownership interests from 10% to 5% and mandates that nursing homes post this information on their websites. It also removes the previous requirement for nursing homes to post Medicare/Medicaid cost reports, instead requiring them to post the new financial statements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to create special license plates for disabled veterans, allowing them to park in spaces reserved for people with disabilities without needing separate disability placards. The plates, which display "Disabled Veteran" and a wheelchair symbol, will be issued at no cost by the Motor Vehicle Commission to veterans certified by the federal VA as having service-connected disabilities. These plates are non-transferable and must be displayed on the vehicle to qualify for reserved parking, replacing the current requirement for additional disability identification. Misuse of the plates may result in revocation and forfeiture.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all general and special hospitals in New Jersey to create and implement evidence-based protocols for early recognition and treatment of sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. The protocols must cover both adult and pediatric patients separately, include screening processes, treatment guidelines, infection source identification, and antibiotic administration timelines. Hospitals must train relevant staff, submit protocols to the Department of Health for approval within 120 days of the bill's effective date, and annually report data to track adherence and outcomes. These protocols aim to improve sepsis care, as the condition is a leading cause of death in New Jersey and can cause organ damage or death if not treated promptly.