Asm. Carol Murphy

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to prohibit New Jersey health insurance carriers from denying coverage or excluding benefits due to preexisting conditions. A preexisting condition is defined as a health issue present before coverage began. The amendment would apply to private insurers, health maintenance organizations, and state-run programs like the State Health Benefits Program, but exclude self-funded employer plans governed by federal law. If approved by voters, it would become part of New Jersey's Constitution, requiring insurers to cover preexisting conditions without restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires municipalities and school districts in New Jersey to place parking spaces designated for people with disabilities near youth athletic fields so that drivers and front seat passengers can see the sports activities from those spots. It applies specifically when creating, expanding, resurfacing, or repainting parking areas adjacent to youth sports fields. The law mandates that these parking spaces must be located where the field activities are visible from the parking area. This change directly affects local governments and school boards managing such parking facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3640) authorizes New Jersey's Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Developmental Disabilities to establish special funding rates and service requirements for individuals with highly acute needs - specifically those exhibiting extreme self-injurious or aggressive behaviors that require significantly higher staffing ratios and clinical support than standard services. It mandates specific programmatic requirements for these cases, including required staffing ratios, staff qualifications, transition plans, clinical assessments (like applied behavior analysis), and medical oversight. The bill directly affects service providers and individuals with severe behavioral needs who cannot be safely supported under current funding structures. It aims to ensure funding aligns with actual costs for these high-risk cases, which the existing fee-for-service system does not adequately cover.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends New Jersey's tuition benefits at public colleges and universities to residents serving in reserve components of the U.S. Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, and Coast Guard Reserves), as well as to their eligible children and surviving spouses if the service member died in the line of duty. Eligible members must complete required training, be enrolled full-time in good academic standing, and apply for all available federal and state financial aid before state tuition coverage applies. The state will reimburse public institutions for tuition costs not covered by federal benefits like the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and prohibits charging non-resident tuition rates to qualifying reserve members. The policy takes effect immediately for the next academic year.

Maddy summaryThis bill transfers administration of three federal nutrition programs - the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) - from New Jersey's Department of Health to the Department of Agriculture. The bill designates the Department of Agriculture as the state agency responsible for these programs, aligning with federal requirements. It also transfers all related grants, funds, and necessary employees from the Department of Health to the Department of Agriculture. The change takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a School Plastics Upcycling Grant Program through New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), appropriating $5 million to provide proportional grants to eligible public and private K-12 schools based on the amount of plastic waste they collect. Schools would collect plastic bags and other plastic materials, donate them to DEP-approved upcyclers, and use grant funds to purchase school-appropriate furnishings (like desks and chairs) made from the upcycled plastics. Each school's grant amount would be determined by its pro rata share of collected plastics, with a minimum grant sufficient to purchase at least one piece of furniture, and at least 80% of funds must be used for purchasing the upcycled furnishings. The program would operate as a 3-year pilot, with annual reporting requirements to evaluate effectiveness before potentially continuing on a permanent basis.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A3657 establishes the "School District Shared Services Task Force" to study how school districts collaborate on shared services (like administrative or educational programs) with other districts, municipalities, and counties. The 9-member task force, including education officials and appointed public representatives, will examine current arrangements, implementation challenges, funding needs, and potential impacts on school consolidation. It must submit a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year of organizing. The bill directly affects New Jersey's public school districts by aiming to improve the efficiency of shared services they currently use or might adopt.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises eligibility requirements for New Jersey's Workability Program (a Medicaid buy-in option for employed individuals with disabilities) and Personal Assistance Services Program (a state-funded personal care program). It removes age limits for both programs (previously 16-65 for Workability, 18-70 for Personal Assistance), increases Workability's income eligibility from 250% to 450% of the federal poverty level, and ensures Workability premiums are based solely on the applicant's income (not their spouse's). The bill also allows continued Workability eligibility for up to one year after job loss through no fault of the applicant. These changes aim to expand access to healthcare and support services for working individuals with disabilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey teaching hospitals that receive state funding for graduate medical education to prioritize applicants who are New Jersey residents (graduated from NJ high school) or enrolled at one of the state's four public medical schools (Cooper, Rowan, Rutgers New Jersey Medical, or Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson) for residency, fellowship, and third/fourth year clerkship placements. Hospitals failing to comply face a 20% reallocation of their Medicaid funding for graduate medical education. The law specifically targets hospitals licensed under P.L.1971, c.136, applying to both residency placements and clerkship opportunities for medical students. Non-compliance penalties are enforced through state reallocation of Medicaid funds, not by altering hospital admissions policies directly.