Asm. Carol Murphy

Maddy summaryThis bill increases New Jersey's Medicaid reimbursement rate for basic life support emergency ambulance transports from $58 to a minimum of $200 per transport. It directly affects ambulance providers who deliver emergency medical transportation to Medicaid patients across all Medicaid service models (fee-for-service and managed care). The key provision sets a mandatory minimum payment rate, requiring the Commissioner of Human Services to implement the change through rules and secure federal funding approval. This policy change aims to address New Jersey's current rate being the lowest in the region, which is significantly below neighboring states' rates.

Maddy summaryAJR 136 designates December 3rd of each year as "International Day of Persons with Disabilities" in New Jersey. The resolution requests the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and citizens to observe the day through activities that promote disability inclusion, awareness of rights, and community participation. This is a symbolic resolution with no regulatory changes, focusing on public recognition rather than new policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides legal protection for people who rescue animals from vehicles in immediate danger due to inhumane conditions like extreme heat, cold, or lack of ventilation. It allows any person to break into a vehicle (without permission) to save a domestic animal if they first contact rescue services and try to locate the owner, unless emergency circumstances prevent it. The rescuer is shielded from civil or criminal liability for property damage or animal injury caused during the rescue - unless they acted recklessly or willfully. The bill also requires rescuers to contact rescue personnel after the rescue and mandates that those personnel respond immediately, provide veterinary care, and investigate potential animal cruelty violations. It applies directly to New Jersey residents acting to save animals in urgent distress.

Maddy summaryThe "Compassion for Community Cats Law" requires that community cats (stray or feral cats with no known owner) be spayed or neutered, ear-tipped, and vaccinated against rabies before being returned to their location or given to a new owner. It establishes a "Compassion for Community Cats Fund" within the Department of Health to provide grants to municipalities and counties for programs that humanely trap, sterilize, vaccinate, and return community cats. The law requires shelters to spay or neuter cats before adoption (with exceptions for kittens under two months, health reasons, or foster placements) and allows shelters to charge for the procedure. This law promotes the "trap, neuter, vaccinate, and return" (TNVR) method as a more humane and effective approach to managing community cat populations than "catch and kill" methods.

Maddy summaryAJR 131 permanently designates the first Friday in February as "Give Kids A Smile Day" in New Jersey. The bill requires the Governor to issue an annual proclamation recognizing this day, aiming to educate families about oral health, connect underserved children with dental care, and raise public awareness about access to dental services. It formalizes an existing annual observance based on the national "Give Kids a Smile" program, which provides free dental screenings and care to children in need. As a commemorative resolution, it does not allocate funding or create new programs but strengthens statewide recognition of this initiative.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and state developmental/psychiatric facilities in New Jersey. It requires specific ratios (such as 1 nurse for every 4 medical/surgical patients, 1 nurse for every 2 critical care patients, and 1 unlicensed personnel for every 7 daytime patients) while mandating hospitals to implement an acuity-based staffing system to ensure adequate staffing levels. Hospitals found in violation may face civil penalties that increase with repeat offenses, with penalty revenue funding a dedicated "Patient Protection and Staffing Fund" to support nursing recruitment, retention, education, and inspector staffing. The bill also requires the Commissioner of Human Services to review staffing standards in developmental centers and psychiatric hospitals to align with these new requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures children in New Jersey's NJ FamilyCare program (ages 21 and under) who transition from the child health program (EPSDT) to the long-term care program (MLTSS) automatically retain their previous weekly private duty nursing hours. It requires managed care organizations to continue nursing coverage during appeals of reduced services and extends the appeal filing window from 10 to 30 days. The bill also directs the state to review past transitions to identify beneficiaries eligible for increased nursing hours and removes the current 16-hour weekly cap on these services under MLTSS. These changes aim to prevent coverage gaps during program transitions and strengthen appeal rights for families relying on personal nursing care.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey to issue special "We Support the Arts" license plates for motor vehicles. Vehicle owners would pay a $50 one-time application fee (in addition to standard registration costs) and a $10 annual renewal fee, with all proceeds (after covering administrative costs) directed to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The license plate design would be selected through a statewide contest and feature the slogan "We Support the Arts." The program requires initial non-public funding to cover setup costs and 500 pre-submitted applications before launching.

Maddy summaryThe bill establishes the "Support for Victims of Domestic Violence Program" to incentivize New Jersey businesses to provide goods and services to individuals who are recent victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Eligible businesses can receive tax credits against their Corporation Business Tax or New Jersey Gross Income Tax for providing specific support, including housing, household essentials, technology security devices, and communications services. The program is capped at $25 million annually, with specific limits of $15 million for housing and emergency accommodations, $10 million for household essentials and technology services, and $3 million for other goods or services. The Division on Women will administer the program, develop regional plans to prioritize needs, and submit annual reports to the Legislature on the program's effectiveness.