Rep. Carol Murphy

Maddy summaryAJR 139 designates September each year as "Deaf Awareness Month" and the last full week of September as "Deaf Awareness Week" in New Jersey. This resolution directly affects all New Jersey residents by establishing annual periods to increase public awareness about deaf culture, communication needs, and challenges faced by the estimated 850,000 residents with hearing loss in the state. The bill requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and citizens to observe these designations with appropriate activities. It does not create new laws or funding but aims to promote education about deaf issues, including sign language and accessibility barriers.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey concurrent resolution urges the U.S. Congress to pass the Sikh American Anti-Discrimination Act of 2026, which is currently pending at the federal level. The bill aims to address the disproportionate targeting of Sikhs by creating a specific task force within the Department of Justice to investigate and combat anti-Sikh hate and discrimination. By highlighting the community's distinct religious identity and recent FBI data on hate crimes, the resolution seeks to bring federal attention to this issue. The document also outlines administrative steps to send copies of the resolution to federal leaders and the Sikh Youth Alliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Commission on Women Veterans within New Jersey's Department of Veterans Affairs to study and improve services for female veterans. The commission will consist of 15 members, including nine appointed women veterans, representatives from various military branches and veteran organizations, and state officials who serve without pay. Its main tasks include reviewing needs in areas like healthcare and housing, recommending community education programs, and holding public meetings to gather input from the community. The commission must meet at least quarterly and submit an initial report to the Governor and Legislature once organized.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires health insurance plans and pharmacy benefit managers to cover drugs that must be administered by a clinician without charging patients extra fees or imposing special restrictions. It prohibits insurers from refusing to pay for these medications, forcing patients to use specific pharmacies, or penalizing them with higher copays simply because they receive care at a doctor's office or hospital rather than a pharmacy. Additionally, the law prevents insurers from denying coverage based on where the drug is administered, as long as it meets standard medical necessity criteria. While the bill allows insurers to suggest using home infusion services or external infusion sites, it does not make these options mandatory.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a grant program within the New Jersey Department of Transportation to help residents and organizations pay for supplemental catalytic converters. These additional filters are designed to be installed behind a vehicle's original catalytic converter to further reduce harmful emissions like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. To qualify, applicants must be New Jersey residents operating gasoline-powered vehicles from 2000 or later, while repair shops and nonprofits can apply for larger funds to run community-wide installation campaigns. The program will use existing federal and state funds, and the department must submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature on its progress.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill creates a new crime called fertility fraud, which specifically targets licensed health care practitioners who knowingly use a patient's reproductive material without their written consent. Under the law, a practitioner commits this offense if they use their own sperm or eggs or the material of another person to cause a pregnancy without the patient's informed agreement. If convicted of this third-degree crime, the individual faces up to five years in prison, a fine of $15,000, and the mandatory permanent revocation of their medical license. Additionally, the legislation extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting this specific offense to 20 years from the date of the treatment or 10 years from when the victim discovers the fraud, whichever is later.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates June 10, 2026, as "Christina Grimmie Day" in New Jersey to honor the late singer and songwriter who was a native of the state. The resolution recognizes Grimmie's musical achievements and her legacy as a New Jersey artist, particularly noting that the date marks the tenth anniversary of her passing. It requests the Governor to issue a proclamation for the day, serving as a commemorative gesture rather than a change to laws or regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a fourth-degree crime to knowingly install or use electronic tracking devices or applications to monitor another person's location when doing so is intended to start or help commit an illegal act. It directly affects individuals who use GPS trackers, spyware, or similar technology to surveil others without permission, with exceptions for parents tracking minors, employers monitoring work-related vehicles, and situations involving consent or health safety concerns. The law requires written consent for tracking and automatically revokes that consent if a divorce or restraining order is filed, while also excluding government agencies from these restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 1830) revises New Jersey's licensing requirements for ambulatory care facilities - outpatient surgical centers and similar facilities providing non-hospital-based care. It sets maximum fees ($4,000 for facility licenses, $2,000 for inspections) for most facilities and requires the state to post inspection reports online, including serious health/safety violations at residential health care facilities within 72 hours. Existing surgical practices must apply for licensure as ambulatory care facilities within one year, while those already operating under prior law are exempt from initial license fees. The changes aim to standardize oversight, improve transparency, and clarify operational requirements for these facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey law enforcement to notify the State Parole Board when a parolee violates a domestic violence restraining order. It directly affects parolees under supervision who breach such orders, as well as law enforcement officers and the Parole Board. The key mechanism mandates officers to check the domestic violence central registry (which now includes parole status) and immediately alert the Parole Board if a parolee is charged with violating a domestic violence order. This ensures the Parole Board is informed to address potential violations of parole conditions. The bill amends existing statutes to streamline this notification process for safety and accountability.