Asm. Carol Murphy

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurers, the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP), and the State Employees Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) to cover specific mammogram screenings. It mandates one baseline mammogram for women aged 35 and annual screenings for women 35 and older, while also requiring coverage for women under 35 with breast cancer risk factors (like family history) as determined by their provider. Additional tests like ultrasounds or MRIs are covered if needed due to dense breast tissue, abnormal results, or other risk factors. The law applies to all health insurance plans in New Jersey, ensuring these screenings are covered without additional out-of-pocket costs for eligible individuals.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans in New Jersey (including individual, group, and small employer plans) to cover comprehensive neuropsychological testing for suspected dyslexia. It mandates that insurers cannot exclude this coverage, ensuring testing for diagnosis and related psychological/emotional assessments is provided at the same level as other medical conditions. The law applies to all covered health insurance contracts issued or renewed in New Jersey after its effective date, directly affecting patients seeking dyslexia evaluations and insurers offering these plans. It does not create new funding but requires existing insurance policies to include this specific service. The bill is currently pending before the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires businesses bidding on New Jersey state contracts exceeding $50,000 to disclose all labor or employment law violations (including wage, safety, or workers' compensation breaches) from the past two years. State agencies evaluating bids must assess the seriousness of disclosed violations and may disqualify bidders whose violations pose a significant health/safety risk or show disregard for the law. It directly affects contractors seeking state work by adding a transparency requirement tied to their labor compliance record. The policy change focuses on ensuring contractors have a clean labor record before securing public contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Lead Education, Accountability, and Disclosure Act," requires New Jersey public community water systems (serving 15+ connections or 25+ year-round residents) to provide specific lead-related information to customers. Water systems must include details on lead sources, health risks, and reduction steps in annual Consumer Confidence Reports and send written notices to new customers within 90 days of service. Before any lead pipe work, systems must notify affected customers about temporary water quality risks and provide exposure-reduction measures. The law takes effect immediately, focusing on transparency rather than mandating pipe replacement.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds one dental assistant to the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry, increasing the board's membership from 11 to 12 members. The new dental assistant member must have a baccalaureate degree, reside in New Jersey, and have at least 10 years of employment in the state. The bill also clarifies that the Governor must consider but is not bound by recommendations from the New Jersey Dental Assistants Association when appointing this member. This is a procedural change to the board's composition, directly affecting dental assistants meeting the specified qualifications.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey bill A2365 extends in-state tuition eligibility to spouses and dependents of military service members who move due to a service member's transfer. It allows these individuals to maintain in-state tuition rates at public colleges in New Jersey if they were already enrolled before the transfer and maintain continuous enrollment. The bill specifically applies to spouses and dependents who were attending school in New Jersey prior to the military relocation, ensuring they don't lose tuition benefits during temporary moves. This change directly affects military families facing frequent relocations, removing a barrier to educational affordability during service-related transfers. The policy update amends existing law (P.L.1985, c.231) to include these scenarios without requiring new funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes New Jersey's tax code to exclude certain retirement savings contributions from taxable gross income. It directly affects New Jersey residents who contribute to qualifying retirement plans, such as 401(k)s or IRAs, by reducing their taxable income for state tax purposes. The key provision amends the definition of "gross income" to specify that contributions to these plans are not counted toward taxable earnings. As a result, taxpayers would pay less state income tax on the amounts they save for retirement through these qualified plans. The bill is currently in the introduction stage (2026-01-13) and has not yet been voted on.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill expands the crime of bias intimidation to cover more protected characteristics like gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability, and increases penalties for such offenses. It raises the severity of bias intimidation to one degree higher than the underlying crime (e.g., making a fourth-degree offense a third-degree crime), adds mandatory sentencing for first-degree cases, and requires courts to impose separate sentences for bias intimidation and the underlying offense. Perpetrators convicted of bias intimidation must also complete sensitivity training, counseling, or pay compensation to victim support programs. Victims of bias-motivated crimes benefit from new financial penalties ($250-$2,000 per offense) collected by the state and directed to community services. The law applies to anyone committing crimes like assault or harassment with bias motivation, directly affecting both offenders and victims in hate crime cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends Medicaid coverage for eligible pregnant women in New Jersey from the end of pregnancy through a full 365-day period. It directly affects pregnant women who qualify for Medicaid under existing eligibility rules, ensuring continuous health coverage for one year after childbirth. The key change codifies a 365-day postpartum coverage period in the state's Medicaid eligibility definitions, replacing any previous shorter duration. This adjustment aligns New Jersey's policy with federal Medicaid requirements for pregnant women's postpartum care.

Maddy summaryACR 43 is a non-binding resolution passed by the New Jersey legislature urging the U.S. President and Congress to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It specifically requests that the law be updated to prohibit employer discrimination against workers for union organizing activities, such as firing or demoting employees who seek to form unions. The resolution argues this change would strengthen protections beyond current labor law by allowing workers to seek stronger remedies like punitive damages in federal court. As a concurrent resolution, it does not become law but formally expresses New Jersey's support for this policy goal.