Asm. Carol Murphy

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5049) removes a current restriction that allows the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) to withhold retirement or death benefits from members if they are involved in pending civil lawsuits related to their employment. It specifically prohibits the PFRS Board from delaying benefits due to such civil litigation, though it maintains the ability to withhold benefits for members facing criminal charges or administrative dismissal. The bill requires the Board to adjust benefits after any legal case concludes, rather than holding payments indefinitely during litigation. This change directly affects current and future PFRS members who are involved in employment-related civil disputes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a $0.40 monthly fee per phone line for New Jersey residents using commercial mobile or IP-enabled voice services, excluding Lifeline program users. The fee is collected by telecom companies and paid quarterly to a new "9-8-8 Suicide Prevention and Behavioral Health Crisis Hotline Trust Fund." Funds from this fee will directly support the state's 9-8-8 crisis system, including routing calls/texts to hotlines, mobile crisis response teams, crisis stabilization services, and public awareness campaigns. The bill aligns with federal requirements under the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020.

Maddy summaryThis bill would amend New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) rules to include pay for extracurricular activities in teachers' pension calculations. Currently, additional compensation for duties like coaching sports teams, directing school plays, or supervising clubs is not counted toward pension benefits. The bill changes the definition of "compensation" to include remuneration for extracurricular activities beyond the regular school day or year. This change would affect teachers who receive extra pay for these activities, potentially increasing their future pension benefits. The bill applies to all teachers whose extracurricular duties qualify under the new definition.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Jersey's Athletic Training Licensure Act by revising key definitions to modernize the scope of practice. It replaces the term "athlete" with "physically active person" to include individuals participating in sports, performing arts, recreational activities, employment, or military exercise. The bill clarifies that athletic training covers injury prevention, evaluation, and rehabilitation under physician supervision, while explicitly excluding prescription of controlled substances. These changes directly affect licensed athletic trainers, ensuring their scope aligns with current practices and legal requirements. The revisions were enacted without opposition (passed 39-0 in Senate, 77-2 in Assembly).

Maddy summaryThis bill requires contractors and subcontractors working on public projects to submit payroll records to New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD). It applies to any business performing work for public bodies (like state/local governments or projects funded by public money), including construction, maintenance, or repair work. The key mechanism mandates that these contractors must register with DOLWD and provide payroll details to verify compliance with prevailing wage laws and apprenticeship program requirements. This affects all employers engaged in public work contracts, ensuring transparency in worker compensation and program participation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey health insurance plans (both hospital and medical service corporations) to cover specific lipedema treatments, directly affecting patients diagnosed with this chronic condition and their insurers. It mandates coverage for compression garments, manual lymphatic drainage, medical nutrition therapy, mental health care, and medically necessary lipectomies (including pre- and post-surgery appointments). Insurers must accept physician diagnoses and surgeon documentation (including photos for diagnosis support) but cannot deny coverage based solely on photos, and must cover the full number of lipectomies deemed necessary by the surgeon. The bill also requires prior authorization for lipectomies to remain valid for one year without arbitrary revocation, aligning with existing prior authorization rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey state agencies to extend the 60-day cure period for certain business violations by an additional 30 days, if the agency determines denial would be contrary to equity and good conscience. It applies to businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees (or equivalent) facing first-time violations that don’t endanger public safety, harm the environment, or affect employee income. The extension applies only to violations not related to criminal activity, intentional acts, labor laws, or federal program requirements. Agencies must provide written notice of the violation to trigger the cure period, and must report waived infractions annually on their public websites. The bill amends existing law (P.L.2023, c.28) to add this extension provision.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow New Jersey counties and municipalities to use funds from their existing open space trust funds to remediate collapsed mine shafts and sinkholes on public property. Currently, these funds are used for open space, recreation, floodplain protection, farmland, and historic preservation purposes. The bill expands the authorized uses to include mine shaft and sinkhole remediation, requiring local governments to adopt an ordinance and hold a public hearing before using funds for this purpose. There's a $100,000 limit per project, and funds would be moved to a new "Mine Remediation Trust Fund" for this specific purpose.

Maddy summaryAJR 128 is a symbolic resolution designating August each year as "American Artist Appreciation Month" in New Jersey. It requests the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging schools and cultural institutions to host events celebrating American artists' contributions. The resolution highlights the arts industry's economic impact in New Jersey (generating $41 million in revenue and supporting 25,000 jobs) but does not create new laws, funding, or direct obligations. It is purely a recognition measure with no binding policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Farm to School Local Food Procurement Reimbursement Grant Program to help school districts increase their sourcing of local foods for students. It appropriates $6,500,000 from the General Fund, with $5.5 million dedicated to grants and $1 million for administrative costs. Eligible school districts (those serving students eligible for subsidized meals) can apply for annual grants based on size: small districts (under 5,000 students) receive $10,000-$50,000, medium districts (5,000-10,000 students) get $20,000-$125,000, and large districts (10,000+ students) receive $44,000-$250,000. At least 80% of grant funds must reimburse costs for sourcing additional local foods, while up to 20% can cover equipment or staff training, with priority given to districts in food deserts or those sourcing from small/mid-sized farms.