Asm. Carol Murphy

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates June 23 of each year as "International Widows' Day" to raise awareness about the challenges faced by widows. It requires the governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and citizens to observe the day through activities that highlight widows' experiences. The bill does not create new policies, funding, or legal changes - it serves solely as a symbolic recognition of widows' issues, citing statistics like 260 million widows globally and 1 million U.S. widows annually. It passed unanimously in the New Jersey Assembly and became law (P.L.2025, JR-10).

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5376) creates two new state entities: the Health Care Cost Containment and Price Transparency Commission (18 members) and the Office of Healthcare Affordability and Transparency within the Department of Health. It requires hospitals to publicly disclose pricing data for inpatient, outpatient, emergency, and physician services (using standard billing codes) and sets annual benchmarks for health care cost growth and hospital prices. Health care entities exceeding these benchmarks must submit improvement plans, and hospitals failing to comply with transparency rules face civil penalties of $10 per bed per day. The bill directly affects all hospitals, health care providers, and payers in New Jersey, with $5 million appropriated for implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes retirement rules for prosecutors in New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). It allows prosecutors with 20 or more years of service to retire at any age (removing the current 55-year minimum) and receive a retirement benefit equal to 50% of their final salary. The change applies to active prosecutors enrolled in PERS before the bill's effective date, who may retire within five years of that date. The bill takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts eligible veterans from completing the live-fire range portion of New Jersey's required hunter safety course when applying for a hunting license. Veterans must provide proof of honorable military discharge to qualify for the exemption. The exemption applies to residents honorably discharged from U.S. Armed Forces or WWII Merchant Marine members eligible for federal veterans' benefits, as defined in the bill. This change modifies existing license requirements without altering the overall safety course structure.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts spouses and dependents of active-duty U.S. military members from paying application fees for professional licenses in New Jersey. It requires licensing boards to add a checkbox on all applications for applicants to indicate military family status. Boards must issue temporary licenses to qualifying military spouses based on their home-state credentials, without charging the standard fee for these licenses. The law applies to all licensed professions regulated by New Jersey boards, effective 90 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's A5720 requires all public school districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects to install exterior key boxes meeting safety standards at every school building by June 2027. These key boxes must contain building keys, access devices, and updated emergency access maps, with locations chosen in collaboration with first responders. The state appropriates $2.5 million from the General Fund to reimburse schools for installation costs. The bill directly affects school safety infrastructure and emergency response access.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Jersey Out-of-School Time Advisory Commission to review before-school, after-school, and summer programs statewide. The 20-member commission includes state agency leaders, legislative appointees, and representatives from child care organizations, educators, and researchers. Its key duties are to assess current programs, develop statewide standards, examine funding sources, and evaluate program quality across urban, suburban, and rural areas. The commission must submit an interim report within one year and a final report within two years, after which it will expire. The bill directly affects all organizations providing out-of-school time programs in New Jersey by setting a framework for their review and improvement.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a refundable tax credit for New Jersey renters with low incomes who spend more than 35% of their earnings on rent. It directly helps residents earning under $60,000 annually who live in areas with high housing costs or lower-cost areas, based on income thresholds. The credit covers 50% to 100% of rent exceeding 35% of income (capped at $1,000 per year), with higher rates for lower-income renters. Renters receiving federal or state housing subsidies can instead claim a credit based on their unsubsidized rent. The credit applies retroactively to the previous tax year, requiring eligible taxpayers to file an amended return within 90 days of the bill’s enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey employers to continue employment for licensed physicians diagnosed with work-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It protects physicians who take leave for PTSD stemming from direct or vicarious trauma experienced during job duties (e.g., witnessing emergencies or trauma while treating patients), provided the diagnosis is verified by a licensed professional outside the employee. Employers must reinstate these physicians to their previous position and benefits after they document fitness to return. Violations allow employees to seek court-ordered remedies, including $5,000-$10,000 fines, reinstatement, lost wages, or attorney fees. The law applies to all physicians employed by entities in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires municipalities with outdoor firing ranges to adopt zoning ordinances establishing specific safety guidelines. The guidelines must include visible signage showing the range's location and hours, limits on ammunition caliber/gauge (consistent with current law), and requirements for side and impact berms on the range property. Municipalities must also hold public hearings and notify residents within one mile of the range about proposed regulations. The law does not change existing firearm laws but adds local zoning requirements for range safety.