Asm. Carol Murphy

Maddy summaryThis bill adds one dental assistant to the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry, increasing the board's total membership from 12 to 13 members. The new dental assistant member must hold a bachelor's degree, have lived and worked in New Jersey for at least 10 years, and be appointed by the Governor for a 4-year term. The bill also repeals an outdated section of law (P.L.2007, c.259, s.10) and clarifies the qualifications for both the dental assistant and dental hygienist board members. This change directly affects the board's composition and the process for selecting its dental assistant representative.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to temporarily appoint up to three additional members to the Board of Review, which handles unemployment benefit appeals. Appointments can be made through interim roles for State employees (who keep their primary jobs) or intermittent roles for non-State employees. If three additional members are appointed, the Board's membership increases to six, requiring the commissioner to form two independent panels from these six members to process appeals, with flexibility to reassign members as needed for operational efficiency. This change aims to improve the Board's capacity to manage appeal volumes without altering the Board's core responsibilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends annual $20 million funding for horse racing purse subsidies through New Jersey's fiscal year 2029, replacing the prior expiration at fiscal year 2023. The funds will be split equally between thoroughbred (all to Monmouth Park overnight races) and standardbred industries (with specific allocations like 60% to Meadowlands overnight purses). Recipients must submit annual reports to the Legislature and Governor detailing how funds were used, including impacts on betting handle, horse participation, and New Jersey-bred race outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Training Fund reimbursement rules. It allows private agencies training volunteer EMTs (including for EMT-A, EMT-D, and epinephrine auto-injector certification) to be reimbursed directly, prioritizing EMT-A certification first. Volunteer EMTs must work at least one service call monthly for three years to maintain "good standing," or their ambulance squad may have to repay the fund if they stop volunteering. The bill clarifies that reimbursement eligibility doesn't depend on whether the volunteer's squad receives payment for services.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's lead-based paint hazard inspection requirements for residential rental properties. It mandates that municipalities inspect rental units and common areas at tenant turnover or every three years (whichever is earlier), with properties having valid lead-safe certifications (now valid for three years instead of two) exempt from frequent inspections. Landlords must provide lead-safe certification to new tenants and maintain records, while municipalities must report lead hazard findings to the Department of Community Affairs, which will provide annual reports to the legislature. The bill also repeals a provision requiring the Department of Community Affairs to inspect properties as part of the Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's law prohibiting feeding black bears by replacing the previous "unintentional feeding" exemption with specific, allowed activities. It permits certain actions without penalty, including agricultural operations (with food stored properly), bird feeders maintained under strict conditions (e.g., 10-foot height, nightly emptying), animal shelters feeding pets (with uneaten food removed nightly), and government wildlife management. The law also changes where civil penalties for violations go, directing collected fines to the local municipality instead of the Division of Fish and Wildlife. It directly affects residents, farmers, and pet owners in bear-prone areas by clarifying permitted feeding practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4682) requires health insurance companies in New Jersey to cover nonopioid prescription drugs for acute pain on equal terms with opioid drugs when prescribed by a doctor. It prohibits insurers from denying coverage for nonopioid drugs in favor of opioids or requiring patients to try opioids first. For insurers with drug formularies (coverage lists), nonopioid pain medications approved by the FDA cannot face stricter rules, higher costs, or more barriers than opioid alternatives. The law applies to all private insurance plans, state employee health plans, school employee plans, and Medicaid, effective January 1, 2026. It does not prevent insurers from favoring one opioid over another or one nonopioid over another.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires large distribution facilities (100,000+ square feet) or those in overburdened communities (50,000+ square feet) that generate 50+ truck trips daily to obtain a permit from New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and annually implement air pollution reduction measures. The permit program mandates facilities to earn points through specific actions like purchasing electric trucks, installing solar power, or using cleaner equipment to achieve zero emissions by 2050. Facilities must pay annual permit fees and face penalties of $10,000-$20,000 per violation for non-compliance, while the DEP will monitor compliance through truck counting, emissions monitoring, and facility inspections.

Maddy summaryS 1017 (now P.L.2024, c.59) requires New Jersey law enforcement agencies to notify sexual assault victims about key developments in their criminal cases, specifically regarding DNA evidence. Victims have the right to be informed whether DNA from the assault was collected, entered into forensic databases, or matched to a suspect’s DNA (with exceptions if disclosure would compromise an ongoing investigation). Victims can request written or email updates about evidence processing status, and agencies must provide this information in a timely manner upon request. This law directly affects sexual assault victims in New Jersey by ensuring they receive specific, actionable updates about their case evidence under the state’s crime victim rights framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows members of New Jersey's Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) to purchase retirement credit for prior service as a class two special law enforcement officer with a public employer in the state. To qualify, the member must have worked in that role and then started a PFRS-covered position within 120 days of ending that service. Members can purchase up to 10 years of credit by paying the cost, calculated based on their salary and an actuarial factor, with current members having one year from the bill's effective date to apply. This change aligns the process for purchasing such credit with existing rules for federal or military service.