Asm. Andrea Katz

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes specific requirements for New Jersey's prescribed burn program, which involves controlled burns to reduce wildfire risk. It sets annual acreage goals (50,000 acres in the pinelands and 10,000 statewide) and requires all burns to occur between November and March, prior to wildfire season. The bill mandates the Department of Environmental Protection to create a prescribed burn training program and establish Mobile Prescribed Burn Units to provide on-site assistance and training to landowners, local fire officials, and others. It also requires the DEP to publish a public calendar of all scheduled burns and allows landowners/lessees to conduct burns without certification.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) and State Parole Board to conduct a new study on Megan's Law, replacing a previous study that was never completed. The study will examine how sex offender registration and community notification are implemented - including tier designation procedures, local law enforcement practices, and the effectiveness of the public Internet registry. It must evaluate all sex offender cases since Megan's Law's enactment and recommend standardized procedures for risk assessment, tier assignments, and public notification. The AOC and Parole Board must submit an initial report within 12 months and biannual updates thereafter to the Governor and Legislature. This study directly affects state agencies responsible for Megan's Law enforcement, not the public or offenders.

Maddy summaryThis bill transfers responsibility for inspecting on-farm dairy processing operations from New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to the Department of Agriculture. It requires the Department of Agriculture to take over all related records, equipment, and employees currently handling these inspections. The Department of Agriculture must collaborate with the Department of Health and local health boards when conducting these inspections. The change takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance carriers in New Jersey to cover prostate cancer screening without cost sharing (no deductibles, copays, or coinsurance). It expands the definition of "prostate cancer screening" to include more diagnostic methods beyond digital rectal exams and PSA tests, such as urinary analysis, serum biomarkers, and medical imaging. The coverage applies to men age 50+ who are asymptomatic, and men age 40+ with family history of prostate cancer or other risk factors. The bill extends these requirements to additional insurance types, including individual health insurance policies, that weren't previously required to cover prostate cancer screening under current law.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a four-year grant program to support performing arts education in New Jersey public school districts. It targets districts where a majority of schools serve high concentrations of multilingual learners, students in foster care, rural students, or those facing academic challenges. Grant funds can be used for purchasing arts materials, teacher training, developing transition programs for students moving between school levels, and creating new arts-based tutoring or extracurricular activities. School districts receiving grants must submit annual reports on program participation and outcomes, and the state education commissioner will evaluate the program's success after four years to recommend potential expansion.

Maddy summaryAJR 234 is a commemorative joint resolution celebrating Timbuctoo’s 200th anniversary in September 2026. It recognizes Timbuctoo, an unincorporated community in Westampton Township, New Jersey, established in 1826 by formerly enslaved and free African-Americans, including four men who escaped slavery in Maryland. The resolution formally acknowledges Timbuctoo’s historical role as an Underground Railroad stop and its 1860 defense against slave catchers (the "Battle of Pine Swamp"). Copies will be sent to the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail Advisory Committee, Timbuctoo Advisory Committee, and Timbuctoo Historical Society.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill would allow the state to import prescription drugs from Canada and other countries with high drug safety standards. It requires the state health commissioner to establish a program within 120 days that designates entities to import drugs meeting FDA safety standards and expected to provide significant cost savings for residents. The program must include public price listings, registration for pharmacies and health plans, a consumer hotline, and third-party audits to ensure safety and affordability.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires electric utilities in New Jersey to charge a special surcharge to large data centers (defined as facilities using at least 50 megawatts monthly for data storage and processing) during peak electricity demand periods. All surcharge payments collected must be transferred to a new "Grid Modernization Fund" managed by the Board of Public Utilities. The fund's sole purpose is to finance projects that modernize the state's electrical grid, such as upgrading infrastructure or improving reliability. This directly affects large data center operators and utilities serving them, with no other provisions or exemptions mentioned.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A6042) requires New Jersey's Division of Child Protection and Permanency to create mandatory suicide screening and crisis response training for its caseworkers. The training will teach caseworkers to recognize suicide warning signs in children using validated tools, respond to at-risk youth with immediate de-escalation techniques, and coordinate care with mental health providers and schools. All current and new caseworkers must complete this training as part of initial hiring and biennially thereafter, with existing staff required to finish within 24 months of the bill's effective date. The division must also periodically update the training to maintain effectiveness.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits sports wagering licensees in New Jersey from offering "micro bets," which are wagers placed on the outcome of the very next play or action in a sporting event (such as whether the next pitch in baseball will be a strike). The bill defines micro bets as proposition bets made live during games on specific plays rather than on the final game outcome. Violating this prohibition would result in a disorderly persons offense with fines ranging from $500 to $1,000 per offense, with each wager constituting a separate violation. The bill aims to address concerns about rapid, high-volume betting contributing to problem gambling, which the bill states has been increasing in New Jersey.