Asm. Andrea Katz

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3980) requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services to create a system that stops funding for substance use disorder treatment or housing services when General Assistance program beneficiaries exit those services. It directly affects beneficiaries receiving General Assistance cash benefits and the service providers (like treatment centers or housing agencies) that receive state funds. The key mechanism mandates that funding must cease on the exact date a beneficiary is discharged or no longer receives services, with the Commissioner authorized to verify service dates and demand repayment if funds were incorrectly paid after services ended. The bill aims to prevent overpayment by ensuring funds align precisely with active service delivery.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows public high school students in grades 10-12 who participate in school-sponsored sports to replace their physical education class with a study hall during their sport's athletic season. Students must get written parental approval and have their coach confirm their participation, and their athletic involvement will count toward their graduation physical education credit requirement. The bill does not affect students not in sports, younger grades, or the existing requirement for health and safety education courses. It applies starting the 2024-2025 school year.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires emergency departments in New Jersey hospitals to provide parents or guardians with contact information for local care management organizations when a child presents with a mental health crisis. Care management organizations are defined as county-based, nonprofit groups that offer in-person support for youth with complex needs and their families. The law aims to connect families with community resources by mandating that hospitals share this information during emergency visits.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 129) urges Congress to pass the federal "Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act" (H.R. 3106). The resolution describes H.R. 3106 as a bill that would make it a crime to intentionally disclose or threaten to disclose digitally altered intimate images without consent, and would allow victims to file private lawsuits. It directly addresses victims of non-consensual deepfakes - digital forgeries that create fake pornographic images of people without their permission, causing emotional and reputational harm. The resolution cites a recent incident at a New Jersey high school as context for supporting this federal legislation. Note: AR 129 itself is a non-binding resolution, not a law, and only urges congressional action on H.R. 3106.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Cannabis Regulatory Commission to monitor prices for medical cannabis products sold by cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries, and clinical registrants. If the Commission determines prices are unreasonable compared to actual costs, it must establish a six-month price cap on those entities. The Commission can adjust the price cap during the six-month period and implement multiple price caps as needed. This applies only to medical cannabis entities, not recreational cannabis businesses, and aims to ensure pricing aligns with operational costs.

Maddy summaryThe "Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act" requires New Jersey colleges and universities to implement specific mental health programs for students. Institutions must create a mental health awareness program including annual student orientation sessions, website resource hubs, and online screenings for conditions like depression and anxiety. They must also establish student peer support programs following best practices and form partnerships with local mental health providers to meet a benchmark of one clinical staff member per 1,250 students. A new Technical Assistance Center will develop standards, monitor progress, and share data to improve campus mental health services.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4279) reallocates $5 million from an existing FY 2024 appropriation for the Department of Health's Nemours Children's Health program to fund the Burlington County Animal Shelter through the Department of Community Affairs. It directly affects Burlington County by providing dedicated state funding for the shelter's operations within the current fiscal year. The key mechanism is a budget reallocation, moving funds from one state program to another without creating new spending. This change modifies the existing appropriations act (P.L.2023, c.74) to redirect the specified amount.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4265) creates a program to pay monetary awards to whistleblowers who report tax law violations by employers in New Jersey's construction industry. Whistleblowers providing specific, credible information that leads to enforcement actions (like penalties or settlements) can receive 15-30% of the money collected, or up to 10% if the information came from public sources like media or government reports. It excludes current Treasury employees and individuals who planned the violations they reported, and protects whistleblowers from retaliation under existing law. The award amount is based on how much the information contributed to the case outcome.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) to conduct a survey of all antenatal and prenatal care clinics across the state, including those that have closed or significantly reduced services within the past two years. The survey will collect data on clinic availability, demographic and socioeconomic details of patients (especially low and moderate income pregnant women), and disparities in care access, while protecting personal health information. The DOH must analyze the data to identify trends and develop strategies to improve maternity care quality and access, then publish findings on its website and submit a legislative report within 18 months. This policy change directly affects clinics, the DOH, and future health care planning for pregnant individuals in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Agriculture to promote community supported agriculture (CSA) programs, where consumers pay for a share of a farm's seasonal harvest. The Department must create a public website with searchable CSA listings and subscription links, use various media to advertise CSA benefits, and develop promotional labels for CSA products. It also establishes "Community Supported Agriculture Week" in February and requires schools to incorporate CSA into meal programs and curriculum through the existing Farm to School program. The bill expands the use of the "New Jersey Farm Products Publicity Fund" to include CSA promotion and updates the Farm to School website to facilitate CSA subscriptions between schools and farms.