Asm. Andrea Katz

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans in New Jersey to continue covering prescription drugs for individuals with complex or chronic medical conditions (conditions without a known cure that can be severely debilitating or fatal if untreated) or rare diseases (affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S.) while they appeal a coverage denial based on medical necessity. During an appeal, insurance plans cannot limit coverage, increase out-of-pocket costs, or move the drug to a more restrictive tier. Insurance can only deny coverage during the appeal if the prescribing provider discontinued the drug, the FDA issued a safety warning, or the manufacturer notified the FDA of discontinuance. The bill applies to various health insurance plans including individual policies, group plans, health maintenance organizations, and state health benefit programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires licensed child care centers in New Jersey to provide parents or legal guardians with 45 days' notice before changing tuition rates. Centers must send the notice via certified mail (with return receipt), receipted first-class mail, or in-person delivery to each parent or guardian, and also post it on their website and display it prominently at the center. It applies to all child care centers operating under New Jersey law (P.L.1983, c.492). The goal is to give families sufficient time to plan for tuition adjustments without requiring new financial commitments.

Maddy summaryThis bill transfers responsibility for services to individuals with developmental disabilities under age 30 from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Specifically, it shifts administration from DHS's Division of Developmental Disabilities to DCF's Division of Children's System of Care, extending the age range for DCF oversight from 21 to 30 years. The bill requires an inter-agency agreement between DHS and DCF to manage the transition, including redetermining eligibility for those already receiving services. It does not change eligibility criteria but updates which state department provides and oversees these services.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a New Jersey gross income tax credit for eligible families paying child care costs at licensed centers rated under the state's Grow NJ Kids program. The credit equals 15% of expenses for 3-star centers, 17.5% for 4-star centers, and 20% for 5-star centers, applying to children under six enrolled at such facilities. Taxpayers with less than $25,000 in gross income receive a refundable credit (meaning they get cash if the credit exceeds their tax bill), while higher-income taxpayers can carry forward unused credit to the next year. The credit cannot be claimed alongside New Jersey's existing child and dependent care credit.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey law enforcement agencies to confidentially share information about juveniles involved in family crises with their school principals. It directly affects law enforcement, school principals, and the juveniles themselves, aiming to help schools develop educational and social programs tailored to these students' needs. Key provisions require the information to be shared confidentially, prohibit schools from keeping records of it (except as allowed by education regulations), and explicitly state that this information cannot lead to school discipline. The bill ensures the focus remains on supportive programming rather than punitive measures for students experiencing family crises.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill encourages municipalities to share services by requiring employment reconciliation plans for shared service agreements, which address how employees will be affected by such arrangements. It clarifies that civil service protections (Title 11A) won't apply to employees affected by shared service agreements and mandates that the Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission include savings estimates in all proposals. Municipalities failing to implement approved shared service agreements within 14 months would face annual reductions in state aid equal to the estimated savings. The bill also appropriates funds to support the commission's work in facilitating these service-sharing arrangements.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A1139 establishes a 15-member Property Tax Study Commission to examine the state's property tax system and develop recommendations for reducing residential property tax burdens. The commission, including state officials, legislative leaders, and regional public members, must analyze local government functions, current tax laws, exemptions, and alternative funding methods while ensuring any recommendations are revenue neutral. It is required to issue an interim report within nine months and a final report within 12 months of organizing, with follow-up annual reports for five years to monitor implementation. The bill directly affects New Jersey residents (particularly homeowners) and local governments by potentially reshaping how property taxes are structured and funded.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides a tax credit under New Jersey's corporation business tax for businesses that retrofit existing warehouses (100,000+ sq ft used for storage) with a "solar-ready zone" and then install solar panels. The credit covers up to 50% of retrofit costs or $250,000 per warehouse, with a maximum of eight warehouses per business per tax period. Businesses must prove solar panels are installed before claiming the credit, and the total credits across all businesses cannot exceed $25 million. The credit applies only to warehouses meeting specific size and solar-ready zone requirements defined in the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's nursing home reporting requirements, requiring more detailed financial disclosures and ownership structure information. Nursing homes, applicants for ownership transfers, and third-party entities managing nursing homes must now provide audited consolidated financial statements and organizational charts showing parent companies, subsidiaries, and related parties providing services valued at $200,000 or more annually. The bill lowers the threshold for disclosing ownership interests from 10% to 5% and mandates that nursing homes post this information on their websites. It also removes the previous requirement for nursing homes to post Medicare/Medicaid cost reports, instead requiring them to post the new financial statements.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses (APNs) in New Jersey, allowing them to practice to the full extent of their training without requiring physician supervision or joint protocols. APNs with more than 24 months or 2,400 hours of experience can practice independently, while those with less experience must maintain a joint protocol with a physician for prescribing medications. The bill updates requirements for prescribing medications (including pharmacology continuing education), authorizing medical cannabis, and practicing anesthesia, and repeals sections of law requiring physician collaboration. These changes aim to improve healthcare access, particularly in underserved areas, by expanding the scope of practice for APNs who are already trained to provide primary and specialty care. The bill also modifies documentation requirements so that APNs can use their own signatures instead of requiring physician endorsements.